How to Form an LLC in North Carolina
This guide to starting an LLC in North Carolina provides step-by-step instructions on filing formation documents, obtaining tax IDs, and setting up company records.
Overview
LLCs are the most popular business structure because they are inexpensive to form, provide flexibility to the owners, and are easy to run. Forming your LLC legally establishes your business, limits your personal liability, and gains tax flexibility. The following step-by-step will help you as you undertake this process.
Fast Facts: Your Budget and Timeline
Here is an overview of the total paperwork, cost, and time it takes to form an LLC in North Carolina. Be sure to read the final step in this guide - "Ongoing Filings" - to understand your ongoing costs to maintain a compliant North Carolina LLC.
- Form BE-01: Cover Sheet for Corporate Filings
- Form L-01: Limited Liability Company Articles of Organization
- Operating Agreement
- IRS Form SS-4: Obtain an EIN
- Form NC-BR: Business Registration Application for Income Tax Withholding, Sales and Use Tax, and Machinery and Equipment Tax
- Formation: $125 + optional $100-200 expedite fee
- Formation: ~5-7 business days. 24 hours for $100 expedite fee. Same day for $200 expedite fee (submit by noon).
Step-by-Step North Carolina LLC Instructions
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Check Name Availability
The legal name of your LLC may not conflict with any other registered name. Check availability of your desired name by conducting a name search.
Name Search: North Carolina Secretary of State - Business Registration Division
Name searchName Reservation: Optional Suffix: The name of a limited liability company must contain the words "limited liability company" or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "LLC", or the combination "ltd. liability co.", "limited liability co.", or "ltd. liability company".
NC General Statutes § 55D-20(a) -
Appoint a Registered Agent
Before you officially file to create your North Carolina LLC, you will need to decide who your North Carolina registered agent will be. A registered agent is a business's legal appointee to receive notice of lawsuit and other legal or government notices.
State law requires every LLC to have a registered agent. The registered agent is designated when you file North Carolina articles of organization with the North Carolina Secretary of State - Business Registration Division.
Our reliable registered agent service fulfills this requirement. You get:
- Same-day documents from our local office in Raleigh
- Immediate online access to state forms with our address and, where required, our signature
- Annual fees from $89 to $99 per state with no additional charges
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File North Carolina Certificate of Formation
File the articles of organization to create your limited liability company.
Agency: North Carolina Secretary of State - Business Registration Division Form: Instructions: Filing Method: Mail, in-person, or online. You may also file online by uploading the signed document.
Agency Fee: $125 + optional $100-200 expedite fee
Turnaround: ~5-7 business days. 24 hours for $100 expedite fee. Same day for $200 expedite fee (submit by noon).
Law: Notes: L3Cs have different formation requirements.
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Establish Company Records
Your LLC must keep correct and complete books and records. Your filed articles of organization are the first documents for your LLC’s records. Your LLC will generate many other official records such as:
- Meeting minutes
- Operating agreement
- EIN verification letter
- Amendments and other filings made to the LLC throughout its lifetime
Organizations need a secure, centralized tool for managing and accessing sensitive records. Our Records Manager software offers a simple, efficient way for LLCs to store records, track members and managers, and customize meeting notifications.
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Create the Operating Agreement
Draft an Operating Agreement (potentially using a template) which is the governing document for the LLC. It defines the formalities of how the LLC will run itself such as holding an annual meeting. You will review and adopt the agreement at your organizational meeting.
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Hold the Organizational Meeting
The first meeting of the members of the LLC is the organizational meeting. You will need your filed articles of organization and your operating agreement in order to conduct this meeting. Keep minutes of this meeting and store them in your company record book.
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Get a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)
If your LLC has more than one member or will hire employees, it must obtain an EIN. An EIN is also often required to open a bank account.
Agency: Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form: Filing Method: Mail, phone, fax, or online.
IRS fee: $0
Turnaround: Immediately online or by phone. 4 business days by fax. 4-5 weeks by mail.
Notes: The IRS website is only available during certain hours. Print your EIN before closing your session. For additional guidance, see IRS Pub 1635: Understanding Your EIN.
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Get North Carolina State Tax Identification Numbers/Accounts
The NC Secretary of State automatically notifies the NC Department of Revenue of your formation. The Department of Revenue send you a six-part questionnaire (Form CD-345) to be used for determination of tax status in regards to corporate and franchise taxes.
For other state taxes, North Carolina offers a consolidated state tax registration application:- Submit to:
- North Carolina Department of Revenue
http://www.dornc.com/ - Form:
- Form NC-BR: Business Registration Application for Income Tax Withholding, Sales and Use Tax, and Machinery and Equipment Tax
- Filing Method:
- Mail or online
- Fee:
- $0
Additional registrations might be required for other NC business tax types.
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Consider Electing S-Corp or C-Corp Taxation
By default, your LLC receives pass-through taxation and the vast majority of LLCs keep this tax classification. Some LLCs benefit from electing S-Corp or C-Corp tax treatment:
- S-Corp treatment can help owner-employees who earn more than ~$75,000 per year save on self-employment taxes. File Form 2553: S-Corp Election.
- C-Corps suffer from double taxation: the corporation pays taxes on profits then members pay taxes on their distributions. If profits exceed $250,000 per owner, you provide employee benefits, or you will re-invest most of your profit in the business, you may benefit from the low tax rates on retained earnings under C-Corp treatment. File Form 8832: C-Corp Election.
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Obtain Business Licenses & Permits
To run your business legally, you must obtain applicable licenses and permits. The easiest way to navigate the wide range of federal, state, and local requirements is to search by your business type and locality using the Small Business Administration Business License & Permit look-up tool.
North Carolina Business License
Not required
General Business License licensure is not required on the State level in North Carolina.
North Carolina does not have a general business license at the state level, but local licenses are often required.
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Ongoing Filings to Maintain Your LLC
You must file federal and state tax returns.
Many states also require business entities to file an annual report to maintain good standing with the secretary of state. If an annual report is required for LLCs formed in North Carolina, view the table below.
North Carolina Corporation Annual Report Requirements:
Agency: North Carolina Secretary of State - Business Registration Division Form: Find your company record to print your form. If you choose to download a pre-populated annual report and file the paper copy, you will submit the report and the fee directly to the Department of Revenue, along with the business corporation’s tax return.
Filing Method: Mail or online.
Agency Fee: $22.50 online or $25 by mail.
Due: Annuallly by the 15th day of the 4th month following the fiscal year end. The first report is due in the calendar year following initial registration.
Law: North Carolina General Statutes § 55-16-22.
Penalties: No late fee. Your business will receive a notice of pending dissolution or revocation, then you have 60 days to file.
Notes: - An officer, director, member, manager, or partner may file.
- Original signatures are not required.
- Professional corporations are not required to file an annual report.
For more details, see our North Carolina annual report information center page.
As your LLC grows, you will need to demonstrate your company’s good standing to banks, customers, and other state agencies. After all the work involved in forming your North Carolina LLC, don’t let a missed annual report filing cause your new business to fall out of compliance.
Tracking and filing annual reports on your own can be time consuming and lead to accidental lapses. Protect your LLC’s good standing with Managed Annual Report Service, which tracks and automatically files reports on time, every time, so you can focus on your business.
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