Foreign LLC Registration

Foreign LLC Registration › North Carolina

Foreign LLC registration in North Carolina

To register an out-of-state LLC in North Carolina, file Form L-09, Application for Certificate of Authority for Limited Liability Company with the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division. The state fee is $250.

Best 3 Foreign Registration Services in North Carolina (2026)

1. Mainstay Filing

$199 + $250 state fee = $449

Registered agent free for the first year, then $149 a year. Its North Carolina checkout showed $452 in total on October 28, 2026, including $3 in state processing charges.

2. NC Registered Agent.org

$199 + $250 state fee = $449

Registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.

3. North Carolina Registered Agent.co

$199 + $250 state fee = $449

Registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.

Service prices read from each provider’s North Carolina page on October 28, 2026. The state fee is the official figure below and is paid to the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division.

North Carolina at a glance

State fee
$250
Form
Form L-09, Application for Certificate of Authority for Limited Liability Company
Home-state certificate
Certificate of existence (or similar document, such as a certificate of good standing), no older than 180 days
Agent
A registered agent with a North Carolina street address
Yearly filing
Annual report (filed with the Secretary of State), $200 (due: april 15)

How to register in North Carolina

  1. Get the home-state certificate. Certificate of existence (or similar document, such as a certificate of good standing), no older than 180 days. Order it from the state where the LLC was formed.
  2. Name a registered agent in North Carolina. It needs a street address in the state. All three services below include one for the first year.
  3. File Form L-09, Application for Certificate of Authority for Limited Liability Company with the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division.
  4. Pay the $250 state fee.
  5. Stay current. Yearly filing: Annual report (filed with the Secretary of State), $200 (due: april 15).

Questions about North Carolina

How much does it cost to register a foreign LLC in North Carolina?

The state fee is $250. With a filing service at $199, the total is $449 before any state processing charges.

What form does North Carolina use?

Form L-09, Application for Certificate of Authority for Limited Liability Company, filed with the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division.

Does North Carolina need a certificate from my home state?

Yes. Certificate of existence (or similar document, such as a certificate of good standing), no older than 180 days.

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