North Carolina franchise tax: due date, fees & penalties (2026)

Franchise tax

franchise tax

Corporations must file returns annually on or before the fifteenth day of the fourth month following the end of the income year. The return is filed as a part of a joint franchise and income tax return. Payment of the entire amount of franchise tax is required by the statutory due date of the return, without regard to extensions.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Corporation; foreign corporation

corporation; foreign_corporation

Franchise or privilege tax on domestic and foreign corporations. An annual franchise or privilege tax is imposed on a corporation doing business in this State for the privilege of doing business in this State and for the continuance of articles of incorporation or domestication of each corporation in this State.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Tax-law failure to file or pay for 90 days after due requires Revenue to notify the Secretary of State to suspend the articles or authority; corporate powers and privileges cease.

Tax-law failure to file or pay for 90 days after due requires Revenue to notify the Secretary of State to suspend the articles or authority; corporate powers and privileges cease.

North Carolina General Statute 105-230 requires the Department of Revenue to notify the Secretary of State when a "corporation or a limited liability company fails to file any report or return or to pay any tax or fee required by the tax laws for 90 days after it is due." It further requires the Secretary of State to "suspend the articles of incorporation, articles of organization, or certificate of authority, as appropriate, of the corporation or limited liability company." All the powers and privileges of the corporation will cease upon the suspension.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

$25

$25

You must file all returns for all tax schedules and pay all tax, penalty, and interest due and pay a $25 reinstatement fee.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Annually on or before the fifteenth day of the fourth month following the end of the income year; full franchise-tax payment is due then without regard to filing extensions.

Annually on or before the fifteenth day of the fourth month following the end of the income year; full franchise-tax payment is due then without regard to filing extensions. Applies to: Corporate franchise tax filed with the joint franchise and income tax return.

Corporations must file returns annually on or before the fifteenth day of the fourth month following the end of the income year. The return is filed as a part of a joint franchise and income tax return. Payment of the entire amount of franchise tax is required by the statutory due date of the return, without regard to extensions.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

An extension of filing time does not extend payment time or postpone the failure-to-pay penalty.

An extension of filing time does not extend payment time or postpone the failure-to-pay penalty.

An extension of time for filing a franchise tax return does not extend the time for paying the tax due or the time when a penalty attaches for failure to pay the tax.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Failure to file: 5% of total taxes due for each delinquent month, maximum 25%. Interest and a separate failure-to-pay penalty may also apply; their amounts are not verified here.

Failure to file: 5% of total taxes due for each delinquent month, maximum 25%. Interest and a separate failure-to-pay penalty may also apply; their amounts are not verified here.

A failure to file penalty of five percent (5%) of the total taxes due is incurred each month a return is delinquent, the maximum penalty being twenty-five percent (25%). Corporations are also subject to the failure to pay penalty

Last verified Oct 25, 2026