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State Filing Data LLC fees by state, read from the source.

Registered agent guide · South Carolina

South Carolina Registered Agent Guide (2026): Rules, Fees and the 3 Best Agents

Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year): that is our 2026 order for registered agent service in South Carolina. South Carolina has no yearly LLC report fee, so the registered agent is the main recurring cost.
State Filing Data research desk

South Carolina at a glance

of 50 on yearly state fees

1st = least expensive (tied). The 50-state table

Registered agent required

Yes

scstatehouse.gov, checked October 2026

Yearly state fees

$0

Recurring, per year

Our South Carolina shortlist

Scored on five weighted criteria (methodology). Biggest weights: three-year service fees and filings covered.

First pick

1. Mainstay Filing: best for multi-state companies

Annual price $149, renewal price $149

Mainstay Filing leads here. The case for it: $149 a year with the same price at renewal, and the plan works in all fifty states.

SC Registered Agent.org comes in $150 lower across three years, and we still rank coverage ahead of that gap.

What you pay for

  • Street address for the registered office
  • Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
  • First three government mailings a year scanned free
  • Works for LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits

For

  • $149 a year, same at renewal
  • Any state at one price

Against

  • $50 a year more than SC Registered Agent.org
  • Report filing needs the formation package
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
South Carolina focus

2. SC Registered Agent.org: best for a budget agent

Annual price $99, renewal price $99

SC Registered Agent.org is our second choice: an in-state agent at $99 a year with a South Carolina street address on the record.

What you pay for

  • South Carolina street address for the registered office
  • Served legal papers scanned to your online account

For

  • Annual price $99, renewal price $99
  • Lower yearly cost than Mainstay Filing

Against

  • No coverage outside this state
Visit SC Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
South Carolina focus

3. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for an in-state office address

Annual price $99, renewal price $99

South Carolina Registered Agent.co is our third choice: an in-state agent at $99 a year with a South Carolina street address on the record.

Prices match SC Registered Agent.org exactly; either works.

What you pay for

  • South Carolina street address for the registered office
  • Served legal papers scanned to your online account

For

  • Annual price $99, renewal price $99
  • Lower yearly cost than Mainstay Filing

Against

  • No coverage outside this state
Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3 picks, side by side

#ServiceAnnual priceRenewal priceThree-year service fees
1 Mainstay Filing $149$149/yr$447
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 SC Registered Agent.org $99$99/yr$297
Visit SC Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 South Carolina Registered Agent.co $99$99/yr$297
Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Company prices read November 12, 2026. Whichever agent you name, South Carolina charges the same.

Agent cost calculator

Choose years and an agent. State fees count no report fee; the formation fee is not included.

$447 over 3 years with Mainstay Filing (state $0, service $447).

South Carolina next to similar states

RankStateYearly state fees
1st New Mexico$0
1st Ohio$0
1st South Carolina$0
1st Texas$0
11th New York$4.50

All states: Registered agent rules by state.

South Carolina registered agent rules (official)

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a street address in South Carolina for the agent, stated in the articles. P.O. boxes are not accepted.

Who qualifies: A South Carolina resident, a South Carolina corporation, another LLC, or a corporation or company from another state authorized to do business in South Carolina. Source: S.C. Code § 33-44-108.

The recurring state side

South Carolina has no recurring LLC report, so the registered agent is the only yearly line item from this list.

Why Mainstay Filing is first

Deciding factor in South Carolina: state filings covered (30%). Mainstay Filing beat SC Registered Agent.org on it.

An agent you can keep in every state scored higher than SC Registered Agent.org's lower price.

Questions

Does South Carolina require a registered agent?

Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Who can serve as the registered agent?

A South Carolina resident, a South Carolina corporation, another LLC, or a corporation or company from another state authorized to do business in South Carolina.

How much does a registered agent cost in South Carolina?

Our picks cost $99 to $149 per year.

What does the LLC pay the state each year?

Nothing recurring: South Carolina has no yearly LLC report fee.

Which registered agents are on this page?

Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), ranked in that order.

Which registered agent would you pick?

Mainstay Filing, then SC Registered Agent.org and South Carolina Registered Agent.co. Mainstay Filing leads on state filings covered.

Keep going

Citations

  1. S.C, scstatehouse.gov, last checked August 2026
  2. South Carolina Secretary of State for formation, dor.sc.gov, last checked August 2026
  3. South Carolina Secretary of State for formation, dor.sc.gov, last checked August 2026
  4. South Carolina yearly filing: Annual report, official source, dor.sc.gov, last checked October 2026
  5. New Mexico Secretary of State, Corporations and Business, sos.nm.gov, last checked August 2026
  6. New Mexico Secretary of State, Corporations and Business, sos.nm.gov, last checked August 2026
  7. Ohio Secretary of State, ohiosos.gov, last checked August 2026
  8. Ohio Secretary of State, ohiosos.gov, last checked August 2026
  9. Texas yearly filing: Annual report, official source, comptroller.texas.gov, last checked October 2026
  10. New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, dos.ny.gov, last checked August 2026
  11. New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, filing.dos.ny.gov, last checked August 2026
  12. Mainstay Filing: South Carolina service page as published on November 12, 2026
  13. SC Registered Agent.org: pricing page as published on November 12, 2026
  14. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: pricing page as published on November 12, 2026