LLC Formation in South Carolina (2026): 7 Moves and the 3 Best LLC Services
Short answer for South Carolina, 2026: use South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199), SC Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), ranked best to worst, if you want help starting an LLC. To start the LLC: 7 moves and $110 paid to South Carolina.
Posted prices, read November 13, 2026. The $110 state fee is not in these figures.
Starting a South Carolina LLC, move by move
Move 1
Check the name is free
Do not file under a name someone else holds. the South Carolina Secretary of State lets you check in a minute.
Keep a runner-up name in reserve.
Move 2
Put a registered agent in place
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. 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 address has to be a street address in South Carolina for the agent, stated in the articles. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
The registered agent job comes with each pick.
Where this comes from: Official page: scstatehouse.gov (October 2026)
Move 3
DIY or hire help
$110 goes to the state regardless. A service costs $199 extra; the ranking shows who to use.
Move 4
Send in the Articles of Organization
the South Carolina Secretary of State forms the LLC when it accepts the Articles of Organization with $110, under S.C. Code § 33-44-202.
Where this comes from: Official page: scstatehouse.gov (October 2026)
Move 5
Get your EIN
After approval, the IRS can give the LLC a federal tax ID, and the business bank account hinges on it. Mainstay Filing does this for you, no extra fee.
Move 6
Sign an operating agreement
The operating agreement is the owners' rulebook. The company keeps it; the state does not ask for it.
Move 7
Stay in good standing in South Carolina
The state wants no annual filing, but the registered agent has to stay on record.
South Carolina costs by move
What
Payee
Total
Forming the LLC
The state
$110
Optional service
Service
$199 for year one
State fees, years one to three
The state
$110
We get the three-year state number by adding the filing, the reports due in years two and three and any yearly minimum tax. Service fees stay separate.
How we ordered the South Carolina picks
Founder outlay over three years decided first place in South Carolina. It is 27% of the mark; the rest is to-dos the price takes off you, year-two price, fit with the state's rules and pricing you can read at once.
South Carolina Registered Agent.co costs $397 for years one to three; Mainstay Filing costs $200 more.
Short answers
What does it cost to file an LLC in South Carolina?
The state fee is $110. Services we rank charge $199 on top.
Which form creates the LLC?
The destination for the Articles of Organization is the South Carolina Secretary of State.
Is a registered agent required?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What does South Carolina require each year?
Just the agent repeats.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
A service is optional. Founders can file with the $110 fee as long as they appoint a registered agent.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
Pick South Carolina Registered Agent.co: $199 on top of the state fee, agent free in year one, then $99 a year. Behind it: SC Registered Agent.org and Mainstay Filing.