.0103 Registration with the North Carolina State Bar
(a) Registration of Professional Corporation - At least one of the incorporators of a professional corporation shall be an attorney at law duly licensed to practice in North Carolina. The incorporators shall comply with the following requirements for registration of a professional corporation with the North Carolina State Bar:
(1) Filing with State Bar - Prior to filing the articles of incorporation with the secretary of state, the incorporators of a professional corporation shall file the following with the secretary of the North Carolina State Bar:
(A) the original articles of incorporation;
(B) an additional executed copy of the articles of incorporation;
(C) a conformed copy of the articles of incorporation;
(D) a registration fee of fifty dollars;
(E) an application for certificate of registration for a professional corporation (Form PC-1; see Section .0106(a) of this subchapter) verified by all incorporators, setting forth
(i) the name and address of each person who will be an original shareholder or an employee who will practice law for the corporation in North Carolina;
(ii) the name and address of at least one person who is an incorporator;
(iii) the name and address of at least one person who will be an original director; and
(iv) the name and address of at least one person who will be an original officer, and stating that all such persons are duly licensed to practice law in North Carolina. The application shall also
(a) set forth the name, address, and license information of each original shareholder who is not licensed to practice law in North Carolina but who shall perform services on behalf of the corporation in another jurisdiction in which the corporation maintains an office; and
(b) certify that all such persons are duly licensed to practice law in the appropriate jurisdiction. The application shall include a representation that the corporation will be conducted in compliance with the Professional Corporation Act and these regulations; and
(F) a certification for professional corporation by the Council of the North Carolina State Bar (Form PC-2; see Rule .0106(b) of this subchapter), a copy of which shall be attached to the original, the executed copy, and the conformed copy of the articles of incorporation, to be executed by the secretary in accordance with Rule .0103(a)(2) below.
(2) Certificates Issued by Secretary and Council - The secretary shall review the articles of incorporation for compliance with the laws relating to professional corporations and these regulations. If the secretary determines that all persons who will be original shareholders are active members in good standing with the North Carolina State Bar, or duly licensed to practice law in another jurisdiction in which the corporation shall maintain an office, and that the articles of incorporation conform with the laws relating to professional corporations and these regulations, the secretary shall take the following actions:
(A) execute the certification for professional corporation by the Council of the North Carolina State Bar (Form PC-2; see Rule .0106(b) of this subchapter) attached to the original, the executed copy, and the conformed copy of the articles of incorporation and return the original and the conformed copies of the articles of incorporation, together with the attached certificates, to the incorporators for filing with the secretary of state;
(B) retain the executed copy of the articles of incorporation together with the application (Form PC-1) and the certification of council (Form PC-2) in the office of the North Carolina State Bar as a permanent record;
(C) issue a certificate of registration for a professional corporation (Form PC-3; see Rule .0106(c) of this subchapter) to the professional corporation to become effective upon the effective date of the articles of incorporation after said articles are filed with the secretary of state.
(b) Registration of a Professional Limited Liability Company - At least one of the persons executing the articles of organization of a professional limited liability company shall be an attorney at law duly licensed to practice law in North Carolina. The persons executing the articles of organization shall comply with the following requirements for registration with the North Carolina State Bar:
(1) Filing with State Bar - Prior to filing the articles of organization with the secretary of state, the persons executing the articles of organization of a professional limited liability company shall file the following with the secretary of the North Carolina State Bar:
(A) the original articles of organization;
(B) an additional executed copy of the articles of organization;
(C) a conformed copy of the articles of organization;
(D) a registration fee of $50;
(E) an application for certificate of registration for a professional limited liability company (Form PLLC-1; see Rule .0106(f) of this subchapter) verified by all of the persons executing the articles of organization, setting forth
(i) the name and address of each original member or employee who will practice law for the professional limited liability company in North Carolina;
(ii) the name and address of at least one person executing the articles of organization; and
(iii) the name and address of at least one person who will be an original manager, and stating that all such persons are duly licensed to practice law in North Carolina. The application shall also
(a) set forth the name, address, and license information of each original member who is not licensed to practice law in North Carolina but who shall perform services on behalf of the professional limited liability company in another jurisdiction in which the professional limited liability company maintains an office; and
(b) certify that all such persons are duly licensed to practice law in the appropriate jurisdiction. The application shall include a representation that the professional limited liability company will be conducted in compliance with the North Carolina Limited Liability Company Act and these regulations;
(F) a certification for professional limited liability company by the Council of the North Carolina State Bar, (Form PLLC-2; see Rule .0106(g) of this subchapter), a copy of which shall be attached to the original, the executed copy, and the conformed copy of the articles of organization, to be executed by the secretary in accordance with Rule .0103(b)(2) below.
