‹ North Carolina Filing Guide
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How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in North Carolina
North Carolina calls it the Certificate of Existence and charges $15. Here is how to order it and what must be current first.
At a glance
- Document name
- Certificate of Existence
- State fee
- $15
- Online ordering
- Yes
- Typical turnaround
- Online: immediate through SOSNC Business Registration. Mail: 10-15 business days
- Issuing office
- North Carolina SOS ↗
How to order it
- Clear any past-due filings first. The North Carolina SOS will not issue a certificate while you have unpaid tax or an unfiled report. The state-specific requirements are in the points below.
- Order it online. Search your LLC in the North Carolina portal, request the certificate, and download it. Link in the table above.
- Pay the $15 fee. Pay by card at checkout. A small card surcharge usually applies.
- Use it inside the recipient's window. The certificate has no state expiration, but banks and other states usually want one dated within the last 30 to 90 days. Order it close to when you need it.
Full ordering details for North Carolina
North Carolina uses Certificate of Existence (for domestic) and Certificate of Authorization (for foreign). Order online through the SOSNC portal. Certified copies of specific documents are $15 plus $1 per page.
Processing and expedited tiers: Online: immediate through SOSNC Business Registration. Mail: 10-15 business days
Important to know about North Carolina
- The NC LLC Annual Report ($200 mail / $203 online, due April 15) is one of the highest annual-report fees in the country and must be current. A $3 electronic filing surcharge applies online.
- A well-known solicitation scam mails fake "Certificate of Existence" invoices for $82 or more. Legitimate NC Certificate of Existence is always $15 or less direct from the SOS.
- For foreign-LLC filings INTO NC from another state, NC requires the home-state Certificate of Existence to be dated within 6 months of the foreign-qualification filing. This is stricter than the typical 30-90 day window.
This page provides general information based on publicly available North Carolina Secretary of State requirements. It is not legal advice. Names, fees, and procedures can change. Verify with the North Carolina SOS before ordering.