North Carolina Annual Report Filing: Due Date, Fee, and How to File

Most North Carolina business entities file an annual report with the North Carolina Secretary of State to stay in good standing. For an LLC, the requirement comes from N.C.G.S. § 57D-2-24(b): one report every year, due April 15, with a $200 state fee. This page covers the due date, the fee structure, the filing steps, and what actually happens if the deadline gets away from you.

North Carolina Annual Report Due Date: April 15

The LLC due date is fixed at April 15 each year, and the state begins accepting reports on January 1. Two details trip people up:

Your first report isn't due the year you form. A new LLC files its first annual report by April 15 of the year after the year it was organized. Form in 2026, and your first report is due April 15, 2027.

The report is due even in a quiet year. North Carolina expects the filing whether or not the company conducted any business.

Foreign LLCs registered in North Carolina file the same report on the same April 15 schedule. Business corporations follow a different clock: their report is due by the 15th day of the 4th month after the fiscal year closes, which works out to April 15 for calendar-year companies. Nonprofits and professional LLCs are exempt and file no annual report at all.

North Carolina Annual Report Fee: $200

The official state fee for an LLC annual report is $200, and it goes to the North Carolina Secretary of State, not the Department of Revenue. How you file nudges the total:

• Paper report by mail: $200 flat
• Online with an ACH bank draft: $202 ($200 plus a $2 electronic fee)
• Online with a credit card: $203 ($200 plus a $3 electronic fee)

That $200 base puts North Carolina near the top of the national range, so it's worth building into your yearly budget alongside your registered agent renewal.

How to File Your North Carolina Annual Report

1. Gather your company details. The report asks for the LLC's legal name, the registered agent and registered office (with county), the principal office address and phone number, the names and business addresses of the company officials, and a brief description of what the business does.
2. Choose online or paper. The Secretary of State's annual report page is the starting point for both routes. Online filing processes in real time, around the clock; the paper route uses a pre-populated report you download and mail in.
3. Check your registered agent listing before you submit. The online report can update your registered office address, but it cannot change the agent's name. Naming a new registered agent takes a paper annual report or a separate change of agent filing.
4. Pay the fee. $200 by mail, or $202 to $203 online depending on how you pay.
5. Keep the confirmation. It's your proof of good standing if a bank or licensing board ever asks.

Late Filing: The Penalty and the Dissolution Timeline

Here's the surprising part: North Carolina charges no statutory late fee. Missing April 15 doesn't add a dollar amount to your bill. What it does instead is start the dissolution track. Your LLC turns delinquent the day after April 15. From there the Secretary of State mails a notice that it has grounds to dissolve the company, and if the report still hasn't been filed 60 days after that notice, the state can administratively dissolve the LLC under N.C.G.S. § 57D-6-06.

A dissolved LLC loses its liability protection and its good standing, and winning both back means reinstatement filings and more fees. The report itself is the cheapest part of that whole equation, so filing on time is always the better deal.

How We Help You Stay Compliant

Filing annual reports is straightforward when you remember the deadline. The challenge is keeping track of all your business obligations while running your company.

Our compliance reminder system helps with this. As your registered agent, we track your annual report deadline and send you notifications before April 15. You get advance notice so you have time to gather information and file on schedule.

Our service includes:

Deadline Tracking — We monitor your April 15 annual report due date and other important compliance deadlines.

Advance Reminders — You receive notifications before the deadline so you're not scrambling at the last minute.

Document Access — Any notices from the North Carolina Secretary of State about your annual report arrive through us. We scan them the same day and post them to your portal so you stay informed; your first three pieces of government mail each year get this free, and a mailed physical original is available afterward for a per-piece charge.

Year-Round Support — Questions about filing requirements or what information you need? Contact us during business hours.

All of this is included in your $99 annual registered agent fee. No extra charges for compliance reminders or deadline tracking.

Beyond Annual Reports

While annual reports are a major compliance requirement, your North Carolina business may face other filing obligations:

• Registered agent changes ($5 filing fee)
• Address updates
• Changes to business structure
• Amendments to organizational documents
• Other filings related to business operations

We scan any notices we receive from the state the day they land and provide reminders for registered agent-related deadlines. This helps you stay aware of your obligations and respond appropriately.

Get Started with us

For $99 per year, you get:

• Registered office address in North Carolina
• SOP capture for North Carolina
• Compliance reminders and alerts
• Online document portal
• Privacy protection — our address on public filings

Order Here Questions about North Carolina annual reports or our compliance support? Check our FAQ section or contact us at support@ncregisteredagent.org. We're here Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time.