North Carolina LLC

North Carolina LLC: start one, run one, keep it active

Everything about an LLC in North Carolina in one place. LLCs here are formed with the North Carolina Secretary of State, Business Registration Division by filing a Articles of Organization. North Carolina LLCs file an Annual Report every year. It is due April 15 each year.

$399, state fee included
No upsells
Checked Oct 5, 2026

Start a North Carolina LLC

How to start an LLC in North Carolina →

Name, registered agent, Articles of Organization and bank account, step by step.

North Carolina LLC cost →

What it costs to form and to keep, and a three-year comparison.

North Carolina operating agreement →

Not required by law, but every LLC needs one. Create yours free.

Run a North Carolina LLC

North Carolina Annual Report →

Every year. Due dates, first filing, and what happens if you miss it.

North Carolina registered agent →

Every North Carolina LLC needs one. Ours is included in year one.

Compliance deadline tracker →

Every federal and North Carolina deadline for your LLC.

Changing or closing it: add or remove a member, change your registered agent, move to another state, dissolve the LLC.

North Carolina LLC at a glance

Formed with

North Carolina Secretary of State, Business Registration Division

Formation document

Articles of Organization

Recurring filing

Annual Report, every year

Online filing

Yes

North Carolina LLCs file an Annual Report every year. It is due April 15 each year.

Must include "limited liability company", "L.L.C.", "LLC", "Ltd. Liability Co.", "Limited Liability Co." or "Ltd. Liability Company", and it must be distinguishable from names already on the North Carolina register.

The annual report is due whether or not the LLC is actually conducting business.
Delinquent annual reports can lead the Secretary of State to begin administrative dissolution.
The annual report can be filed online with the Secretary of State at any time of day.

Forming a North Carolina LLC from outside the US?

The steps above are written for people who live in the US. If you live abroad, the bank account and tax filings work differently.

North Carolina LLC for non-residents →

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How do I start an LLC in North Carolina?

Choose a name, appoint a registered agent in North Carolina, and file a Articles of Organization with the North Carolina Secretary of State, Business Registration Division. Then write an operating agreement and open a business bank account. Our step-by-step guide covers each one.

How much does a North Carolina LLC cost?

North Carolina charges a one-time filing fee to form an LLC. With StartGlobal it is $399 in total, with that fee, your operating agreement and first-year registered agent included.

Does a North Carolina LLC file an annual report?

North Carolina LLCs file an Annual Report every year. It is due April 15 each year.

Is an operating agreement required in North Carolina?

No, but every North Carolina LLC should have one.

Written by

Sanjay Nediyara

Chief Executive Officer, StartGlobal, Inc.

Sanjay founded StartGlobal after going through US company formation as a non-resident himself. The platform has since been used to form over 5,000 companies by founders in more than 150 countries.

Forbes Fellow
Draper University alum
Built and led formation for 5,000+ companies across 150+ countries
Google developer community collaborator, 1,000+ developers
Top 4% on Stack Overflow

Last reviewed October 5, 2026 LinkedIn

Not legal or tax advice. StartGlobal is a company formation and compliance service, not a law firm or an accounting firm, and nobody here is your attorney or your accountant. This page describes general requirements and cites the sources it draws on. Rules change and vary by state and by your own circumstances, so confirm anything that affects a decision with a qualified professional or the relevant agency.

LLC Formation

Everything you need to launch, in one package.

Registered Agent

Included

Every US LLC is legally required to have a registered agent: the official point of contact that receives legal documents, lawsuits, and state notices on your behalf. We act as your registered agent in your formation state and forward anything that arrives straight to you.

Required to form and keep your LLC in good standing
Receives legal documents and state notices for you
We forward everything to you right away

State Filing

Included

We set up your company in the state you choose and track everything through to approval. Your state fees are included in the price, with no separate charges to figure out later.

File in any of the 50 states
State filing fees included, no surprise charges
We track your filing through to approval

Operating Agreement

Included

The internal rulebook for your LLC: who owns what, how decisions are made, and what happens if an owner leaves. Banks and partners often ask to see it. We prepare one for single or multi-member LLCs, written for your state.

Single or multi-member
Written for your formation state
Ready to share with your bank

Business Bank Account

Included

Open your business bank account online without booking a branch appointment. We connect you with trusted banking partners like Mercury and Lili and guide you through the application.

Apply online, no branch visit
Partners like Mercury and Lili
Guided setup from start to finish

$399 one-time

All state and government fees included

One payment, no surprise charges at checkout.

Get started

Customer Support

Support you can count on, with real humans.

No bots. A reply within 24 hours, every question, every customer.

Chat with a real person on our live chat. We answer in English, Spanish, Arabic, French, Portuguese, and more.

The company behind your company

Backed by icons. Built to last.

The people who built Twitter, Stripe, Coinbase, and Gumroad backed StartGlobal. But we're not a cash-burning, growth-at-all-costs startup. We're profitable, founder-led, and 5 years in, the kind of company you can trust to run your business for years to come.

Profitable Founder-led 5+ years in business Backed by 15+ icons