3 Best LLC Services in North Carolina (2026): Fee Schedule
We rank North Carolina LLC formation services for 2026 as Mainstay Filing ($199), NC Registered Agent.org ($199) and North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199), best value first. Expect to pay $397 to $597 in service charges over three years, with $125 going to North Carolina for the filing.
Prepared by the Agent Fee Tables editorial team ·
Schedules ordered by: Ordered on five measures: charges 39%, duties 31%, three smaller ones after that
North Carolina charges at a glance
State charge to form the LLC$125sosnc.gov {fee list dated October 2026}
First-year range$199Government fee not included
Three-year range$397 to $597Opening charge plus two renewals
State total, years 1 to 3$525The same for every service
Totals even out inDoes not occurRanking does not change
North Carolina fee schedules
Every charge is copied from the company's own pricing page. The $125 state fee has to be added separately.
#Opening chargeRenewal chargeCharges, three years
1
1. Mainstay Filing: best for forming and keeping the LLC on one invoice
Ranked first
$199 a year plus the $125 state fee
Opening charge
$199
Charge from year two
$199/yr
Charges, three years
$597
Mainstay Filing comes first because formation, registered agent and annual report all sit inside $199 a year, renewing at $199.
Choosing NC Registered Agent.org would save $200 over three years and leave more duties with you.
North Carolina bills $200 for the annual report, and the service hands that charge on at cost.
To get the state figure, add the filing fee, two later reports and any minimum tax. Open-ended costs get a mention but no number.
Notes on the order
Weight 31%: duties inside the charge. That measure separated the top two.
North Carolina wants the annual report every year, so a charge that covers it ranked above a lower charge that does not.
With the EIN application in the sum, the charges meet in year 2, when Mainstay Filing passes NC Registered Agent.org.
The North Carolina LLC filing fee and what the state requires, in its own words
$125 and the Articles of Organization (Form L-01), filed with the North Carolina Secretary of State, bring the company into existence. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Official text: sosnc.gov {fee list dated October 2026}
State fees only
Without hiring anyone you pay $525 in state fees across three years. The schedules show $397 to $597 more for a service.
About these fees
What do LLC formation services charge in North Carolina?
Budget $199 plus $125 in state fees.
What do these schedules add up to over three years?
Anywhere from $397 to $597 for three years of service.
How much does North Carolina bill to file an LLC?
Plan on $125 to file, using the Articles of Organization (Form L-01).
What does North Carolina bill each year after formation?
Annual report: $200 a year, deadline worded by the state as April 15.
Does the charge include the EIN application?
Mainstay Filing includes it, NC Registered Agent.org adds $99 and North Carolina Registered Agent.co adds $99.
When does one schedule pass another in total charges?
No point of equal cost inside ten years.
Which LLC formation service is the best value in North Carolina?
Mainstay Filing is first, with NC Registered Agent.org and North Carolina Registered Agent.co behind it.