(2) Certificates Issued by the Secretary - The secretary shall review the articles of organization for compliance with the laws relating to professional limited liability companies and these regulations. If the secretary determines that all of the persons who will be original members are active members in good standing with the North Carolina State Bar, or duly licensed in another jurisdiction in which the professional limited liability company shall maintain an office, and the articles of organization conform with the laws relating to professional limited liability companies and these regulations, the secretary shall take the following actions:
(A) execute the certification for professional limited liability company by the Council of the North Carolina State Bar (Form PLLC-2) attached to the original, the executed copy and the conformed copy of the articles of organization and return the original and the conformed copy of the articles of organization, together with the attached certificates, to the persons executing the articles of organization for filing with the secretary of state;
(B) retain the executed copy of the articles of organization together with the application (Form PLLC-1) and the certification (Form PLLC-2) in the office of the North Carolina State Bar as a permanent record;
(C) issue a certificate of registration for a professional limited liability company (Form PLLC-3; see Rule .0106(h) of this subchapter) to the professional limited liability company to become effective upon the effective date of the articles of organization after said articles are filed with the secretary of state.
(c) Refund of Registration Fee - If the secretary is unable to make the findings required by Rules .0103(a)(2) or .0103(b)(2) above, the secretary shall refund the $50 registration fee.
(d) Expiration of Certificate of Registration - The initial certificate of registration for either a professional corporation or a professional limited liability company shall remain effective through June 30 following the date of registration.
(e) Renewal of Certificate of Registration - The certificate of registration for either a professional corporation or a professional limited liability company shall be renewed on or before July 1 of each year upon the following conditions:
(1) Renewal of Certificate of Registration for Professional Corporation - A professional corporation shall submit an application for renewal of certificate of registration for a professional corporation (Form PC-4; see Rule .0106(d) of this subchapter) to the secretary listing the names and addresses of all of the shareholders and employees of the corporation who practice law for the professional corporation in North Carolina and the name and address of at least one officer and one director of the professional corporation, and certifying that all such persons are duly licensed to practice law in the state of North Carolina and representing that the corporation has complied with these regulations and the provisions of the Professional Corporation Act. Such application shall also
(i) set forth the name, address, and license information of each shareholder who is not licensed to practice law in North Carolina but who performs services on behalf of the corporation in another jurisdiction in which the corporation maintains an office; and
(ii) certify that all such persons are duly licensed to practice law in the appropriate jurisdiction. Upon a finding by the secretary that all shareholders are active members in good standing with the North Carolina State Bar, or are duly licensed to practice law in another jurisdiction in which the corporation maintains an office, the secretary shall renew the certificate of registration by making a notation in the records of the North Carolina State Bar;
(2) Renewal of Certificate of Registration for a Professional Limited Liability Company - A professional limited liability company shall submit an application for renewal of certificate of registration for a professional limited liability company (Form PLLC-4; see Rule .0106(i) of this subchapter) to the secretary listing the names and addresses of all of the members and employees of the professional limited liability company who practice law in North Carolina, and the name and address of at least one manager, and certifying that all such persons are duly licensed to practice law in the state of North Carolina, and representing that the professional limited liability company has complied with these regulations and the provisions of the North Carolina Limited Liability Company Act. Such application shall also
(i) set forth the name, address, and license information of each member who is not licensed to practice law in North Carolina but who performs services on behalf of the professional limited liability company in another jurisdiction in which the professional limited liability company maintains an office; and
(ii) certify that all such persons are duly licensed to practice law in the appropriate jurisdiction. Upon a finding by the secretary that all members are active members in good standing with the North Carolina State Bar, or are duly licensed to practice law in another jurisdiction in which the professional limited liability company maintains an office, the secretary shall renew the certificate of registration by making a notation in the records of the North Carolina State Bar;
(3) Renewal Fee - An application for renewal of a certificate of registration for either a professional corporation or a professional limited liability company shall be accompanied by a renewal fee of $25;
(4) Refund of Renewal Fee - If the secretary is unable to make the findings required by Rules .0103(e)(1) or .0103(e)(2) above, the secretary shall refund the $25 registration fee;
(5) Failure to Apply for Renewal of Certificate of Registration - In the event a professional corporation or a professional limited liability company shall fail to submit the appropriate application for renewal of certificate of registration, together with the renewal fee, to the North Carolina State Bar within 30 days following the expiration date of its certificate of registration, the certificate of registration for the delinquent professional corporation or professional limited liability company shall be suspended and the secretary of state will be notified of the suspension of said certificate of registration;
(6) Reinstatement of Suspended Certificate of Registration - Upon (a) the submission to the North Carolina State Bar of the appropriate application for renewal of certificate of registration, together with all past due renewal fees and late fees; and (b) a finding by the secretary that the representations in the application are correct, a suspended certificate of registration of a professional corporation or professional limited liability company shall be reinstated by the secretary by making a notation in the records of the North Carolina State Bar.
(7) Inactive Status Pending Dissolution - If a professional corporation or professional limited liability company notifies the State Bar in writing or, in response to a notice to show cause issued pursuant to Rule .0103(e)(5) of this subchapter, a delinquent professional corporation or professional limited liability company shows that the organization is no longer practicing law and is winding down the operations and financial activities of the organization, no renewal fee or late fee shall be owed and the organization shall be moved to inactive status for a period of not more than one year. If, at the end of that period, a copy of the articles of dissolution has not been filed with the State Bar, the secretary of the State Bar shall send a notice to show cause letter and shall pursue suspension of the certificate of registration as set forth in Rule. .0103(e)(5) of this subchapter.
History Note: Statutory Authority G.S. 84-23
Readopted Effective December 8, 1994
Amended March 6, 1997
Amendments Approved by the Supreme Court: October 1, 2003; March 16, 2017
