Business Registration
Rural RISE NC
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.
For further information, please visit our website at www.sosnc.gov/RISE.
Expedited Service
Documents can be expedited whether they are submitted to the Business Registration Division online or in paper. The expedited process starts once the document and payment are processed by our budget office, not on the delivery date. To help with sorting and processing, please mark "Expedite" on the envelope. Click the above link for more information.
Create and Submit a Creation Filing Online
The NC Secretary of State’s Office provides online form creation and electronic submission for many of the most popular business creation/formation documents. View a tutorial or click here to start the process.
Turn-Around Times
Turn-around times begin when the document is received and ends when processing is completed and placed in the mail or emailed to the filer.
Reinstatements – 15-18 business days when sent to address on the Application
Annual Reports – 14-21 business days
All other documents – 6-8 business days
Why the Notice of Grounds?
Did you receive a Notice of Grounds for Administrative Dissolution/Revocation?
Click here to find out why.
Certificate of Existence
You can obtain Certificates of Existence for your company by ordering online at a cost of $10.
Click here for a related fraud alert.
Search Business Registration
Business Registration Document Verification
What We Do
The duty of the Secretary of State is to ensure uniform compliance with the statutes governing the creation of business entities, record the information required to be kept as a public record, and provide that information to the public. The Business Registration Division acts in an administrative capacity only and cannot give legal advice.
Contact Business Registration
Customer Service
[email protected]Annual Reports
[email protected]Annual Reports Fax
919 814-5394Notice of Grounds Mailing
[email protected]Service of Process
[email protected]Telephone
919-814-5400Fax
919 814-5393Mailing Address
PO Box 29622Raleigh, NC 27626-0622
Mailing Address for Regular Mail:
NC Secretary of StateBusiness Registration
Post Office Box 29622
Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0622
Street Address for Overnight Mail:
NC Secretary of StateBusiness Registration
2 South Salisbury Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-2903