Durham · Durham County
Starting a business in Durham: LLC filing, assumed names and local rules
Your company is formed once with the NC Secretary of State ($125). If you trade under a brand, record an assumed name with the Durham County Register of Deeds for $26. Durham has no general business license.
State filing
$125 (G.S. 57D)
Assumed name
$26, Durham County
Local license
None (zoning applies)
LLC annual report
$200, April 15
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits North Carolina filings for owners. We are not the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State and we do not give legal advice. Every state and county charge passes through at the exact amount billed, and anyone can file directly with the Business Registration Division for no service fee.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits North Carolina filings for owners. We are not the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State and we do not give legal advice. Every state and county charge passes through at the exact amount billed, and anyone can file directly with the Business Registration Division for no service fee.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits North Carolina filings for owners. We are not the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State and we do not give legal advice. Every state and county charge passes through at the exact amount billed, and anyone can file directly with the Business Registration Division for no service fee.
Doing business in Durham
Duke University, biotech and Research Triangle Park startups, and an independent food scene downtown.
Durham has no general business license. City and county share one planning department for zoning questions.
Official sourceRecording an assumed name in Durham County
Durham County Register of Deeds: Durham County Administration Building II, 201 East Main Street, 2nd Floor, Durham, NC 27701. Phone: 919-560-0480.
Durham records assumed business name certificates at the standard $26 fee and takes them by mail at the P.O. box above.
Official sourceSolve this in 5 minutes
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits North Carolina filings for owners. We are not the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State and we do not give legal advice. Every state and county charge passes through at the exact amount billed, and anyone can file directly with the Business Registration Division for no service fee.
Step-by-step in Durham
- Decide LLC or corporation (investors often want a corporation).
- File with the Secretary of State ($125).
- Record any brand at the Durham Register of Deeds ($26).
- Get an EIN.
- Confirm zoning with the joint city-county planning department.
IP licensed to the wrong name
University technology licenses must name the company exactly. Form first, then sign the license.
Worked example: A Duke spinout expecting a seed round
If the lead investor wants Delaware, we can register that corporation in NC instead ($250 state fee).
Next year: the LLC annual report is $200 (plus $3 online) by April 15. We file it for $149 plus the state fee.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Corp USA Complete package | $479 |
| NC Articles of Organization (state fee at cost) | $125 |
| Known day-one total | $604 |
Doing it yourself vs. having us file
| Task | On your own | With Corp USA |
|---|---|---|
| Name check and Articles | You, with the Business Registration Division | We prepare and file the same day |
| Registered agent | Your address goes public | Our NC address, $199/yr |
| Assumed name | You, at the county | $149 + $26 |
| April 15 annual report | You | We track and file |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to file anything with Durham County to form my company?
No. Formation is state-level. Durham's Register of Deeds only records assumed names.
SourceReady when you are
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits North Carolina filings for owners. We are not the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State and we do not give legal advice. Every state and county charge passes through at the exact amount billed, and anyone can file directly with the Business Registration Division for no service fee.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits North Carolina filings for owners. We are not the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State and we do not give legal advice. Every state and county charge passes through at the exact amount billed, and anyone can file directly with the Business Registration Division for no service fee.