Business filing support
In North Carolina, only a licensed attorney may prepare formation documents, such as an LLC's Articles of Organization, for someone else. When you or your attorney have prepared and signed a filing for the Secretary of State, we can take care of the clerical steps.
What we can do
- Submit the filing you or your attorney prepared and signed, and pay the state's filing fee on your behalf.
- Track the filing and send you the filed documents when the state returns them.
- Order certified copies of Secretary of State documents and, for use abroad, apostilles (see Apostille and authentication).
What we don't do
We don't prepare, fill in, or review formation documents, choose a type of business, or give legal or tax advice. For those, please talk to a North Carolina attorney or a tax professional.
Fees
Our clerical fee is quoted before we start. State filing fees are separate and set by the state.
Frequently asked questions
Can you prepare my Articles of Organization?
No. North Carolina law allows only licensed attorneys to prepare legal documents, such as formation documents, for someone else. You can prepare the filing yourself on the North Carolina Secretary of State's website, or work with an attorney.
Then how do you help?
Once the filing is prepared and signed, we can submit it, pay the state fee on your behalf, follow it until it's filed, and order certified copies or apostilles.
How long does it take?
The North Carolina Secretary of State sets its own processing times. We'll tell you what to expect when we submit your filing.
What does it cost?
Our clerical fee is quoted before we start. The state's filing fee is separate and set by the state.
What about an operating agreement or taxes?
Those involve legal and tax decisions. Please talk to an attorney or a tax professional; we don't give legal or tax advice.
A notary public in North Carolina can't give legal advice or help you choose, write, fill out, or understand legal documents.