North Carolina
On this page
North Carolina at a glance
- Who runs it
- North Carolina Secretary of State, Business Registration Division
- Business Registration Search
- Cost to search
- Free
- Account needed
- No
- Search without signing up
- Search by
- Company name, SOSID number
- and 2 more
State fees
- Form an LLC$125Articles of Organization (Form L-01)Official source
- Annual Report$200$200 on paper. Online it's $203 by credit card or $202 by ACH, which includes the electronic filing fee.April 15 each year, starting the year after the LLC is created.Official source
- Certificate of Existence$10Electronic certificate. A paper certificate is $15.Proof the business is currentOfficial source
- Change registered agent$5Statement of Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent (Form BE-06).Every LLC must have oneOfficial source
North Carolina LLC lookup: how to use the Business Registration Search
An LLC lookup in North Carolina is the same search as a business search. The Business Registration Search, kept by the North Carolina Secretary of State, lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by company name, sOSID number, company official name or registered agent name. It's free, and you don't need an account.
- Open the Business Registration Search. Choose what to search for: company by name, company by SOSID, company officials, or registered agents.
- Type the name or number and search.
- Open the company to see its record and the documents it has filed.
- Download filed documents from the record. If an image isn't available yet, email corpinfo@sosnc.gov with the document ID and company name.
- To order a Certificate of Existence, sign in with a Secretary of State online account and place an order.
Good to know in North Carolina: You can search North Carolina records by company official or registered agent, not just by company name. The LLC annual report is $200 on paper ($203 online by card) and due April 15. An LLC that skips it gets a Notice of Grounds and is administratively dissolved if it doesn't fix the problem within 60 days.
What the search shows you
- Legal name and SOSID
- Status
- Registered agent and registered office
- Company officials
- Filed documents, including annual reports
What the status words mean
North Carolina uses its own words for a company's status, and they don't always mean the same thing as in other states. Here's what you'll see on the Business Registration Search, in the state's own wording.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Active/Not Current | Active on the registry, but behind on one or more required filings. |
| In Process | A creation filing was received and is being examined. |
| Administratively dissolved | The Secretary of State dissolved the entity, for example after a missed annual report wasn't fixed within 60 days of a Notice of Grounds. Reinstatement means filing the missed reports and a $100 reinstatement fee. |
| Revoked | A foreign entity's certificate of authority was revoked, usually for no registered agent or a missed annual report. It can't operate in North Carolina until it requalifies. |
| Withdrawn | A foreign entity withdrew its certificate of authority to do business in North Carolina. |
| Merged | The non-surviving entity in a merger. |
| Converted | The entity converted to another entity type. The status sits on the original entity. |
| Admin. Cancelled | The Secretary of State cancelled the creation document because of a problem with the filing fee. |
| Multiple | More than one status applies, for example suspended and administratively dissolved at the same time. Clear the suspension with the Department of Revenue first, then reinstate. |
For how these compare across states, see what business entity status means.
Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners
Registered Agent
Use the Registered Agents search option to find companies by agent name. An LLC must keep a registered agent and registered office in North Carolina, and going 60 days without one is grounds for administrative dissolution.
Filing history
The record lists the documents the company has filed, including annual reports. Some older images aren't scanned yet and have to be requested.
Owners, managers and officers
Use the Company Officials search option to find every company that lists a particular person. If the state record doesn't name anyone, our guide on how to find the owner of an LLC covers where else to look.
Finding a North Carolina Secretary of State Identification Number (SOSID)
North Carolina gives every business on its register a Secretary of State Identification Number (SOSID). It's the quickest way to pin down the right company when names are alike.
- What it looks like
- The Secretary of State doesn't publish a format. Copy it exactly as it appears on the company record.
- Where to find yours
- Search the company name in the Business Registration Search. The SOSID is on the company record.
- Search by it
- Yes. The Business Registration Search accepts it.
Your federal EIN is a different number again. See which business number a form is asking for.
Checking whether a business name is available in North Carolina
- Search the Business Registration Search by company name.
- Assumed business names (DBAs) are filed with the county Register of Deeds. Filings made since December 1, 2017 are in a statewide database on the Secretary of State site.
