North Carolina Registered Agent for Your LLC

North Carolina Registered Agent Requirements

• Every LLC, both foreign and domestic, must have a Registered Agent with a registered office within the State of North Carolina at all times.
• The Registered Office must be in the State of North Carolina and located at a street address (a P.O. Box only is not acceptable).
• The Registered Agent can be a domestic or foreign (licensed to conduct business in the state) artificial legal entity (corporation, LLC, LP or LLP) or a natural person.
• The Registered Agent must be available in person to sign for any correspondence during normal business hours.
• If the Registered Agent is a company, they must be authorized to conduct business in North Carolina.
• If the Registered Agent is a person, they must live in North Carolina.

This includes:

• State and federal government correspondence and notices
• Service of process notices (e.g., if your LLC is sued or required to appear in court)
• Correspondence from the NC SOS
• Tax forms and requests to complete permits, company filings and reports

• An always-available North Carolina Registered Agent who can receive correspondence, documents and legal proceedings on your LLC’s behalf
• Automatic forwarding of all legal correspondence, documentation and information directly to you
• Email notification whenever we receive documents for your business
• A digital dashboard where you can access, store and retrieve any information we’ve received for your business

If you don’t assign or provide details of a Registered Agent to the Secretary of State, there are several possible ramifications, including:

• Falling out of good standing with the NC SOS. The state may revoke your right to do business if you don’t respond to certain correspondence (such as a request for your annual report).
• Getting sued or served and not knowing about it. You could lose to a default judgment in your absence if your LLC is sued and you don’t respond.
• Losing your status as an LLC in North Carolina. A Registered Agent is evidence to the state that your business exists. Without it, you could lose your business entity protections and your LLC may be dissolved.

• The Registered Agent’s name and address are part of the public record and available through the NC SOS website. If you prefer to keep your name and address private, you should use a Registered Agent service.
• The Registered Agent must have a physical street address in North Carolina. If you’re forming an LLC outside the state, you’ll need to use an in-state Registered Agent.
• Someone must always be available during business hours at the North Carolina address to sign for important documents.
• If you change your business address or move out of state, you need to file additional documentation with the Secretary of State for the new address. This won't be necessary if you use a Registered Agent service, making a move or address change much simpler.