North Carolina Employment Agency
Licensing requirements for North Carolina employment, staffing and talent agencies.
This page provides an overview of employment services licensing in North Carolina for individuals and agencies. You will find state requirements, application fees, filing instructions, and more. For assistance with licensing, please contact us to learn about our software and managed license services.
Companies that provide employment services in North Carolina must apply for a license prior to doing business. Depending on the services offered, businesses may need to apply for more than one license type, and in some cases, an individual license will be required as well.
Company Licenses
North Carolina Employment and Business Support Services Company Licenses
North Carolina Notification by Temporary Help Service
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | Annually by the registration anniversary date. |
North Carolina Nursing Pool License
Agency: | North Carolina Division of Health Service Regulation - Acute and Home Care Licensure and Certification Section |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | Yes |
Initial Registration
Form: | License Application for Home Care, Nursing Pool, and Hospice |
Filing Method: |
Registration Renewal
Form: | License Application for Home Care, Nursing Pool, and Hospice (Renewal) |
Filing Method: | |
Due: | Annually by the date of issuance. |
North Carolina Private Personnel Service License
Agency: | North Carolina Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division |
Initial Registration
This section applies to firms that are applying for a license in North Carolina for the first time.
Form: | |
Instructions: | |
Agency Fee: | $500 |
Notarization Required?: | Required |
Registration Renewal
This section applies to firms that are already licensed in North Carolina and need to renew their license.
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $500 |
Due: | Annually by the date of issuance. |
Notarization Required?: | Required |
North Carolina Professional Employer Organization De Minimis Registration
Initial Registration
Form: | PEO-18 - Professional Employer Organization Initial De Minimis Registration Notification |
Filing Method: | Mail or email to SpecialEntitiesSubmissions@ncdoi.gov. |
Agency Fee: | $1,000 |
Original Ink: | Not required |
Required Attachments: |
|
Registration Renewal
Form: | PEO-19 - Professional Employer Organization Annual De Minimis Registration Notification |
Filing Method: | Mail or email to SpecialEntitiesSubmissions@ncdoi.gov. |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | Annually by January 15. |
Original Ink: | Not required |
Required Attachments: |
|
North Carolina Professional Employer Organization License
Initial Registration
Form: | Form PEO-01: Professional Employer Organization License Application |
Filing Method: | Mail or email to SpecialEntitiesSubmissions@ncdoi.gov. Forms requiring notarization must be sent in the mail. |
Agency Fee: | $1,000 |
Required Attachments: |
|
Registration Renewal
Instructions: | |
Agency Fee: | $1,000 |
Due: | Annually within 120 days after the close of the PEO's fiscal year. |
Required Attachments: |
|
Financial Reporting
Quarterly Report
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | Within 45 days after the end of each fiscal year quarter. |
Notes: | Licensees must submit financial reports including GAAP financial statements and the obligation attestation form every quarter. |
Amendment
Notification of Initiation or Termination
Form: | Form PEO-11: Notification of Initiation of Client Company or Form PEO-12: Notification of Termination of Client Company |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | Within 30 days of initiation or termination of a client company relationship. |
Notes: | Licensees must file a notification when initiating or terminating a client company relationship. |
Amendment
Notification of Change
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $50 if there is a change to the name of the licensee, otherwise there is no fee. |
Due: | Within 30 days of a change. |
Notes: | Licensees must report a change in name of licensee, change in location of licensee’s primary business office, addition of business office in NC, deletion of business office in NC, change in location of a business office in NC, addition of controlling person, deletion of controlling person, and any other material change in business structure, bankruptcy filing, any regulatory or judicial action against licensee. |
Amendment
Notification of Change in Workers’ Compensation Insurance or Health Benefit Plan
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | No later than 10 days after discontinuance. |
Notarization Required?: | Required |
Notes: | PEOs must notify the client company and the Commissioner about a discontinuance and replacement, if any, of any health plan or workers' compensation insurance coverage. |
North Carolina Professional Employer Organization License - Group
Initial Registration
Form: | Form PEO-01: Professional Employer Organization License Application |
Filing Method: | Mail or email to SpecialEntitiesSubmissions@ncdoi.gov. Forms requiring notarization must be sent in the mail. |
Agency Fee: | $1,000 |
Required Attachments: |
|
Registration Renewal
Instructions: | |
Agency Fee: | $1,000 |
Due: | Annually within 120 days after the close of the PEO's fiscal year. |
Required Attachments: |
|
Financial Reporting
Quarterly Report
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | Within 45 days after the end of each fiscal year quarter. |
Notes: | Licensees must submit financial reports including GAAP financial statements and the obligation attestation form every quarter. |
Amendment
Notification of Change in Workers’ Compensation Insurance or Health Benefit Plan
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | No later than 10 days after discontinuance. |
Notarization Required?: | Required |
Notes: | PEOs must notify the client company and the Commissioner about a discontinuance and replacement, if any, of any health plan or workers' compensation insurance coverage. |
Amendment
Notification of Change
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $50 if there is a change to the name of the licensee, otherwise there is no fee. |
Due: | Within 30 days of a change. |
Notes: | Licensees must report a change in name of licensee, change in location of licensee’s primary business office, addition of business office in NC, deletion of business office in NC, change in location of a business office in NC, addition of controlling person, deletion of controlling person, and any other material change in business structure, bankruptcy filing, any regulatory or judicial action against licensee. |
Amendment
Notification of Initiation or Termination
Form: | Form PEO-11: Notification of Initiation of Client Company or Form PEO-12: Notification of Termination of Client Company |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | Within 30 days of initiation or termination of a client company relationship. |
Notes: | Licensees must file a notification when initiating or terminating a client company relationship. |
North Carolina Talent Agency License
Agency: | North Carolina Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division |
Notes: | North Carolina does not have a separate talent agency license, but an employment agency license may be required. |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $500 |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $500 |
Due: | Annually |
Employee Leasing Company - Enter into leasing contracts with other businesses that require labor. The leasing company loans its workers to the lessee while still providing specified responsibilities, such as workers compensation insurance, to the employees. This includes long term (6 months or more) temporary arrangements but often excludes temporary help arrangements. Unlike professional employer organizations, employee leasing companies are contracted when an employer needs to hire staff and does not want to handle human resources responsibilities.
Employment Agency - An entity that, for compensation, procures or attempts to procure employment for a person.
Professional Employer Organization - PEOs take on the human resources role for businesses and act as a co-employer in the sense that the client company's workers are administratively employees of the PEO but functionally these employees are controlled by the client company. Unlike employee leasing companies, PEOs are contracted when an employer already has staff and does not want to handle human resources responsibilities.
Staffing Agency - An entity that procures temporary or part-time employment for a person who then works under the supervision of a worksite employer.
Talent Agency - An entity that, for compensation, procures or attempts to procure employment or placement for an artist. (Certain art forms are excluded)
American Staffing Association
Staffing, recruiting, and workforce solution industry advocacy group.
National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS)
Education and training oriented association for personnel services providers.
National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
(NAPEO)
Provides advocacy efforts, information, and other services to members of the employment
industry.