Registered agent ratings · North Carolina
3 Best Registered Agents in North Carolina (2026)
1. NC Registered Agent.org: best for the lowest yearly amount on this list
$99 a year, level on renewal
NC Registered Agent.org is rated first: a North Carolina specialist at $99 a year, providing an in-state registered office street address.
Through NC Registered Agent.org, the company's registered office has a street address in the state, and served legal papers are scanned online.
Its three-year sum is under Mainstay Filing's, which scores well on cost.
What you get
- A registered office with an in-state street address
- Each paper served on the company is scanned into your account
Pros
- The first agent year is included when it forms your LLC
- A smaller yearly line than Mainstay Filing
- $99 a year, level on renewal
Trade-offs
- The annual report remains your own filing
- North Carolina only; other states need another agent
2. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for businesses in North Carolina
$99 a year, level on renewal
North Carolina Registered Agent.co is rated second: a North Carolina specialist at $99 a year, providing an in-state registered office street address.
North Carolina Registered Agent.co supplies the state street address for the registered office and posts scans of served papers to your account.
Nothing in the published amounts or features separates NC Registered Agent.org from North Carolina Registered Agent.co; take either.
What you get
- A registered office with an in-state street address
- Each paper served on the company is scanned into your account
Pros
- Yearly amount $99, unchanged when it renews
- LLC formation offered, with year-one agent service
- A smaller yearly line than Mainstay Filing
Trade-offs
- The annual report remains your own filing
- North Carolina only; other states need another agent
3. Mainstay Filing: best for any state
$149 a year, level on renewal
Mainstay Filing is rated third: $149 for a plan that applies in every state, $149 on renewal.
Company not formed yet? Mainstay's $199-a-year package puts the North Carolina filing and the annual report on one line.
NC Registered Agent.org is $150 cheaper on the three-year sum, and that lowers Mainstay Filing's cost rating.
What you get
- A street address in the state on the public record
- Same-business-day scanning of served papers, at no cost
- Free scans of the first three government mailings each year
- Compliance reminders
Pros
- Accepts LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits
- Same-business-day scans of service of process, no fee
- Government mail scanned free, first three pieces a year
- $149 a year, level on renewal
Trade-offs
- Agent alone is $50 a year above NC Registered Agent.org
- The agent-only plan does not file annual reports
The 3 ratings summarized
| Line | Service | Rating | Yearly amount | Renewal amount | Best for | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NC Registered Agent.org | 9.2 | $99 | $99/yr | The lowest yearly price we rank here | Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | North Carolina Registered Agent.co | 8.9 | $99 | $99/yr | The lowest yearly price we rank here | Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Mainstay Filing | 8.6 | $149 | $149/yr | A single agent in any state | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
North Carolina registered agent amounts for 2026: year one, renewal and three-year sum
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year sum | Same amount on renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC Registered Agent.org | $99 | $99 | $99 | $297 | Yes |
| North Carolina Registered Agent.co | $99 | $99 | $99 | $297 | Yes |
| Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149 | $149 | $447 | Yes |
Reasoning behind the order
Formation Rated puts 27% on cost over years one to three, 27% on inclusions per price and the other 46% on renewal price and terms, fit with state rules and price clarity. In North Carolina the order came down to cost over years one to three.
NC Registered Agent.org sums to $297 across three years, $150 below Mainstay Filing. For a company that needs an agent in North Carolina only, fifty-state coverage adds little, so the lower yearly amount decided the rating.
Each criterion and its weight is listed on How we rank.
North Carolina registered agent requirements per North Carolina Secretary of State (official)
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a physical registered office in North Carolina. A P.O. box can be added only as a mailing address. Authority cited: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-30.
The North Carolina annual report: amount, date and agent
North Carolina LLCs owe the annual report every year, due April 15. Amount: $200. The state sends notices about it to your registered agent.
North Carolina registered agent: your questions
Does a North Carolina LLC need to appoint a registered agent?
It does. North Carolina treats a registered agent as a standing requirement, and the agent needs a street address within the state.
What is the yearly price of a registered agent in North Carolina?
Yearly amounts run $99 to $149, and each holds on renewal.
Is it permitted to be your own registered agent?
Yes, when the state's conditions are met. A North Carolina resident, or a corporation, nonprofit or LLC on the North Carolina business registry other than the company itself.
On what date is the North Carolina annual report due?
Due April 15. Fee: $200.
Which registered agents are rated on this page?
NC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), highest rated first.
Which North Carolina registered agent has the best value rating?
NC Registered Agent.org, as $99 a year, flat, with online scans of legal papers served.
Source lines
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division (ledger date August 2026)
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division (ledger date August 2026)
- North Carolina report due date (ledger date August 2026)
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 57D-2-20 (ledger date August 2026)
- North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source (ledger date October 2026)
- North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source (ledger date October 2026)
- North Carolina registered agent statute (ledger date October 2026)
- NC Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026
- North Carolina Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026
- Mainstay Filing, North Carolina service page: amounts read November 12, 2026