Office Closure
The Secretary of State's Office will be closed on Monday, November 11th in observance of Veterans Day. We will reopen at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, November 12th.
Emergency Video Notarization
Emergency Video Notarization is Back! Following a vote in the NC Senate to override the veto of House Bill 556, Emergency Video Notarization (EVN) is again available to all NC Notaries. Emergency Video Notarizations are extended until July 1, 2025 at 12:01 am.
Save Time, File Online
The NC Department of Secretary of State is entering its seasonal busy season. Combined with continued staffing shortages, this means there will be delays processing Annual Reports and other business organization documents. The delays are greatest for mailed filings. We strongly urge our customers to save time and file their documents online if at all possible. Mailed filings currently require 10 to 15 days to process, compared to 5 days or less for documents filed online. Save time, file online.
Authentication Certificate Turn-Around Times
The NC Department of the Secretary of State is cancelling appointments made after March 20th due to resource shortages.
Please mail or bring your documents to the office as soon as possible. The expected turn-around time will be close to 30 days. This lengthy turn-around time is temporary and we are taking advantage of every opportunity to return documents to you sooner.
Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting
The federal Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) establishes a new beneficial ownership reporting requirement for limited liability companies, corporations, and other similar entities formed or registered to do business in the United States. Beneficial ownership reports must be filed with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau within the U.S. Department of Treasury. For more information on the beneficial ownership information requirements. The North Carolina Secretary of State does not administer and has no responsibility for enforcing the CTA or the beneficial ownership information reporting program.
Scam Alert
The NC Secretary of State has learned of a new scam targeting small business owners. Scammers impersonating various law enforcement agencies are contacting business owners claiming they are being investigated for fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, regardless of whether or not they have been repaid or forgiven. To legitimize the claim, the scammers provide elaborate phony court and/or legal documentation, including documents describing an arrest warrant that purports to require the posting of a cash bond and then instructions to make a payment (through a cryptocurrency kiosk) to resolve the warrant and avoid jail time. Legitimate law enforcement agencies do not collect money over the phone.
Our Rural RISE NC initiative connects you with mentors, business counselors, funding sources, and more—within your community and beyond. And even better, many of these resources are free.
Don’t Fall for Impostors posing as the NC Department of the Secretary of State. The NC Secretary of State’s Office has received a report of individuals misrepresenting themselves as the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State to lure loan-seekers to pay an up-front fee. Neither the Secretary of State’s Office nor any other agency will require individuals to pay taxes on a loan before the loan money can be released. Please report anyone making such offers to the NC Attorney General’s Office (https://www.ncdoj.gov/consumer.aspx) at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.