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Formation Scorecard

LLC service scorecard · North Carolina

3 Best LLC Services in North Carolina (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for LLC services in North Carolina the order reads NC Registered Agent.org ($199), North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199). NC Registered Agent.org posts the top score: $199 plus the North Carolina filing fee, first-year registered agent service included, then $99 yearly.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Our top pick in North Carolina

1. NC Registered Agent.org: best for a North Carolina LLC that stays small

9.6 Editor score out of 10
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

NC Registered Agent.org leads the card: North Carolina formation for $199 beyond the state's fee, with a free first agent year, and $99 a year to keep the agent.

The plan puts the company at an in-state street address and scans papers served on it to your online account.

Its prices leave out the annual report, so you send that filing to North Carolina yourself every year.

It pulls ahead of Mainstay Filing on three-year cost.

What you get

  • The formation filing
  • A year as your registered agent, up front

Strengths

  • A $199 formation fee before the state's
  • $99 per year for the agent after the first
  • Year one as your registered agent is included

Watch for

  • Leaves the annual report with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. NC Registered Agent.org: the full write-up
Rank #2 Best for a North Carolina-only company

2. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for staying local in North Carolina

9.1 Editor score out of 10
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

North Carolina Registered Agent.co takes second spot: North Carolina formation for $199 beyond the state's fee, with a free first agent year, and $99 a year to keep the agent.

The plan puts the company at an in-state street address and scans papers served on it to your online account.

Its prices leave out the annual report, so you send that filing to North Carolina yourself every year.

The published prices and features do not separate NC Registered Agent.org from North Carolina Registered Agent.co; choose whichever you like.

What you get

  • The formation filing
  • A year as your registered agent, up front

Strengths

  • Formation at $199, with the state fee added
  • $99 per year for the agent after the first
  • First-year registered agent service included

Watch for

  • Leaves the annual report with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: the full write-up
Rank #3 Best bundle

3. Mainstay Filing: best for a bundle of formation, agent and annual report

8.9 Editor score out of 10
$199 a year plus the state's fee

Mainstay Filing takes third spot: a $199 yearly price pays for the North Carolina formation, a year of registered agent service and the annual report, then renews at $199.

Each renewal includes Mainstay's filing of the annual report. North Carolina bills $200 every year for it, due April 15; Mainstay passes the state's fee along at cost.

NC Registered Agent.org undercuts Mainstay Filing by $200 over three years, and that gap costs Mainstay points on cost.

What you get

  • The LLC formation, handled for you
  • Registered agent service for the full year
  • The annual report, filed for you each time
  • EIN application included

Strengths

  • Renews at $199 with nothing added
  • North Carolina's state fee is added at cost
  • One $199 yearly price that also files the annual report
  • EIN application bundled in

Watch for

  • Its agent renews $100 a year above NC Registered Agent.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up

The 3 entries on one card

Place Service Card score Service fee Year two Best for Go
1 NC Registered Agent.org 9.6 $199 $99/yr A North Carolina-only LLC on a tight budget Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 North Carolina Registered Agent.co 9.1 $199 $99/yr A North Carolina-only LLC on a tight budget Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Mainstay Filing 8.9 $199 $199/yr Formation, agent and annual report together Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Formation Scorecard assigns each mark out of 10 itself, using the weighted criteria on How we rank. No customer ratings feed in.

North Carolina LLC service cost in 2026: first year, renewal and the three-year tally

Service First year Second year Third year Three-year tally Annual report included
NC Registered Agent.org $199 $99 $99 $397 No
North Carolina Registered Agent.co $199 $99 $99 $397 No
Mainstay Filing $199 $199 $199 $597 Yes

Each price comes from the company's own site, read on November 12, 2026. Add North Carolina's $125 filing fee to each row; the tally above leaves it out.

Why the order falls this way

Cost across three years decided the North Carolina card. The method puts 25% on cost across three years and 25% on coverage of the price, then shares 50% among renewal terms, state-by-state fit and pricing clarity.

NC Registered Agent.org tallies $397 across three years, $200 below Mainstay Filing. Mainstay would add the annual report filing, but an owner can file it alone for just the state fee, so the lower price took the points.

Every criterion and weight appears on How we rank.

North Carolina LLC formation: the official fee and form

The Articles of Organization (Form L-01) carries a $125 fee at the North Carolina Secretary of State. Every service here passes that fee through at cost, on top of its own price.

State processing time: Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.

Keeping the North Carolina LLC current

The annual report arrives every year and is due April 15. It carries a $200 fee. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

North Carolina LLC service: quick questions

How much will an LLC in North Carolina cost to set up?

Expect $125 for the state plus $199 for the service.

What is the name of the formation form?

It is the Articles of Organization (Form L-01), and the North Carolina Secretary of State receives it.

How quickly does North Carolina process a new LLC?

Per the state: Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.

Must a North Carolina LLC appoint a registered agent when it forms?

Yes. A registered agent with a street address in North Carolina has to be on file from the start.

What does a North Carolina LLC have to file after formation?

One item, the annual report, due every year (April 15) with a $200 fee.

Is the EIN application part of the price?

Mainstay Filing folds it into the yearly price. NC Registered Agent.org and North Carolina Registered Agent.co add $99 for it. Applying for an EIN costs nothing at the IRS itself.

Which LLC service tops the card for North Carolina?

NC Registered Agent.org, since $199 to form on top of the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.

Keep reading

Where the figures come from

  1. North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division, as of August 2026
  2. North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division, as of August 2026
  3. North Carolina report due date, as of August 2026
  4. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 57D-2-20, as of August 2026
  5. North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source, as of October 2026
  6. North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source, as of October 2026
  7. North Carolina registered agent statute, as of October 2026
  8. Processing, official source, as of October 2026
  9. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for NC Registered Agent.org
  10. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for North Carolina Registered Agent.co
  11. Read on November 12, 2026: North Carolina service page for Mainstay Filing