Place1
Top pick on this pageMainstay Filing
1. Mainstay Filing: best for formation, agent and annual report in one price
$199/yr + state fee
Our mark9.5out of 10
Mainstay Filing takes the top spot: one $199-a-year price that covers the North Carolina filing, your registered agent and your annual report, renewing at $199.
North Carolina's annual report costs $200 every year (due April 15); Mainstay prepares and files it as part of the renewal, with the state's fee passed through at cost.
Over three years it costs $200 more than North Carolina Registered Agent.co, and we think the extra coverage earns that here.
What you get
- Formation prepared and filed
- Your registered agent, all year
- Your annual report prepared and filed
- EIN application
Why pick it
- EIN application included
- $199 renewal, no add-ons
- North Carolina state fee passed through at cost
- $199/yr covers formation and agent and report
Less good
- Renewal is $100 above North Carolina Registered Agent.co's agent
Place2
Best for a North Carolina-only companyNorth Carolina Registered Agent.co
2. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for North Carolina LLCs that file their own reports
$199 plus fees, then $99 yearly
Our mark9.3out of 10
Number 2 is North Carolina Registered Agent.co: a $199 formation fee over the state's own, then $99 a year for the agent.
Served documents are scanned and shared online, and the registered office is a North Carolina street address.
Its prices do not include the annual report; you file that yourself every year.
What you get
- The formation filing
- First year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- First year of registered agent service included
- $99 a year after year one
- $199 over the state fee
Less good
- Annual report filing not in the price
- EIN costs $99 more
Place3
Best local optionNC Registered Agent.org
3. NC Registered Agent.org: best for a second North Carolina option
$199 plus fees, then $99 yearly
Our mark9.2out of 10
NC Registered Agent.org comes third with a $199 formation fee over the state's own, then $99 a year for the agent.
Served documents are scanned and shared online, and the registered office is a North Carolina street address.
Its prices do not include the annual report; you file that yourself every year.
It mirrors North Carolina Registered Agent.co on price and features; either works.
What you get
- The formation filing
- First year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- $199 over the state fee
- First year of registered agent service included
- $99 a year after year one
Less good
- Annual report filing not in the price
- EIN costs $99 more
Quick comparison: North Carolina
| Rank | Service | Our score | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.5 | $199 | $199/yr | Formation, agent and annual report in one price | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 2 | North Carolina Registered Agent.co | 9.3 | $199 | $99/yr | A North Carolina-only LLC on a budget | Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 3 | NC Registered Agent.org | 9.2 | $199 | $99/yr | A North Carolina-only LLC on a budget | Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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The Founders Review sets these scores itself from the five criteria on our method page; they are not user ratings.
North Carolina pricing for 2026: what each service costs
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Annual report filed for you |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $199 | $199 | $597 | Yes |
|---|
| North Carolina Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
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| NC Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
|---|
Prices from each company's own pricing pages, read November 12, 2026. The $125 state fee comes on top of each total.
What decided the ranking
What one price covers decided this page. It is one of our two 30% criteria, alongside three-year cost.
North Carolina Registered Agent.co costs less, but the annual report filing in Mainstay's price earned it the higher coverage score.
Read the full criteria on our How we rank page.
What forming an LLC in North Carolina costs (2026)
$125 goes to the state for the Articles of Organization (Form L-01) under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 57D-2-20, whichever service files it.
Processing: Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.
What comes after formation
Annual report: every year, $200, due April 15. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
LLC services in North Carolina: questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in North Carolina?
The state filing fee is $125. The services we rank add $199 for preparing and filing it.
What form creates the LLC?
The Articles of Organization (Form L-01), filed with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
How long does North Carolina take to approve an LLC?
Standard processing: Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.
Do I need a registered agent for a North Carolina LLC?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What yearly filings does a North Carolina LLC have?
The annual report, every year, due April 15, with a $200 state fee.
Is the EIN application included?
Mainstay Filing's yearly price includes it. North Carolina Registered Agent.co and NC Registered Agent.org charge $99 for it. The IRS itself charges no fee for an EIN.
Which LLC service is best in North Carolina?
Mainstay Filing tops our list: it prepares the North Carolina filing, serves as your registered agent and files your annual report for $199 a year, the same at renewal.
Official sources and price pages
- August 2026 check of North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division: www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/annual_report
- August 2026 check of North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division: www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/filing_a_paper_annual_re
- August 2026 check of North Carolina report due date: www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_57D/GS
- August 2026 check of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 57D-2-20: www.sosnc.gov/webfiles/documents/forms/Business_Registration/limited_l
- October 2026 check of North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source: www.sosnc.gov/fees/by_title/_Business_Registration_limited_liability_c
- October 2026 check of North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sosnc.gov/fees/by_title/_Business_Registration
- October 2026 check of North Carolina registered agent statute: sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/registered_agent_links
- October 2026 check of Processing, official source: www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration
- Mainstay Filing, North Carolina service page (read November 12, 2026)
- North Carolina Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages (read November 12, 2026)
- NC Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages (read November 12, 2026)