North Carolina Registered Agent

registered agent Service in North Carolina

Just $99/year — everything included.

Professional registered agent service you can count on.

Get Started — $99/year
NC

Why Choose North Carolina Registered Agent?

Reliable Service

We maintain a physical office in North Carolina to accept your legal documents during business hours.

Instant Alerts

Same-day email notification and document scanning when service of process is received.

Compliance Support

Annual report reminders and state filing guidance to keep your North Carolina entity in good standing.

Simple Pricing

$99/year flat rate. No hidden fees, no surprise charges, no long-term contracts.

What Is a Registered Agent in North Carolina?

A registered agent is a person or business entity authorized to receive legal documents, service of process, and official government correspondence on behalf of your North Carolina business. Every LLC, corporation, nonprofit, and most other registered business entities in North Carolina are generally expected to designate and maintain a registered agent with a physical North Carolina address.

North Carolina Registered Agent provides complete registered agent service for $99 per year, with privacy protection that keeps your home address out of public records.

What a Registered Agent Does

Your registered agent serves as the official contact point between your business and the state. When the North Carolina Secretary of State needs to send notices, when courts need to serve legal papers, or when government agencies need to deliver tax documents, they send everything to your registered agent.

The registered agent maintains a physical address in North Carolina—no PO boxes allowed, though you can list a separate mailing address if needed. The agent's business office and registered office addresses need to be identical. The agent stays available during regular business hours (9 AM to 5 PM) to accept documents.

When something arrives, the registered agent receives it and forwards it to you so you can review it and respond appropriately. This system ensures businesses can be reached for important legal and administrative matters, even if the owners live elsewhere or the company operates from multiple locations.

North Carolina's Requirements for Registered Agents

North Carolina law establishes clear criteria for who can serve as a registered agent:

Individual Registered Agents — Must be North Carolina residents who are 18 or older. Their business office address needs to be identical to the registered office.

Business Entity Registered Agents — Must be business entities authorized to operate in North Carolina.

Self-Appointment — Your business can't serve as its own registered agent in North Carolina. You'll need to designate either an individual or separate business entity.

Address Requirements — Physical North Carolina address required. No PO boxes for the registered office address itself, though you can list a separate mailing address.

Who Needs a Registered Agent in North Carolina?

North Carolina generally expects these business entities to maintain a registered agent:

Whether you're forming a new business or already operating in North Carolina, maintaining a registered agent keeps you compliant with state requirements.

The Privacy Problem with Public Records

Here's what many people don't realize until after they've filed their business paperwork: whatever registered agent address you use becomes public record. The North Carolina Secretary of State makes business filings publicly searchable through their website. Anyone can look up your business and see the registered agent address.

If you use your home address as your registered agent address, that means your home address is sitting in public records that anyone can access. Competitors can find it. Solicitors can find it. Anyone conducting research can find it.

Your address might end up in databases that get scraped and sold to marketing companies. You might start getting unsolicited commercial mail at your home. Your privacy is compromised in ways that are hard to undo once the information is out there.

How Professional Registered Agent Service Protects Privacy

Using a professional registered agent service solves this problem cleanly. Our Raleigh address appears on your public filings instead of your home address. Your home stays private. Your personal information doesn't end up in public databases.

This privacy protection works from day one. No complicated setup, no ongoing maintenance. Our address goes on your filings with the North Carolina Secretary of State, and your address stays off public records.

For many people, this privacy protection alone justifies the $99 annual cost of professional registered agent service.

Other Benefits of Professional Service

Beyond privacy protection, professional registered agent service offers several practical advantages:

Consistent Availability — We maintain regular business hours with trained personnel available to receive documents. You're not depending on being home at the right time.

Same-Day Document Processing — We scan and forward documents the same day they arrive. You get immediate email notification and can access everything through your online portal.

No Address Updates — If you move, your registered agent address stays the same. No need to file updates with the state or pay change fees.

Compliance Reminders — We track North Carolina deadlines and send reminders for annual reports (due April 15) and other filing requirements.

Professional Presentation — Having a professional registered agent demonstrates that your business takes compliance seriously.

What If I Use a Friend or Family Member?

You could use a friend or family member who's a North Carolina resident over 18. But their address becomes public record, and they need to be available during business hours to accept legal service.

If they move, you need to file an update with the state. If they're not available when a process server shows up with lawsuit papers, that creates problems. If the relationship changes, you need to find a new registered agent quickly.

Using a professional service eliminates these complications and protects everyone's privacy.

Documents You'll Receive

Your registered agent may receive various types of correspondence:

We forward everything the same day it arrives so you can respond to time-sensitive matters promptly.

North Carolina Annual Reports

North Carolina requires annual reports due April 15 each year. The filing fee is $200 by mail or $203 online—one of the more expensive annual report fees in the country.

This is separate from our registered agent fee. You pay the state directly for annual reports. But we send reminders before the deadline so you don't miss it and face penalties or administrative dissolution.

How North Carolina Registered Agent Works

We provide complete registered agent service for $99 per year. Your annual fee includes:

Our focus is straightforward service that protects your privacy and keeps you compliant. No unnecessary complications, no hidden fees.

Getting Started

If you're forming a new North Carolina business, you'll designate your registered agent on your initial filing documents. List our information and we'll be ready to receive documents from day one.

If you're switching from another registered agent, you'll file a change form with the North Carolina Secretary of State and pay their $5 fee. The process is straightforward.

Get Started — $99/year

Questions about registered agent service or North Carolina requirements? Check our FAQ section or contact us directly. We're here Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time.


This is not legal advice. North Carolina Registered Agent is not a law firm. Consult an attorney for legal guidance.

Transparent Pricing

North Carolina registered agent $99 /year
  • Registered office address in North Carolina
  • Same-day document scanning & forwarding
  • Compliance reminders & alerts
  • Online document portal
  • Privacy protection — our address on public filings
Start Your Service

Contact Us

Business Information

Address: 434 Fayetteville St, Suite 2120, Raleigh, NC 27601

Email: support@ncregisteredagent.org

Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm ET