North Carolina Registered Agent

A North Carolina registered agent is a person or entity designated to accept legal mail on behalf of a business. Once the documents are accepted, the agent is responsible for forwarding them to the business in question.

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What Is the Purpose of a North Carolina Registered Agent?

The purpose of a registered agent in NC is to fulfill an integral part of the business formation, maintenance, and legal system.

In addition to fulfilling an essential role, a good registered agent will keep you apprised of upcoming deadlines with the North Carolina Secretary of State’s office, provide easy-to-use tools to help you manage your legal documents, and keep your information safe and secure.

Does North Carolina Require a Registered Agent?

Yes. Like many states, North Carolina has a registered agent requirement that LLCs, LLPs, corporations, nonprofits, and others must adhere to.

Registered agents need to fulfill what North Carolina calls “the sole duty of the registered agent”: forwarding the entity, at its last known address, every “notice, process, or demand” it receives.

Choosing a North Carolina Registered Agent

Before choosing your North Carolina registered agent, it’s important to understand who the state allows to perform this role. From there, the main question when selecting one is who you trust to designate as your own.

Who can be a North Carolina registered agent?

North Carolina identifies two suitable entry points to acting as a registered agent. As discussed in NC § 55D-30, a North Carolina registered agent can be:

  • Individual
    The person must live in North Carolina and have identical business and registered office addresses.
  • Entity
    The business must be located in North Carolina and have identical business and registered office addresses. This can be a domestic entity (formed in North Carolina) or a foreign entity (formed outside NC, but registered in the state).

These rules are quite broad and mean that, essentially, any adult or business with a physical NC address can be a registered agent. But whether someone can be a registered agent, and whether they should be, are not the same thing. Remember: your agent will have access to documents containing highly sensitive information.

Can I use myself as a registered agent?

Yes. You can be your own registered agent in North Carolina. To fill this role, you must be available to receive legal notices at the registered office listed on your business formation documents.

Of note, the public will be able to view that address, as well as your name. If you hire a company like Registered Agents Inc., our information will fill those slots instead.

How to Appoint a North Carolina Registered Agent

To appoint a North Carolina registered agent, you need to follow two simple steps:

  1. Get appointment approval from agent
    Before a person or entity can act as your registered agent, they need to accept the appointment. This means you can’t list a service provider like Registered Agents Inc. without first purchasing the service.
  2. Designate agent on formation paperwork
    To make the registered agent appointment official, you’ll list their name and registered office address on your business formation documents. Doing so indicates the agent approves the designation.

How do I add a registered agent to my LLC in NC?

To designate a registered agent for your North Carolina LLC, you’ll write their name and physical street address on your Articles of Organization. This filing is what officially creates your LLC with the state. (If you’re forming a corporation, you’ll include the same information on your Articles of Incorporation.)

This address is where notices from the state and official legal mail will be sent. If the registered agent has a mailing address separate from its physical location, that can be included as well.

Should I hire a North Carolina registered agent before I form my business?

If you’re planning to hire a registered agent, it’s easiest to do so prior to listing them on your business formation paperwork. You can change your agent later, but you’ll need to file more paperwork to make the switch.

How Do I Change My Registered Agent in North Carolina?

Changing your registered agent in North Carolina, no matter your entity type, means submitting a Statement of Change form. You can file the form online or by mail, though the state strongly encourages the former. Online filings are processed in five days or less, while mailed filings can take 10-15 days. The filing fee is $5.

Required information includes:

  • Business name
  • Registered office address currently on file
  • Mailing address (if different from registered office)
  • Name of registered agent on file
  • Street address of new registered office
  • Mailing address (if different from new registered office)
  • Name of new registered agent
  • Registered agent’s signed consent to the appointment
  • Effective change date, if different than the filing date
  • Name, title, and signature of an officer, manager, or general partner of the business

How do I get a registered agent in another state?

If you have business locations in multiple states, you likely need multiple registered agents. With Registered Agents Inc., our local offices—found in all 50 states, plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico—are ready to assist whether you need service in one state or 20.

Virginia and South Carolina both have a registered agent requirement. If you currently operate in those locations, or ever expand to them, let Registered Agents Inc. help ensure you never miss a beat.

And if you need wholesale registered agent services, look no further. Send us an inquiry today to get started.

What Do I Get When I Hire Registered Agents Inc.?

When you hire Registered Agents Inc., you get an expert registered agent in North Carolina. Our comprehensive registered agent services in NC include:

  • Prompt document uploads
    When we receive documents for you, we scan them at our local NC office, then immediately upload them to your online account, providing digital document management for your NC business. You’ll be notified about the upload right away, so you never have to worry about important notices being missed.
  • Secure online account
    The secure online account for your NC business is where your uploaded documents live, but it’s also where you can manage your services and access additional tools. Our privacy and security in registered agent services is the best in the industry.
  • Free forms
    With your online account, you’ll have easy access to every North Carolina business form you might need. And if you need forms for another state, we have those too.
  • Expert assistance
    Have a question about changing your registered agent? Adding an agent in additional state? Our team is ready to help.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a registered agent cost in North Carolina?

How much you pay for a North Carolina registered agent depends on the type of agent you choose. You can be your own registered agent for free, unless you count the cost of having your name and address listed for service of process receipt. Our premier North Carolina registered agent service costs $200 a year.

Does Registered Agents Inc. offer NC business registration support?

Yes! Once you hire us as your NC registered agent, your online account will allow you to order additional business registration services such as LLC or corporation formation. Please contact us if you have questions or need additional support.

What is service of process in North Carolina?

Service of process in North Carolina is the delivery of legal documents, such as a summons or subpoena, to someone in the state. Typically, served documents are related to litigation.

Is annual report filing in North Carolina a requirement?

Yes. Annual report filings are required by the North Carolina Secretary of State. In order to maintain business compliance in NC, companies must adhere to their annual report deadline, which varies by entity type. Annual reports for NC LLCs are due by April 15. The deadline for NC corporations falls on the 15th day of the 4th month of the entity’s fiscal year.

When you hire Registered Agents Inc., we’ll keep track of these deadlines for you and will file your annual report for free. All you pay is the state fee.

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