Registered agent required
Yes
Read October 2026 at scstatehouse.gov
Registered agent guide · South Carolina
South Carolina Registered Agent Rules and Fees (2026): the Official Numbers and the 3 Best Agents
The best picks for hiring a registered agent in South Carolina in 2026 are Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), in that order. The state collects nothing each year. Only the registered agent repeats as a cost.
South Carolina: key numbers
1st
out of 50 for one-year state cost
A low number means a low bill, sharing the spot with other states. The whole 50-state list
State charges over 1 year
$0
State fees for a single year
Our South Carolina recommendations
Weights are listed on the method page. Three-year fees and coverage count for the most.
1. Mainstay Filing: best for an agent that follows you across states
Year 1 is $149, year 2 is $149
Mainstay Filing ranks number one. It costs $149 a year here and in every other state; renewal is $149.
Over three years the provider fees are $150 above South Carolina Registered Agent.co's, and in exchange the state paperwork it handles is wider.
What the price takes in
- A real street address in the state
- Scans papers served on the company the same business day, at no charge
- Scans the first three government letters each year, no charge
- Serves nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs as well
In its favor
- Works in every state
- Price $149, renewal $149
Against it
- $50 per year more than South Carolina Registered Agent.co
- An agent-only plan, so you file the reports
2. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for a modest agent budget
Year 1 is $99, year 2 is $99
In second place sits South Carolina Registered Agent.co: $99 per year for an agent with an office address in the state.
What the price takes in
- A real South Carolina street address
- Papers served on the company are scanned to your login
In its favor
- A lower yearly price than Mainstay Filing
- Price $99, renewal $99
Against it
- Another state needs a different agent
3. SC Registered Agent.org: best for South Carolina specialists
Year 1 is $99, year 2 is $99
In third place sits SC Registered Agent.org: $99 per year for an agent with an office address in the state.
Its prices equal South Carolina Registered Agent.co's, so the two are close.
What the price takes in
- A real South Carolina street address
- Papers served on the company are scanned to your login
In its favor
- Price $99, renewal $99
- A lower yearly price than Mainstay Filing
Against it
- Another state needs a different agent
Compare the 3 picks
| No. | Provider | Price per year | Renewal price | Provider fees over 3 years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149/yr | $447 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | South Carolina Registered Agent.co | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | SC Registered Agent.org | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
We read each company's price page on November 13, 2026. With any agent, South Carolina fees are unchanged.
Yearly cost calculator
Agent prices plus the state's recurring charges. Formation fees are not counted.
South Carolina and the states around it in the ranking
| Place | State | Yearly state fees |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | New Mexico | $0 |
| 1st | Ohio | $0 |
| 1st | South Carolina | $0 |
| 1st | Texas | $0 |
| 11th | New York | $4.50 |
Registered agent rules by state puts every state in order, lowest cost first.
The registered agent requirement in South Carolina
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 can act as 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. The authority is S.C. Code § 33-44-108.
South Carolina's recurring charges
Beyond keeping a current registered agent, South Carolina requires nothing each year.
The reasoning
Mainstay Filing moved ahead of South Carolina Registered Agent.co on paperwork inside the price, which is weighted 28%.
South Carolina Registered Agent.co costs less, and reach across states earned the higher score.
Short answers
Are South Carolina LLCs obliged to keep a registered agent on file?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who can serve as the registered agent for South Carolina LLCs?
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.
What does registered agent service cost in South Carolina each year?
Agents ranked here bill $99 to $149 annually.
What state fees does an LLC pay every year?
Nothing. South Carolina has no yearly report fee, so no state fee repeats.
Which registered agents does this page rank?
Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), ranked from first pick to last.
Which registered agent would you choose?
Mainstay Filing, because a $149 agent fee that applies in all fifty states, so a growing company can stay with one provider. After it come South Carolina Registered Agent.co and SC Registered Agent.org.
Where these facts come from
- Taken from scstatehouse.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about S.C.
- Taken from dor.sc.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about South Carolina Secretary of State for formation.
- Taken from dor.sc.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about South Carolina Secretary of State for formation.
- Taken from dor.sc.gov, a page we read in October 2026, is everything we say on this page about South Carolina yearly filing: Annual report, official source.
- Taken from sos.nm.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about New Mexico Secretary of State, Corporations and Business.
- Taken from sos.nm.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about New Mexico Secretary of State, Corporations and Business.
- Taken from ohiosos.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about Ohio Secretary of State.
- Taken from ohiosos.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about Ohio Secretary of State.
- Taken from comptroller.texas.gov, a page we read in October 2026, is everything we say on this page about Texas yearly filing: Annual report, official source.
- Taken from dos.ny.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about New York Department of State, Division of Corporations.
- Taken from filing.dos.ny.gov, a page we read in August 2026, is everything we say on this page about New York Department of State, Division of Corporations.
- South Carolina service page at Mainstay Filing, from the company website, read November 13, 2026
- Pricing page at South Carolina Registered Agent.co, from the company website, read November 13, 2026
- Pricing page at SC Registered Agent.org, from the company website, read November 13, 2026