North Carolina

Foreign registration · Form S&DC-S/N

North Carolina Corporation Foreign Registration in California

To do business in California, a corporation formed in North Carolina registers there on Form S&DC-S/N, with $100 in state fees. California may ask for North Carolina's Certificate of Existence ($10). We file it with the Secretary of State, Business Entities using your North Carolina records and act as your agent for service of process there for the first year.

North Carolina and California side by side

	North Carolina formed here	California registering here
Document	North Carolina Certificate of Existence	Form S&DC-S/N, Statement and Designation by Foreign Corporation
State fee	$10	$100 at order
How it is handled	North Carolina: online as a downloadable electronic certified document, or on paper	Filed with California
Paid expedite		24-hour $350, same-day $750
Office	North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division	California Secretary of State, Business Entities
Official page	sosnc.gov	sos.ca.gov
Yearly filing	Annual Report, $25, every year	Statement of Information (Form SI-550), $25, every year
Due	15th day of the 4th month following the close of the fiscal year	Last day of the corporation's registration-anniversary month, annually
Agent	Your North Carolina registered agent	Our California agent for service of process

How North Carolina companies register with California

We prepare and file Form S&DC-S/N
It names us as your California agent for service of process, with your North Carolina name and formation date. If California wants the North Carolina certificate, it is ordered first. After approval, your North Carolina corporation is registered with California.

Will your North Carolina name work for California?

If California's records show it taken, you can use an alternate name for the North Carolina company. California can hold a name for 60 days for $10 before you file.

Your California agent and the North Carolina one

California calls it an agent for service of process; North Carolina says registered agent. Your current registered agent stays for North Carolina; ours takes California's papers and notices.

Yearly filings: California and North Carolina

Each year your corporation files North Carolina's Annual Report ($25) and California's Statement of Information (Form SI-550) ($25). With our $149 agent for service of process renewal, North Carolina plus California comes to $199 a year. The new registration does not replace any home-state filing.

LLC or corporation, North Carolina to California

An LLC formed in North Carolina files Form LLC-5 with California ($70 in state fees, plus the Certificate of Existence ($10)). After that come North Carolina's Annual Report ($203) and California's Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) ($20). See the LLC filing.

Registering a California company in North Carolina

A corporation formed in California that registers with North Carolina files Form B-09 with $253 in state fees. See that filing.

Common questions: North Carolina to California

Does my North Carolina company need to register in California?

Yes, once a North Carolina business operates there; California registers it as a foreign corporation.

Is this a certificate of authority?

California calls it registration for North Carolina corporations; other states say certificate of authority.

How much does the California registration cost?

$299 at checkout; California may also want North Carolina's Certificate of Existence, at extra cost.

How long does the California registration take?

California's online processing takes 5 days or less, plus time for North Carolina's certificate if California asks for it. Paid expedite: 24-hour $350, same-day $750.

What are the yearly costs for North Carolina and California?

$199 a year: our $149 agent for service of process renewal, $25 to North Carolina and $25 to California for the yearly reports.

What if I don't register with California?

California can charge a North Carolina company a penalty of $20 a day.

Does California require a registered agent?

Yes: the North Carolina registered agent stays, and ours covers California for year one.

Will California accept my North Carolina name?

Yes, if no company there has it; if one does, it uses an alternate name there and keeps its North Carolina name at home.

Can I form a new California corporation instead?

Yes, but North Carolina keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files California's Statement of Information (Form SI-550) ($25), and the original keeps North Carolina's Annual Report.

How do I withdraw from California later?

North Carolina companies leave by filing Form CORP-SURC, Certificate of Surrender; until then, California's report stays due alongside North Carolina's filings.

Official sources

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