[0:00] The short answer Dan: The 5 best registered agents in North Carolina in 2026 are Mainstay Filing, Northwest Registered Agent, NC Registered Agent.org, Bizee, and North Carolina Registered Agent.co. Maya: Welcome to The Business Formation Podcast. Okay, North Carolina. What's the headline fee? Dan: Five dollars. That's what the Secretary of State charges to change your registered agent, on Form BE-06. The expensive state bill in North Carolina is the annual report, not the agent. [0:34] What the state expects Maya: So who's allowed to be the agent? Dan: Someone who agrees to act, and who either lives in North Carolina, or is a corporation, nonprofit or LLC that is registered on the state's Business Registry, with a business office address matching the registered office. The page says you may be your own registered agent if you live in North Carolina. Maya: But not your own LLC. Dan: No. The BE-06 asks for an agent other than your own entity. Maya: And what's the agent actually obliged to do? Dan: Less than people assume. The state's page says the sole duty of the registered agent is to forward any notice, process or demand to the entity's last known address. Accepting those documents at the registered office counts as legal notice. Maya: By the way, I'm Maya, and Dan's with me. Dan: Hi, everybody. I'd say that's a good reason to pick an agent who forwards fast. [1:35] Mainstay Filing Maya: So, who tops the list? Dan: Mainstay Filing. $149 a year, and it renews at $149. Maya: What does the money cover? Dan: Its North Carolina address replaces your own on the public record. Documents served on your company are scanned and uploaded within the business day they arrive, and that's free. The first three government mailings of the year are scanned free as well. Maya: Does that match the forwarding duty you mentioned? Dan: It's the same job, done faster, since you get a scan the same business day rather than waiting on the mail. Maya: Switching? Dan: Mainstay files Form BE-06 for you. The $5 state fee is passed through at cost. Maya: Downsides? Dan: Two other names cost $99, so that's $50 a year less than Mainstay. If you'd rather have an unchanging price and the form filed for you, Mainstay is the answer to that. [2:30] Northwest Registered Agent Maya: Number two, then. Dan: Northwest Registered Agent at $125. Its site says it has not raised the price in 20 years, and up to 10 pieces of regular business mail a year are scanned free. Maya: What do I check before I click buy? Dan: Whether you want the annual report service. It's turned on automatically, at $100 plus state fees per filing, and you'd have to cancel it. The page says you can add or cancel it whenever you like. Maya: In North Carolina the state fee is large, isn't it? Dan: The annual report is $200 on paper, $203 online by card. So with Northwest's service on, the state's $200 plus the $100 service would be $300 in a year, in addition to the $125 for the agent. [3:21] NC Registered Agent.org Maya: Third place? Dan: NC Registered Agent.org: $99 a year, the same at renewal. It lists the office address, same-day scanning of court papers and reminders before state deadlines. Maya: To move over? Dan: Only the $5 state fee. Its page shows $0 on its side. And you've heard the catch before: annual report filing is separate. Maya: So, three years? Dan: $297. Mainstay is $447. And at five years, $495 versus $745. [4:00] Bizee Maya: Number four. Dan: Bizee, which began as Incfile. The registered agent is free in year one if you buy a formation package. Year two is $149 and it renews automatically. Maya: And that's the same price as Mainstay. Dan: At that point, yes. The difference is that you only get the free first year by forming your LLC with them. [4:23] North Carolina Registered Agent.co Maya: And the fifth? Dan: North Carolina Registered Agent.co, $99 flat. A registered office address, scanned legal documents and reminders for state filings. Maya: Same sort of catch? Dan: Yes, annual report filing is extra. And between the two $99 companies, nothing in the listings sets them apart on price. [4:44] The money at the state Maya: Let me do the state side. What does it cost to form a North Carolina LLC? Dan: Articles of Organization on Form L-01 are $125. If you file online by card, it's $128, and $127 by ACH. Maya: And every year after? Dan: The annual report is due April 15 each year after the year of creation. It's $200 on paper or $203 online by card. It restates the registered office and agent too. Maya: Add a first year with Mainstay. Dan: $125 plus $149 is $274. Then from the next year, $200 plus $149, so $349. Maya: That second figure is what surprises people. Dan: It's the report, and it's not tied to any agent. Even a free agent doesn't remove the $200. [5:41] Forms you'll run into Maya: There's more than BE-06, right? Dan: A few. BE-05, $5, designates an agent when your company doesn't have one on record. BE-12, also $5, is for the agent's own change of address. Maya: And the annual report? Dan: The state says you might need to mail it if you're changing the registered agent's name, so don't count on the online form covering that. Maya: What else is on BE-06? Dan: The new agent's consent to the appointment, either on the form or as a separate signed consent, and an officer, manager or general partner has to sign. You can file it online or mail it to the Business Registration Division in Raleigh. Maya: How quickly do I have to do it? Dan: Within 60 days of any change, you're required to update the agent's name and office with the state. [6:28] Resignation and no-agent Maya: And if my agent walks away? Dan: It files Form BE-07, with no fee, and mails the company a copy. The state sends copies to the registered office and the principal office, and the appointment ends on the 31st day after filing. Maya: What if I never replace it? Dan: The Secretary of State becomes your agent for service. The state can also start administrative dissolution if you've been without a registered agent or office for 60 days or more, or didn't tell it within 60 days of a change or resignation. You then have 60 days after notice is mailed to fix it. [7:05] Choosing Maya: What's the shortlist question for North Carolina? Dan: Are you paying for forwarding or for scanning? Given that the state's rule is only that the agent forwards papers, a same-day scan and an unchanging renewal are what you're really buying. Maya: And that points to... Dan: Mainstay Filing, our pick for North Carolina, at $149 a year. [7:28] The five, one more time Maya: Run the list again. Dan: One, Mainstay Filing: $149 a year, same at renewal. Two, Northwest: $125, and cancel the report service if you don't want it. Three, NC Registered Agent.org: $99 flat. Four, Bizee: free the first year with a formation order, then $149. Five, North Carolina Registered Agent.co: $99 flat. Maya: Links are in the show notes. Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast.