Register Your North Carolina Foreign Corporation

For starters, you’ll need to make sure your corporate name is available for use in North Carolina. Use our free business name search to find out. If someone else has already snagged it, you’ll need to register a different corporate name. And don’t forget, your corporation’s name must also comply with North Carolina’s business name regulations as outlined in N.C. Gen Stat § 55D-20.

Interested in expanding your business to new states? Now is probably a good time to file for a federal trademark.

All corporations that do business in North Carolina must follow state law and appoint a registered agent. Your North Carolina registered agent must have a physical address in the state (not a PO Box) and be available during business hours (9am to 5pm) to accept official official mail, like a service of process.

Northwest has offices in every state (including DC and Puerto Rico), which means as your business grows, we’ve got you covered. We also offer bulk discounts once you hit five registered agent services.

Your business is viewed by customers as the sum of its parts. Its address, logo, color scheme, social media pages, even its area code are all part of your corporation’s business identity. If you’re not sure how to start building your business identity, Northwest can help.

When you hire us as your registered agent or to foreign qualify your corporation in North Carolina, we’ll hook you up with a custom website, a local phone number, and up to ten business email addresses, all free for 90 days. Plus, we’ll give you a unique domain free for a year.

North Carolina requires that, along with your Application for Certificate of Authority, you include a certificate of existence from your corporation’s home state. Also called a certificate of good standing, your certificate will confirm to North Carolina’s Secretary of State that your corporation is active in its home state and is up to date on taxes and fees.

Note: Your certificate must be no older than 6 months.

To register your foreign corporation in North Carolina, you must complete a Certificate of Authority and submit it to North Carolina’s Secretary of State. Here’s what you’ll need to include:

• Name of corporation
• Original state or country of incorporation
• Date of incorporation
• Duration of corporation (most check perpetual unless you have an end date in mind)
• Principal office address
• Registered agent address and name
• Names, titles, and addresses of corporate officers
• Certificate of Existence from state of original registration
• Fictitious name of the corporation if required to transact business in the state
• Name, signature, and title of person signing application

Note: If the corporation has to use a fictitious name in order to do business in North Carolina, you’ll need to list the name and attach a copy of the resolution drawn up by the corporation’s board. The resolution must be signed by the secretary of the corporation.

In person and online filings will be processed by the state in about 5-7 business days. Mailed filings can take upwards of 12 business days (add extra time for mail delivery times). In a hurry? Pay $100 for 24-hour service, or $200 for same-day processing.

After submitting the Application for Certificate of Authority, a copy of the official filing will be made available in your North Carolina Business Registration account.

North Carolina corporations file an annual report each year and are also subject to two specific state taxes: income tax and a state franchise tax. Here’s what you need to know.

Income Tax: North Carolina’s corporate income tax is a flat 2.5%.

North Carolina Franchise Tax: North Carolina’s corporate franchise tax rate is $1.50 per $1,000. This rate applies to one of the following tax bases (whichever results in the highest tax): net worth, investment in NC tangible property, or 55% of the appraised value of NC tangible property. The minimum franchise tax is $200.

North Carolina Annual Report: Every North Carolina corporation, foreign and domestic, is required to file a North Carolina Annual Report. Annual reports are due April 15th of the year after your registration and every year afterward. You may file your annual report online or by mail. The annual report costs $200 to file by mail (+ $3 if you file online).