North Carolina board, ranked
Ranked by the
lab method. State fees do not hinge on the agent.
1. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for owners tracking every dollar
Ranks first
Opening quote $99; renewal quote $99
- Opening quote
- $99
- Renewal quote
- $99/yr
- Reading at year 3
- $297
North Carolina Registered Agent.co ranks first. Reading: a one-state agent at $99 a year.
It beats Mainstay Filing on the biggest term in the ranking, three-year cost.
Quote includes
- A physical in-state office
- Legal documents posted to your account
Reads well
- Lower yearly quote than Mainstay Filing
- Year 1 $99, year 2 $99
Reads poorly
- North Carolina only
- No assistance with the annual report
2
2. Mainstay Filing: best for one agent for every state
Nationwide
Opening quote $149; renewal quote $149
- Opening quote
- $149
- Renewal quote
- $149/yr
- Reading at year 3
- $447
Mainstay Filing holds spot 2 because an identical $149 a year across the fifty states.
Its reading is $150 above North Carolina Registered Agent.co's at year three, and cost is 36% of the ranking.
Quote includes
- A street address located in the state
- Three government mailings a year, scanned free of charge
- Also serves nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs
Reads well
- Year 1 $149, year 2 $149
- Fifty-state reach
Reads poorly
- A yearly gap of $50
- You still do the reports
3
3. NC Registered Agent.org: best for keeping everything in state
Local quote
Opening quote $99; renewal quote $99
- Opening quote
- $99
- Renewal quote
- $99/yr
- Reading at year 3
- $297
NC Registered Agent.org ranks third. Reading: a one-state agent at $99 a year.
Its quotes match North Carolina Registered Agent.co's exactly.
Quote includes
- A physical in-state office
- Legal documents posted to your account
Reads well
- Lower yearly quote than Mainstay Filing
- Year 1 $99, year 2 $99
Reads poorly
- North Carolina only
- No assistance with the annual report
Readings over time
Service fees only, from each company's prices sampled November 13, 2026. The ranking by cumulative cost is stable for ten years.
Try another time span
The calculator adds year one and renewals for each quote once you set the years.
Government side of the board, North Carolina
State reading = filing fee + reports in years 2 and 3 + any minimum tax. Items without a fixed amount stay out of the sum.
How the ranking came out
North Carolina Registered Agent.co read better than Mainstay Filing on measured three-year cost, a 36% term.
$297 across three years for North Carolina Registered Agent.co, which saves $150 against Mainstay Filing.
North Carolina registered agent requirements, quoted from the source (North Carolina Secretary of State)
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
A North Carolina resident, or a corporation, nonprofit or LLC on the North Carolina business registry other than the company itself. Law cited: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-30.
The address has to be a physical registered office in North Carolina. A P.O. box can be added only as a mailing address.
Official wording: sosnc.gov (logged October 2026) for the record
The state-fees-only case
An owner who meets the address rule can serve for free; the quotes above put a price of $99 to $149 a year on the convenience.
Common questions
What does a North Carolina registered agent charge each year?
$99 to $149 a year across our quotes.
What do three years of agent service cost?
$297 to $447 in service fees, with state fees on top.
Must a North Carolina LLC keep a registered agent on record?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Is the owner allowed to be the registered agent?
Yes, when you qualify under the rules listed here.
What does the state bill the LLC every year?
The recurring line is the annual report at $200 annually (April 15).
When does one quote pass another in total cost?
They hold the same order for ten years.
Which registered agent ranks best in North Carolina?
North Carolina Registered Agent.co, which wins on measured three-year cost. Then Mainstay Filing and NC Registered Agent.org.
Logged references
- August 2026 log entry for North Carolina Department of the, from sosnc.gov.
- August 2026 log entry for North Carolina Department of the, from sosnc.gov.
- August 2026 log entry for North Carolina report due date, from ncleg.gov.
- August 2026 log entry for N.C, from sosnc.gov.
- October 2026 log entry for North Carolina formation fee: Filing, from sosnc.gov.
- October 2026 log entry for North Carolina formation fee: Filing, from sosnc.gov.
- October 2026 log entry for North Carolina registered agent statute, from sosnc.gov.
- Quote source: North Carolina Registered Agent.co pricing page, November 13, 2026
- Quote source: Mainstay Filing North Carolina service page, November 13, 2026
- Quote source: NC Registered Agent.org pricing page, November 13, 2026