How to Start an LLC in North Carolina

When you decide to start a small business in North Carolina, you can register the business as a limited liability company (LLC).

A legal business structure lends you extra personal liability protection and operational advantages, unlike sole proprietorship. Once you decide on an appropriate business structure, like an LLC, registering your operations is a matter of following several simple steps to comply with the North Carolina laws and regulations.

This articles provides step-by-step instructions for opening an LLC in North Carolina.

Steps to Open an LLC in NC:

1. Step 1: Pick a name for your LLC
2. Step 2: Hire a registered agent
3. Step 3: File the North Carolina LLC articles of organization
4. Step 4: Obtain an Employer Identification Number from the IRS
5. Step 5: Prepare an LLC operating agreement
6. Step 6: Open a North Carolina business bank account

Step 1: Pick a name for your LLC

The first step to forming your Limited Liability Company (LLC) in NC is picking an operating name.

The legal business name is present on all your company documents, invoices, website, and other touchpoints with the customers.

When choosing a name for your LLC means, you’ll need to develop a unique combination.

If you pick a name that’s similar or the same as another business, you can be sued under trade name laws.

There are ways to check if the business name you want to use is available:

1. Start with your county, do local business searches of the Register of Deeds office to make sure the name is available.
2. The North Carolina Trademark Registration site is also an excellent source to check if the name of the LLC is already registered as a trademark under state law.
3. You can also hire an attorney to do a federal name search through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

If you want to use a business name that’s close to the name of another business, you can contact the business owner and ask for a name transfer. If the person agrees, you can use the name by submitting Form BE-04, “Notice of Transfer of Reserved Name,” to the North Carolina secretary of state.

If you plan to sell products in other states, it’s a good idea to follow these same steps and run name searches in the states where you plan to do business.

Also, mind that North Carolina has several unique naming requirements for LLCs. Unless you obtain special permission from the licensing boards or state agencies in the state of North Carolina, you can't include the following terms into your LLC name:

• Realtor
• CPA
• Bank
• Insurance
• Pharmacy
• Architect
• Trust

Other than that, the name of your Limited Liability Company must include only words that are legal and non-offensive. The name must also contain the words “Limited Liability Co,” or “LLC,” “Ltd. Liability Company,” or some other type of abbreviation.

Step 2: Hire a registered agent (required)

Once you’ve chosen a name for your LLC, you must select a North Carolina registered agent.

Your registered agent is a person or professional services business who agrees to be your point of contact with the state. This person or business will receive government notices on behalf of your business. For example, your registered agent will receive the subpoena or court papers at the designated office address if your business is sued. P.O. boxes are not accepted.

Your registered agent must be a person who lives in North Carolina or a business whose principal office is in the state. Registered agent service providers specialize in helping businesses stay in good standing with local laws and regulations. A registered agent service charges a fee but provides privacy, flexibility, and availability that you may not have as a new business owner.

You can be your own registered agent

When people form new businesses, managing money is a top priority. For that reason, you can choose to be your own registered agent instead of hiring another individual or firm.

There are tradeoffs to serving as your own registered agent, including:

• Your street address becomes public if it’s your principal place of business.
• You may receive more marketing or junk mail from companies that purchase public mailing lists from the secretary of state.
• If you’re served legal papers, your family, friends, and neighbors may witness this, which can be embarrassing.
• Anytime you move, you’ll have to update your mailing address with the secretary of state and pay applicable fees.

Sure, there’s a fee to hire a registered agent service, but many business owners find the cost well worth the peace of mind knowing that business filings and official mail are received and handled timely.

Step 3: File the North Carolina LLC articles of organization

The articles of organization filing are required to form an LLC in North Carolina officially. This business document details the baseline information about your company, such as:

• Your business name
• All LLC members (owners)
• Each member’s role in the business
• Registered agent address and contact details

You’ll need to download a Form L-01 from the SOC website, fill it, and then submit it to the North Carolina secretary of state along with a $125 state fee. You may submit your document online, in-person at the North Carolina secretary of state’s office in Raleigh across from the State Capital Building, or mail your documents and payment to the Business Registration Division.

Processing times vary, but you can check your filing status on the “Online Business Services” page.

Expedited processing is available too. For an extra $100, you can form an LLC in 24 hours. And for an additional $200, you get same-day service. Same-day service guarantees that the documents will be reviewed and filed (or rejected) by the end of the business day.

Step 4: Obtain an Employer Identification Number from the IRS

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is like the social security number for your business. When you open a bank account or apply for business credit, lenders will likely ask for your EIN.

If you plan to hire employees, your EIN is required to track your small business’ hiring activity and ensure you comply with compliance with payroll regulations.

Multi-member LLCs and partnerships are required to have an EIN. If you plan to withhold taxes on non-wage income, file employment or excise taxes, or operate in specific organizations like trusts, nonprofits, or certain investment firms, you must also obtain an Employer Identification Number.

Obtaining an EIN is free and accessible by following the instructions on the IRS website.

Once you complete the application, your EIN is available immediately for use. When applying for your EIN, you must select a business structure for federal income tax purposes to tell the Internal Revenue Service how you want your LLC to be taxed — as a sole proprietorship if you’re a single-member LLC or as a corporation for multi-member LLCs.

LLC tax classifications

The sole proprietorship is the default tax classification for LLCs.

In this case, you don’t need to file extra federal tax forms since profits and losses from the business are included in your personal tax return.

Choosing to be taxed as an S-corporation provides added tax benefits since LLC members pay only half of the self-employment tax, but business profits and losses are passed through to the members’ personal tax returns.

On the other hand, electing to be taxed as a C-corporations means double taxation. You’ll need first to pay income taxes on profits and personal income tax when distributions are made to shareholders.

Step 5: Prepare an LLC operating agreement

An LLC Operating Agreement outlines how you’ll operate the business, how profits and losses are shared amongst LLC members, and which rights and duties each member has.

There are several templates online for members to use as a starting point. Operating agreements are internal to the LLC and are not required to be submitted or filed with the North Carolina secretary of state.

However, it’s vital to draft one if you have one or more business partners.

Step 6: Open a North Carolina business bank account

North Carolina has no state requirements around opening a business bank account upon LLC formation. Yet, since you must keep your business and personal finance separate, it’s a sound next step to make.

For example, you should not pay for business items out of your personal checking account or vice versa. This implies that your LLC isn’t truly a separate business entity. If you’re commingling funds and you get sued, you could lose the added asset protection that an LLC provides, and your personal assets could be in jeopardy.

Using your EIN to file your business tax returns ensures that your business finances are separated from your personal finances and don’t violate the above rule.

Frequently asked questions about starting an LLC in North Carolina

These are some frequently asked questions about forming an LLC in North Carolina.

Last updated: May 2023

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Last updated: May 2023