How to search and claim an LLC name in North Carolina
- Search North Carolina's official entity records at no cost, leaving “LLC” off the name.
- Make sure the name ends with one of North Carolina's accepted endings, such as “Limited Liability Company” or “L.L.C.”
- Hold the name with a $10 reservation if you need time before filing.
- File the Articles of Organization with the North Carolina Secretary of State (Business Registration Division) for $125.
- Note the recurring report so the LLC stays in good standing: $203 online each year ($200 on paper), due April 15.
What a North Carolina LLC name must include
North Carolina accepts these endings for a limited liability company:
- Limited Liability Company
- L.L.C.
- LLC
- Ltd. Liability Co.
- Limited Liability Co.
- Ltd. Liability Company
North Carolina keeps its content rule short: an LLC's name can't state or imply a purpose beyond the lawful ones its formation documents allow (N.C.G.S. § 55D-20). It accepts several ending styles, including “Ltd. Liability Co.”, “Limited Liability Co.” and “Ltd. Liability Company” alongside “limited liability company”, “L.L.C.” and “LLC”.
How North Carolina decides two names are the same
The suffix doesn't count when North Carolina compares names: by its administrative rules, “ABC LLC” and “ABC Inc.” are the same name. Your LLC's name has to be distinguishable from every other entity on the business registry (N.C.G.S. § 55D-21).
Where the rules are written. N.C.G.S. § 55D-20 (name requirements); § 55D-21 (distinguishability); 18 NCAC rules.
Searching for an LLC name in North Carolina
The Business Registration Division's search is free, and assumed business names filed anywhere in North Carolina since December 1, 2017 can be searched statewide too. Check both before you settle on a name.
Open the official North Carolina entity search
Leave the ending off when you search, so every version of the name shows up, then compare each result word by word. If one matches apart from spacing, punctuation or a plural, change a real word in your name.
Holding the name: North Carolina LLC name reservation
Holding an LLC name for 120 days costs $10, and the reservation can't be renewed when it ends. You can apply online, by mail or in person.
File a North Carolina name reservation
Forming the LLC in North Carolina
Articles of Organization cost $125 and can be filed online through the Secretary of State's business registration services.
File the Articles of Organization online
The annual report is due every April 15, starting the year after the LLC is formed. It costs $200 on paper or $203 online by card, with a $2 fee instead of $3 if you pay by ACH. There's no franchise tax at the Secretary of State and no newspaper notice. A Certificate of Existence costs $15; a foreign LLC's equivalent is a Certificate of Authorization.
When the LLC trades under another name
An LLC trading under another name files an assumed business name certificate with a county register of deeds, in one of the counties where it does business. A single certificate can list every county it does business in, it never expires, and it ends up in the Secretary of State's statewide database.
Sources
- Business registration limited liability companies, sosnc.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Selecting a name, sosnc.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Limited liability company name, sosnc.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Annual report due dates, sosnc.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Assumed business names, sosnc.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Assumed business name (PDF), b2b.sosnc.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- ncleg.gov, checked 2026-10-07
These are the official pages behind every fact above. If one of them now says something different, it's right and this page is out of date.
A few were read from search results, not the page itself, because the site refused direct requests; treat the facts they back as provisional until the North Carolina Secretary of State (Business Registration Division) confirms them.
Common questions
Can two LLCs in North Carolina have the same name?
No. North Carolina accepts a new LLC name only if it can be told apart from every name on its record. Adding or changing an ending such as “LLC” doesn't make a name different.
How long can I hold an LLC name in North Carolina?
For a limited time (the official length couldn't be confirmed), for $10.
Does a new North Carolina LLC have to publish a notice?
No. North Carolina has no newspaper publication requirement for LLCs.
How much is the North Carolina LLC filing fee?
$125, paid when you file the Articles of Organization.