SOS Business Search

North Carolina Secretary of State office — contact, fees, and licensing

The North Carolina Secretary of State's Business Registration Division handles all entity formations, registered agent designations, annual reports, and amendments. Online filings through the SOS portal process faster than paper submissions. The April 15 annual report deadline applies to LLCs and most calendar-year corporations.

Updated August 2026

Office contact

Street address
2 South Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
Mailing address
P.O. Box 29622, Raleigh, NC 27626-0622
Phone
(919) 814-5400
Online filing portal
sosnc.gov — Online Services
Business Registration homepage
sosnc.gov — Business Registration

Entity formation and filing fees

North Carolina charges slightly different fees for online versus paper filings on annual reports. Formation fees are the same regardless of channel. Verify current amounts at sosnc.gov before filing.

Filing Fee
Domestic LLC — Articles of Organization $125
Domestic LLC — Annual Report (due April 15) Online: $203 / Paper: $200
Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation $125
Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Annual Report Online: $21 / Paper: $25
Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation $60
Limited Partnership — Certificate of Limited Partnership $50
Name Reservation $30
Certificate of Existence $15

Online annual report totals include a $3.00 electronic filing fee for credit card payments ($2.00 for ACH/bank transfer); this is why the LLC online total runs higher than paper while the corporation online total runs lower than paper.

Key North Carolina state licensing agencies

North Carolina Department of Revenue

What it covers
Sales and use tax registration, income tax withholding, privilege license tax
Website
ncdor.gov

North Carolina Division of Employment Security

What it covers
Unemployment insurance registration, employer accounts, wage reporting
Website
des.nc.gov

North Carolina Department of Insurance — Licensing Division

What it covers
Insurance producer licensing; contractor, occupational, and professional licenses
Website
ncdoi.gov

This guide is informational only and is not affiliated with the North Carolina Secretary of State's office or any state agency listed above. Contact information and fees verified against official North Carolina Secretary of State sources, August 2026. Verify current fees at the official state website. Last verified: August 2026.