Wondering how to file your North Carolina Startup? We can help.

If you’re not sure whether you want to form a Nonprofit Corporation, S-Corporation, C-Corporation, Foreign Corporation, LLC, or Assumed Name, we can help. We’ve brought together pages of information on various business types to help you select the right type for your North Carolina startup. Take a look at the brief summaries below, and then read further information on each business type.

C Corporation in North Carolina

A North Carolina C Corporation is formed by filing Articles of Incorporation with the Corporations Division of the Secretary of State’s office. A C corporation is the default tax classification; it has a relatively loose ownership structure, and multiple classes of shares are allowed.

ClickAndInc.com makes forming a North Carolina C Corporation fast, easy, and affordable. Learn more.

S Corporation in North Carolina

Just as in the case of a C corporation, S corporations will file For Profit Articles of Incorporation with the Corporations Division; however, they will then obtain the “S” status from the IRS. An S corporation has a more rigid ownership structure, but there are valuable tax benefits to forming an S corporation in North Carolina.

Learn more to determine if a North Carolina S Corporation is right for you.

501c3 Nonprofit Corporation in North Carolina

A 501c3 Nonprofit Corporation is a Nonprofit Corporation that has registered with the state, and then has obtained 501c3 status from the IRS. 501c3s can only be formed for scientific, educational, literary, charitable, or religious purposes.

Click and Inc can help you with both levels of filing your North Carolina 501c3 Nonprofit Corporation.

LLC in North Carolina

An LLC is what is known as a “hybrid” business—it has some of the tax benefits of an S Corporation, but the organizational freedom of a C corporation. Owners claim gains and losses on their individual tax returns, avoiding a C corporation’s “double-taxation.”

Learn more about a North Carolina LLC.

Foreign Corporation in North Carolina** start here

Corporations or LLCs that exist in a state other than North Carolina can apply to expand their business into the state as a Foreign Corporation by using the Application for Certificate of Authority.

When you work with ClickAndInc.com to set up your North Carolina Foreign Corporation, we will order your existing company’s Certificate of Existence—required by North Carolina as proof of your status within your original state no added cost.

DBA in North Carolina

A DBA is called a Certificate of Assumed Name in North Carolina. They are filed with the County Clerk’s office in the county in which you are physically located. You can file in multiple counties, but you must then have multiple locations.

Incorporated businesses, such as LLCs and corporations, also file DBAs at the county level, but they will use a specific form that corresponds to their business type (for instance, a Certificate of Assumed Name for an LLC, or a Certificate of Assumed Name for a Corporation).

See how ClickAndInc.com can help you set up your North Carolina DBA.

North Carolina Startup Quicklinks

For information on other types of businesses in North Carolina, please explore the links below.