- Reserve a name for 120 days with Form BE-03. The fee is $30.
A clear result on the state search isn't a trademark clearance. If the name matters to you, also search the USPTO trademark database and check the domain. More in our business name search guide.
DBA and UCC search in North Carolina
DBAs and assumed names
- What it's called
- Assumed Business Name
- Where they're filed
- Filed with the register of deeds in the county. Filings made on or after December 1, 2017 also appear in a statewide database on the Secretary of State site, which you can search by assumed name, SOSID, or owner.
Filers have to update the certificate within 60 days of a change. One certificate can cover several counties.
UCC liens
Lenders file UCC financing statements with the North Carolina Secretary of State, Uniform Commercial Code Section. The online search is free. Our North Carolina UCC search guide has the steps and fees.
North Carolina fees and deadlines
These are the state's own fees, before any service charges. Each row links to the official page we took it from.
Form an LLC
$125- Articles of Organization (Form L-01).
- The Secretary of State doesn't publish a standard processing time. Pay for 24-hour or same-day service if you need the filing on a set date.
- Faster options: 24-hour $100, same-day $200 (submit before noon).
Annual Report
$200- Due: April 15 each year, starting the year after the LLC is created.
- If you're late: If the report isn't filed, the Secretary of State sends a Notice of Grounds for Administrative Dissolution. You have 60 days from the date on the letter to fix it, or the LLC is administratively dissolved. Reinstatement means filing every missed report, paying their fees, and paying a $100 reinstatement fee.
Change your registered agent
$5- Every North Carolina LLC must have one.
- Statement of Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent (Form BE-06).
Certificate of Existence
$10- Proof the company exists and is current, from the North Carolina Secretary of State.
- Electronic certificate. A paper certificate is $15.
156,790 new business applications were filed in North Carolina from January to September 2026, up 13.1% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.
Starting a business in North Carolina?
A lot of people search the Business Registration Search to see if a name is taken before they file. If that's you, here's the order to do things in.
- 1Check the name is free in North CarolinaTakes two minutes, steps on this page
- 2File your LLC with the stateArticles of Organization, $125 state fee
- 3Or let a service file it for youCompared on what you pay in year two
Step 3 goes to our comparison page, which has sponsored links. We earn a commission if you buy, and it doesn't change our rankings. How that works.
Frequently asked questions
How do I look up an LLC in North Carolina?
Search the Business Registration Search, the official database kept by the North Carolina Secretary of State. You can search by company name, sOSID number, company official name or registered agent name. It's free, and you don't need an account. Open the matching record to see the LLC's status, registered agent and filing history.
Is the NC Secretary of State business search free?
Yes. Searching and downloading filed documents is free. A Certificate of Existence is $10 electronic or $15 on paper, and you need a Secretary of State online account to order one.
What happens if a North Carolina LLC is administratively dissolved?
The Secretary of State dissolves an LLC that, for example, misses its annual report and doesn't fix it within 60 days of a Notice of Grounds. To reinstate, file all overdue annual reports, pay their fees, and file the reinstatement form with the $100 fee. After 5 years the name becomes available to others.
When is the North Carolina LLC annual report due?
April 15 every year, starting the year after you form. It's $200 on paper or $203 online by card.
How do I find the owner of a North Carolina LLC?
Search by company official to see which companies list a person. You can also open the LLC's filed documents, including its annual reports.
Sources
We take every fee, deadline and rule on this page from these pages and nowhere else. Rules change, so open the source before you pay anything.
- 1.Business Registration SearchChecked November 8, 2026
- 2.Secretary of State: Business Registration forms and feesChecked November 8, 2026
- 3.G.S. 57D-1-22: LLC filing feesChecked November 8, 2026
- 4.Secretary of State: annual report due datesChecked November 8, 2026
- 5.FAQ: administrative dissolution and revocationChecked November 8, 2026
- 6.FAQ: entity statusChecked November 8, 2026
- 7.FAQ: payment and expedited feesChecked November 8, 2026
- 8.FAQ: ordering certificatesChecked November 8, 2026
- 9.Secretary of State: assumed business namesChecked November 8, 2026
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