Known as the “Tar Heel State”, North Carolina has an exporter rank of 15 and a trade balance rank of 37. Some of the top industries or businesses involved in the highly revenue generating export state include Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Machinery, Aircraft, Electrical Machinery, Plastics, Motor Vehicles & Parts, and Cotton among others. Recently, the banking & finance industry has shown rapid economic growth and this is a favored industry for incorporation in North Carolina. Some of the top names in this sector include AONHewitt, BB&T, Credit Suisse, MetLife, Wells Fargo, TIAA, PNC, and Bank of America.

Why Choose North Carolina for Incorporation?

Whether you are planning to form a corporation or a limited liability company in North Carolina, it is a known fact that this is one state that has been consistently recognized for its pro business climate. Business incorporation in North Carolina will provide you with the platform required to grow and become a part of the thriving economy.

There are major benefits that small businesses can gain through various programs being implemented to provide businesses with the much needed support they require as start-ups. There are several programs in place for corporations and LLC’s and some of them are:

• Machinery and Equipment, Sales and Use Tax Exemption: If you set up a company in North Carolina in the manufacturing sector and qualify for this program then your business can benefit from exemption from sales and use tax on manufacturing machinery.
• Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG): It is a discretionary incentive program that is performance based. The main aim of the program is to facilitate cash grants directly to new businesses and expanding companies.

How do you incorporate in North Carolina?

What is the process of business incorporation in North Carolina? What type of documentation is required? These are some of the common questions that you will be confronted with if you are planning to establish a new business in the state. The following steps will help you understand the entire process:

Business Type

What type of business do you want to set up in North Carolina? If you want to set up a company in North Carolina, you can choose to form Profit and Professional Corporations, Limited Partnerships (LP), Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP), and Limited Liability Companies (LLC) among others. The type of business entity you want to form can be a domestic or a foreign entity. The forms and fee will be different for each type of entity.

Business Entity Name

If you have already identified the type of business you want to set up then the next step towards incorporation in North Carolina is to identify a name for your business entity. There are 3 steps towards business name formation and they are:

• Naming Requirements: The naming requirements for LLC as well as business corporation should be pursuant to §55D-23 of the General Statutes of North Carolina. The name of each limited liability company must contain words like “Limited Liability Company” or abbreviations like “L.L.C.” or “LLC”. A corporate name must contain words like “corporation”, or “incorporated” or abbreviations like “corp.” or “inc.”
• Business name search: You need to search for a business name that is not in use currently. You can conduct a name search here.
• Name Reservation: Once you have identified a business entity name, you can reserve the name with the Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Department for a period of 120 days.
• Name Registration: If you are a foreign entity planning to set up a company in North Carolina then you will be required to register your business name pursuant to §55D-24 of the General Statutes of North Carolina.

Choose a Registered Agent

A domestic business entity as well as a foreign entity authorized to transact business in the state of North Carolina will have to maintain a registered agent pursuant to NC Gen Stat § 55-5-01 (2013) for corporations and NC Gen Stat § 57D-2-40 (2014) for limited liability companies.

We are one of the respected registered agents in North Carolina and will be responsible towards initiating incorporation in North Carolina through processing of your “Articles of Organization” and “Articles of Incorporation” for domestic corporations and “Certificate of Authority” for foreign corporations.

Articles of Incorporation and Certificate of Authority

You will be required to submit “Articles of Incorporation” governed by 2013 North Carolina General Statutes, Section 55-2-02, if your business is a domestic corporation and a “Certificate of Authority” pursuant to 2013 North Carolina General Statutes, Section 55-15-03, if it is a foreign business entity. In order to streamline the process of incorporation in North Carolina, we can file documents on your behalf through the online process or through expedited process.

Date Stamped Copies

As a part of the process of company incorporation in North Carolina, we will ensure, you receive date-stamped and filed copies that verifies that the state has filed as well as formed your corporation.

Costs and Fees associated with North Carolina Incorporation

What would it cost to set up company in North Carolina? Check Fees here!

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Business Information & Rankings

• North Carolina is the nation’s 11th most populous state. There are currently more than 8 million people live in North Carolina. The state’s rate of growth makes it the 5th highest in the nation from 1995-2000, and by the year 2025, North Carolina’s population is estimated to reach 9.3 million. (NC Commerce).
• Site Selection magazine ranked North Carolina as the number one business climate in the US. (2005)
• World Trade magazine ranked North Carolina as one of the Top Ten Places to do Business. (2005)
• North Carolina ranks 1st in manufacturing employment and 2nd in the number of manufacturing facilities for the Southeast region. (Manufacturing News Inc., 2006).
  Studies show that N.C. workers produce more output per wage dollar than their counterparts do nationally. (Charlotte Chamber of Commerce website).

Cost of living

Crime Rate

North Carolina has the 37th lowest overall crime ranking in the U.S. (FBI, 2004)

Fees & Taxes

Business Inventory Tax
Business inventory is exempt.

Corporate Income Tax
North Carolina’s corporate tax structure consists of a flat 6.9% rate.

Personal Income Tax
North Carolina’s personal income tax system is one of the nation’s most expensive, composed of four brackets with a top rate of 8.25% starting at an income level of $120,000.

Personal Property Tax
North Carolina taxes real property, motor vehicles and personal property (inventories and household personal property are exempt). They do not tax intangibles.

State Sales and Use Tax
Base Rate: 4.5%*
Machinery Rate: 1%

*Most taxable sales or purchases are also subject to the state tax as well as the 2.5% local tax rate levied by all counties, for a combined 7%.

Unemployment Insurance
North Carolina’s new employers’ rate is 1.2% for 2 years.

Once your company is set up, you will need:

1. Tax ID (EIN) – free over the Internet or phone.
2. Yearly Requirements and Fees for North Dakota companies
3. Company Minutes & Stock Certificates – are included in incorporation. You will have access to documents generated on your client account.

North Dakota additional services

• Registered Agent
• Annual Report
• EIN (Tax ID)
• More Additional Services

• Why North Dakota?
• North Dakota Registered Agent
• North Dakota Annual Requirements
• North Dakota Corporation Statutes: North Dakota Statutes Title 10

• Why North Dakota?
• North Dakota Registered Agent
• North Dakota Annual Requirements
• North Dakota LLC Statutes: North Dakota Statutes Title 10-32

Pricing $89.00 per year, special for pre-pay $40 per year

Don’t get fooled by companies claiming the lowest price and increasing it later. Our pricing is very simple. We charge $89 per year. We also have few specials. Whenever you decide to pre-pay additional years you get them for $40/year.

Why you need a Registered Agent?

North Dakota State laws require business entities to maintain a Resident Agent in the state that you form your business. The agent’s name and office address are included in the Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization to give public notice of where to send important documents to your business entity.

If you need Registered agent in other State than North Dakota click here.
We offer Registered Agent service in all 50 States.

State Fee for changing North Dakota Registered Agent

For Corp & LLC – Registered Agent Consent to Serve: $10.00; Change in registered agent/office: $10.00

Registered Agent Requirements

A registered agent may be (1) an individual resident residing in North Dakota, (2) another domestic or foreign corporation that is registered with the Secretary of State and has a business office in North Dakota, or (3) a domestic or foreign limited liability company that is registered with the Secretary of State and has a business office in North Dakota.