Place1
Our top pickNC Registered Agent.org
1. NC Registered Agent.org: best for the lowest yearly price on this list
$99 yearly, $99 to renew
Our mark9.4out of 10
NC Registered Agent.org takes the top spot: a $99 yearly plan built for North Carolina companies, renewing at $99.
Its plan gives you an in-state street address for the registered office, and legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to you online.
Its edge over Mainstay Filing is cost, which carries the most weight in our scoring.
What you get
- North Carolina street address for your registered office
- Legal papers scanned and posted online for you
Why pick it
- Flat $99 a year
- Lower yearly price than Mainstay Filing
- Can form your LLC as well
Less good
- No annual report filing
- No coverage outside North Carolina
Place2
Fifty-state coverageMainstay Filing
2. Mainstay Filing: best for multi-state companies
$149 yearly, $149 to renew
Our mark8.9out of 10
Number 2 is Mainstay Filing: one $149 agent price here and in every other state, renewing at $149.
Mainstay's $199 yearly package goes further: formation plus your annual report.
The extra $150 over three years is the reason it trails NC Registered Agent.org on our cost score.
What you get
- A physical in-state address on the public record
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
- First three government mailings a year scanned free
- Compliance reminders
Why pick it
- First three government mailings a year scanned free
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
- Works for LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits
- Flat $149 a year
Less good
- $50 a year more than NC Registered Agent.org for the agent alone
- Agent-only plan: reports are not filed for you
Place3
North Carolina onlyNorth Carolina Registered Agent.co
3. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for North Carolina-only companies
$99 yearly, $99 to renew
Our mark8.8out of 10
Number 3 is North Carolina Registered Agent.co: a $99 yearly plan built for North Carolina companies, renewing at $99.
Its plan gives you an in-state street address for the registered office, and legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to you online.
NC Registered Agent.org and North Carolina Registered Agent.co publish the same prices and the same plan features, so the gap between them is small and either is a sound choice.
What you get
- North Carolina street address for your registered office
- Legal papers scanned and posted online for you
Why pick it
- Flat $99 a year
- Lower yearly price than Mainstay Filing
- Can form your LLC as well
Less good
- No annual report filing
- No coverage outside North Carolina
Shortlist at a glance
| Rank | Service | Our score | Annual price | Renewal price | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | NC Registered Agent.org | 9.4 | $99 | $99/yr | Lowest yearly price on this list | Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | Mainstay Filing | 8.9 | $149 | $149/yr | Agent plus fifty-state coverage | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 3 | North Carolina Registered Agent.co | 8.8 | $99 | $99/yr | Lowest yearly price on this list | Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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The scores are ours: editorial marks out of 10 built from the weighted criteria on How we rank, not ratings from customers.
Annual and renewal prices in North Carolina, 2026
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Same price at renewal |
|---|
| NC Registered Agent.org | $99 | $99 | $99 | $297 | Yes |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149 | $149 | $447 | Yes |
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| North Carolina Registered Agent.co | $99 | $99 | $99 | $297 | Yes |
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Published prices, read November 12, 2026 on each company's site. The state's fees do not change with the agent you choose.
How the order was decided
Five criteria set the order; the two heaviest are three-year cost and what one price covers. Here three-year cost made the difference.
NC Registered Agent.org's three-year total is $297 ($150 below Mainstay Filing). Cost beat coverage for an agent in a single state.
More on the criteria: How we rank.
North Carolina registered agent rules, per North Carolina Secretary of State
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a physical registered office in North Carolina. A P.O. box can be added only as a mailing address. Source: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-30.
North Carolina's annual report and your agent
$200 every year, due April 15: that is the annual report. The state writes to your registered agent about it.
North Carolina registered agent questions
Does a North Carolina LLC need a registered agent?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
How much does a registered agent cost in North Carolina?
The services we rank charge $99 to $149 a year, and each keeps the same price at renewal.
Can I be my own registered agent?
Only when you meet the conditions. A North Carolina resident, or a corporation, nonprofit or LLC on the North Carolina business registry other than the company itself.
When is the North Carolina annual report due?
It is due April 15 and the state fee is $200.
Which registered agents do you rank here?
NC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), ranked in that order.
Which North Carolina registered agent is the best value?
NC Registered Agent.org ranks first on our method: an in-state agent for $99 a year that scans served papers to you online.
Sources and dates
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division (checked August 2026): www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/annual_report
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division (checked August 2026): www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/filing_a_paper_annual_re
- North Carolina report due date (checked August 2026): www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_57D/GS
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 57D-2-20 (checked August 2026): www.sosnc.gov/webfiles/documents/forms/Business_Registration/limited_l
- North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source (checked October 2026): www.sosnc.gov/fees/by_title/_Business_Registration_limited_liability_c
- North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source (checked October 2026): sosnc.gov/fees/by_title/_Business_Registration
- North Carolina registered agent statute (checked October 2026): sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/registered_agent_links
- Pricing and service pages of NC Registered Agent.org, read November 12, 2026
- North Carolina service page of Mainstay Filing, read November 12, 2026
- Pricing and service pages of North Carolina Registered Agent.co, read November 12, 2026