North Carolina Registered Agent.co takes the top spot because a $199 formation price over the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.
The registered office is an in-state street address supplied by the plan, and any papers served on the company show up as scans in your online account.
Its published prices leave out the annual report, so the owner files it with North Carolina every year.
It costs less than Mainstay Filing over three years, and cost is one of our two heaviest criteria.
In the price
- LLC filing done for you
- Year one as your registered agent
Good
- A $199 price on top of the filing fee
- $99 a year after that for the agent
- Year one as your registered agent is covered
Watch for
- Leaves the annual report to the owner
- The EIN application is an extra charge ($99)
Mainstay Filing makes the list at number two because the North Carolina formation, a registered agent and the annual report share a single $199 price.
Renewal includes Mainstay filing the annual report on your behalf. The state fee in North Carolina is $200 every year, due April 15, and Mainstay passes that fee through at cost.
North Carolina Registered Agent.co undercuts it by $200 across three years, which leaves Mainstay Filing second on cost.
In the price
- The formation filing, submitted on your behalf
- Your registered agent for the full year
- Your annual report, prepared and filed for you
- EIN application handled
Good
- Renews at $199 with no add-ons
- EIN application is part of the package
- A single $199 yearly price that covers the annual report
- North Carolina's fee is added at cost
Watch for
- The agent part costs $100 a year more than North Carolina Registered Agent.co's after year one
NC Registered Agent.org makes the list at number three because a $199 formation price over the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.
The registered office is an in-state street address supplied by the plan, and any papers served on the company show up as scans in your online account.
Its published prices leave out the annual report, so the owner files it with North Carolina every year.
The published prices and features of North Carolina Registered Agent.co and NC Registered Agent.org are identical, so the order between them is a coin flip between solid options.
In the price
- LLC filing done for you
- The first year of registered agent service
Good
- Formation costs $199 before the state fee
- The registered agent role is free for the first year
- $99 a year after that for the agent
Watch for
- Leaves the annual report to the owner
- The EIN application is an extra charge ($99)
The 3 picks side by side
Filing Shortlist sets each score out of 10 itself, using the criteria on How we rank; no customer ratings feed in.
North Carolina LLC service pricing in 2026: first year, renewals, three-year total
Every price comes from the company's own pages as of November 12, 2026. The $125 North Carolina filing fee comes on top of each row and is left out of the totals.
What decided the order
On Filing Shortlist's shortlist, three-year price and what the price covers carry 28% each and renewal terms, fit for the state and price clarity share the other 44%. In North Carolina, three-year price made the difference.
North Carolina Registered Agent.co adds up to $397 over three years, which is $200 below Mainstay Filing. Mainstay would file the annual report too, but an owner can do that alone for the state fee, so the smaller price won this page.
Every criterion and weight is set out on How we rank.
Forming in North Carolina: filing fee and form
The Articles of Organization (Form L-01) costs $125 to file with the North Carolina Secretary of State. Each service here adds that fee at cost to its own price.
The state's usual processing time: Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.
Keeping the company in good order in North Carolina after formation
File the annual report every year, by April 15. The state fee is $200. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Common questions about North Carolina LLC services
What is the price of starting an LLC in North Carolina?
The state filing fee is $125, and service fees run $199.
Which document creates the LLC?
The Articles of Organization (Form L-01), submitted to the North Carolina Secretary of State.
What is the state's turnaround for a new North Carolina LLC?
The state quotes Entity creation 5 to 10 business days as its standard processing time.
Must a new company list a registered agent when it forms in North Carolina?
Yes. North Carolina wants a registered agent named at formation and kept on file afterwards, with a street address in the state.
What does the company have to file after forming in North Carolina?
The annual report, every year, due April 15, for a $200 state fee.
Is the EIN application part of the price?
With Mainstay Filing it is, inside the yearly price. For the EIN application, North Carolina Registered Agent.co and NC Registered Agent.org bill $99. The IRS issues EINs at no charge if you apply yourself.
Which service tops the North Carolina LLC shortlist?
North Carolina Registered Agent.co, because forming in North Carolina costs $199 plus the state fee, and year-one registered agent service is covered, then $99 a year.
Where the figures come from
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division (checked again August 2026)
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division (checked again August 2026)
- North Carolina report due date (checked again August 2026)
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 57D-2-20 (checked again August 2026)
- North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source (checked again October 2026)
- North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source (checked again October 2026)
- North Carolina registered agent statute (checked again October 2026)
- Processing, official source (checked again October 2026)
- Pulled from North Carolina Registered Agent.co: pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Pulled from Mainstay Filing: North Carolina service page, November 12, 2026
- Pulled from NC Registered Agent.org: pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026