Foreign registration fee schedules | North Carolina
3 Best Foreign Registration Services in North Carolina (2026): Fee Schedule
Best value among North Carolina foreign registration services in 2026: Mainstay Filing ($199), NC Registered Agent.org ($199) and North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199), ranked in that order. Counting only service fees, three years of registration help cost $397 to $497, on top of North Carolina's $250.
Prepared by the Agent Fee Tables editorial team ·
Schedules ordered by: Ordered on five measures: charges 39%, duties 31%, three smaller ones after that
Summary of fees
Filing fee owed to the state$250sosnc.gov {fee list dated October 2026}
What the first year bills$199Before state fees
Years 1 to 3 added$397 to $497Three years of service fees
Government charges, 3 years$650The same for every service
Point of equal costDoes not occurOrder holds to year 10
North Carolina: schedules, best value first
Columns give year one, the charge after that and the three-year total. Add North Carolina's $250 to whichever schedule you pick.
#Opening chargeRenewal chargeCharges, three years
1
1. Mainstay Filing: best for one fee wherever you register
Ranked first
$199 on top of North Carolina's $250; renewal $149
Opening charge
$199
Charge from year two
$149/yr
Charges, three years
$497
In North Carolina, Mainstay Filing is the best value since a $199 fee beyond the state's, no registered agent charge in year one, then $149 a year.
Choosing NC Registered Agent.org would save $100 over three years and leave more duties with you.
We total only what the state prices: the filing fee, two further reports and any minimum tax. Publication and similar costs are noted separately.
What settled it
Mainstay Filing did better than NC Registered Agent.org on duties inside the charge, a 31% measure.
Registering here involves at least two states, and one provider for both beat NC Registered Agent.org.
The North Carolina foreign LLC registration fee and rules, in the state's own words
Registration: the Application for Certificate of Authority for Limited Liability Company (Form L-09), at the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division, for $250. It also needs certificate of existence (or similar document, such as a certificate of good standing) at most 180 days.
Ignoring the requirement can lead to dismissal of its own lawsuits in North Carolina (G.S. 57D-7-02(a)); per-day fines of $10; back fees covering the unregistered stretch.
$650 is the floor for three years, all of it state fees. Above that floor, services add $397 to $497.
Quick answers
What does North Carolina charge a foreign LLC to register?
$250 to the state, before any service charge of $199.
What do these schedules add up to over three years?
Year one plus two renewals comes to $397 to $497.
Which form completes the registration?
Complete Application for Certificate of Authority for Limited Liability Company (Form L-09) and send it to the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division.
Does North Carolina require a document from the home state?
Yes, and it cannot be older than 180 days: certificate of existence (or similar document, such as a certificate of good standing).
Which recurring filing comes after registration?
The annual report, which bills $200.
When does one schedule pass another in total charges?
No crossing within ten years; no schedule passes another.
Which foreign registration service is the best value for North Carolina?
Mainstay Filing, which wins on duties inside the charge. NC Registered Agent.org and North Carolina Registered Agent.co follow.