A complete reference of NC Secretary of State business filing fees for 2026. Use this to budget formation, compliance, and ongoing maintenance costs accurately.
State fees current as of 2026. {s["agency"]} fees may change. File.Business service fees are separate.
Current Secretary of State fee schedule for formation, amendments, annual reports, and certificates.
North Carolina sets a fee for each filing, formation, annual report, amendment, dissolution, foreign registration, and they vary widely by state and document, with expedited options costing extra. Because they change, we show the current North Carolina figure before filing and pass it through at cost. Our service pricing is on the pricing page.
Often not: North Carolina frequently charges different amounts for LLC versus corporation filings, and some fees scale with shares, capital, or revenue for corporations. Filing under the wrong assumption can leave you short and delayed. We confirm the exact North Carolina fee for your entity type and filing so there is no surprise at submission.
Many states, North Carolina often included, offer expedited or same-day processing for an extra fee, which can be worth it when a deal, loan, or deadline depends on fast turnaround. Standard processing is cheaper but slower. We tell you whether North Carolina offers expediting and what it costs so you can choose speed only when it actually matters.
Some you do: formation is one-time, but North Carolina usually charges recurring fees for annual or biennial reports and, in some states, a franchise tax, to keep the entity active. Missing them risks your standing. We track the recurring North Carolina fees on a compliance calendar so none is missed and no late penalty accrues.
No. We pass North Carolina state filing fees through at cost with no markup; our fee is for the service of preparing and filing correctly. The state fee you see is the state's fee. Current service pricing is on the pricing page so you can see exactly what is ours versus the state's.
The North Carolina Secretary of State will reject or hold the filing until the correct fee is paid, costing you days and sometimes a missed deadline, and fee schedules change without much notice. We verify the current North Carolina amount and pay it correctly so your filing is not stuck over a shortfall you did not realize existed.
Generally no: state filing fees are usually non-refundable even if a filing is rejected, which is another reason to get the form right the first time. Paying twice for a rejected-then-refiled document is a common avoidable cost. We review your North Carolina filing before submission so you do not pay a fee for a filing that bounces.
Usually yes: state filing and franchise fees paid to operate your business are ordinary business expenses and typically deductible, and formation costs may be amortized. Keep the receipts. While a tax professional confirms your specifics, we document the North Carolina fees so they are easy to claim at year-end.
Plan for the one-time formation fee, any first-year report or franchise fee, a registered agent, and licenses, which together are the real cost of getting legal in North Carolina. We itemize the North Carolina state fees plus our service so you see the full year-one total up front rather than discovering fees one at a time.
No state-fee markup. Pay only the state fee. 60-day money-back guarantee.