Office Closure
The Secretary of State's Office will be closed Tuesday December 24rd through Thursday December 26th in observance of Christmas. We will reopen at 8am on Friday December 27th.
Emergency Video Notarization
Emergency Video Notarization is Back! Following a vote in the NC Senate to override the veto of House Bill 556, Emergency Video Notarization (EVN) is again available to all NC Notaries. Emergency Video Notarizations are extended until July 1, 2025 at 12:01 am.
Save Time, File Online
The NC Department of Secretary of State is entering its seasonal busy season. Combined with continued staffing shortages, this means there will be delays processing Annual Reports and other business organization documents. The delays are greatest for mailed filings. We strongly urge our customers to save time and file their documents online if at all possible. Mailed filings currently require 10 to 15 days to process, compared to 5 days or less for documents filed online. Save time, file online.
Scam Alert
The NC Secretary of State has learned of a new scam targeting small business owners. Scammers impersonating various law enforcement agencies are contacting business owners claiming they are being investigated for fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, regardless of whether or not they have been repaid or forgiven. To legitimize the claim, the scammers provide elaborate phony court and/or legal documentation, including documents describing an arrest warrant that purports to require the posting of a cash bond and then instructions to make a payment (through a cryptocurrency kiosk) to resolve the warrant and avoid jail time. Legitimate law enforcement agencies do not collect money over the phone.
Our Rural RISE NC initiative connects you with mentors, business counselors, funding sources, and more—within your community and beyond. And even better, many of these resources are free.
Don’t Fall for Impostors posing as the NC Department of the Secretary of State. The NC Secretary of State’s Office has received a report of individuals misrepresenting themselves as the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State to lure loan-seekers to pay an up-front fee. Neither the Secretary of State’s Office nor any other agency will require individuals to pay taxes on a loan before the loan money can be released. Please report anyone making such offers to the NC Attorney General’s Office (https://www.ncdoj.gov/consumer.aspx) at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.