(919) 518-9508If you own an LLC or corporation in North Carolina, there’s a filing deadline approaching that you may not be aware of. It’s called the NC annual report, and the consequences of missing it are more serious than most business owners realize.
What Is the NC Annual Report?
Every domestic LLC and corporation registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State is required to file an annual report each year. This is not a tax return. It’s a separate filing that confirms your entity’s current information with the state — including your registered agent, principal office address, and the names of your managers, members, or officers.
The NC annual report is required regardless of whether your entity generated revenue, is actively operating, or has any employees.
When Is It Due?
The deadline is April 15 every year. For the 2026 filing cycle, that means your annual report must be filed with the NC Secretary of State by April 15, 2026.
What Happens If You Miss the Deadline?
This is where it gets expensive.
There is no separate late fee for filing after April 15 — but the consequences are far worse than a penalty.
Entities that fail to file can be administratively dissolved by the Secretary of State. Administrative dissolution means your entity is no longer in good standing with the state. You lose the liability protection that the entity was formed to provide in the first place.
Reinstating a dissolved entity requires filing all missed annual reports, paying all associated fees, and submitting a reinstatement application with an additional reinstatement fee. It costs significantly more and takes far longer than simply filing on time.
Who Needs to File?
Every NC domestic entity with the Secretary of State:
- LLCs — single-member, multi-member, and manager-managed. Filing fee: $203.
- Corporations — including S-corps and C-corps. Filing fee: $21.
If your LLC or corporation was formed in North Carolina, it has an annual report obligation.
What About Your Registered Agent?
Your annual report also requires you to list a current registered agent — the person or entity designated to receive legal notices and official correspondence on behalf of your business. If your registered agent information is outdated or incorrect, the filing won’t go through properly.
Many business owners listed themselves as their own registered agent when they formed the entity. That works until you move, change addresses, or simply aren’t available when a time-sensitive notice arrives.
How Littlewood Law Can Help
Our firm offers the Corporate Protection Service — a flat-fee annual subscription that covers registered agent designation, annual report filing, and compliance monitoring for NC business entities.
For $495 per entity per year, our team of attorneys handles everything:
- Registered agent designation with Littlewood Law, PLLC
- Annual report preparation and filing before the April 15 deadline
- Ongoing compliance monitoring and deadline tracking
- State filing fees passed through at cost — no markup
Unlike national filing services, you’re working with a Raleigh-based law firm with over 13 years of transactional experience. If you have questions about your entity structure, need to form additional entities, or have a commercial real estate matter, the same firm is already in your corner.
The April 15 deadline is less than four weeks away. If you have entities that need attention, now is the time to act.
Learn more and enroll in the Corporate Protection Service →
For questions, contact our team at [email protected] or call (919) 518-9508.
