Before you register your business name, check name availability with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
For more information about business structures, US Small Business Administration website may be of assistance as you choose the business structure for your business.
Assumed Business Name Forms (DBA)
Filing of Assumed Business Name forms (A, B, and C below) is done at your local Register of Deeds office. There is a $26 filing fee.
Find your County Register of Deeds
After processing in your County, the registration will be updated to a statewide database of Assumed Business Names on the NC Secretary of State’s website.
A – Assumed Business Name Certificate
Used to register a Sole Proprietorship, General Partnership, and DBA/Assumed Business Names for LLCs or Corporations.
B -Amendment of Assumed Business Name Certificate
Used to change, add, or remove information from a filed Assumed Business Name Certificate. You must file any amendment in the same county as the initial filing.
C – Withdrawal of Assumed Business Name Certificate
Used to withdraw a filed Assumed Business Name Certificate. You must file any withdrawal in the same county as the initial filing.
Corporate Forms
The forms used to register Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), Corporations and Non-Profits (Forms H-M) are listed below. You can download these forms and mail the completed form to the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Corporations Division, however, it is quicker and more efficient to register online.
The preferred way to submit business registration for LLCs, Corporations, Nonprofits, and other corporate entities is to use the online creation wizard on the NC Secretary of State’s website. Benefits of submitting online include faster turn-around time, lower rejection rate, and the ability to check the status of your submission. Create an online account as a First Time User, or log into your existing account.
North Carolina Secretary of State Forms Used to Start a Business
I – Corporation Articles of Incorporation (Form B-01)
H – Limited Liability Company (LLC) Articles of Organization (Form L-01)
J – Nonprofit Corporation Articles of Incorporation (Form N-01)
North Carolina Secretary of State Forms Used to Authorize an Out-of-State Company to Do Business Here
To expand your out of state business to North Carolina, you will file a Certificate of Authority, for the authority to do business here. You will need to attach a Certificate of Existence from your original state. This can also be filed online. Create an online account as a First Time User, or log into your existing account.
K – Limited Liability Company (LLC) Certificate of Authority (Form L-09)
L – Corporation Certificate of Authority (Form B-09)
M – Nonprofit Corporation Certificate of Authority (Form N-09)
Professional LLC (PLLC) or Professional Corporation (PC)
If you have a Professional License (you are a medical professional, engineer, attorney, etc.), your licensing board may require you to file as a Professional LLC (PLLC) or a Professional Corporation (PC). Please contact our team or reach out to your licensing board for specific requirements.
Professional Limited Liability Company (Form PLLC-02)
Professional Corporation (Form PC-05)
North Carolina Employer Forms
Forms for hiring employees (N-R) such as Withholding Taxes, Unemployment Taxes and Worker’s Compensation forms are listed below. There is also the New Hire Reporting Guide for reporting new hires or the re-hiring of employees. The NC Department of Labor provides labor posters free of change to be posted in common space work areas.
N – Business Registration Application for Income Tax Withholding, Sales and Use Tax, and Other Taxes and Service Charge (Form NC-BR) Online or By Mail
O – North Carolina Unemployment Tax Number Forms
P – North Carolina Industrial Commission Workers’ Compensation Forms
Q – New Hire Reporting Guide
R – North Carolina Department of Labor Forms
State and Federal Tax Forms and Publications
Various NC forms (S-W) that a business owner may need to operate their business.
S – File State Tax Forms With the North Carolina Department of Revenue
T – Application for State Privilege License (Form B-202A)
Effective July 1, 2024, Professional Privilege Licenses are no longer required. However, Licenses are still required for loan agencies, pawnbrokers, and check casher companies. For additional information, refer to this important notice issued by the NC Department of Revenue.
U – Application for an Employer Identification Number (Form SS-4)
Complete this form online to register and receive your EIN or print and mail completed form to IRS for processing. This will take several weeks.
V – Instructions for Application for an Employer Identification Number (Form SS-4)
W – County Property Taxes
Federal Forms
Various Federal forms that a business owner may need to operate their business.