3 Best LLC Services in South Carolina (2026): Who to Ask First
In South Carolina for 2026, our answer on LLC formation services is Mainstay Filing ($199), SC Registered Agent.org ($199) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199), ranked from first to last. The costs split two ways: $110 to the state for the filing and $397 to $597 to a service across three years.
Answered by the Ask About LLC editorial team ·
The short answers
What does the state charge?
$110, paid once
Every year after
No yearly report
Registered agent
Yes, name one
Who to ask
Mainstay Filing, SC Registered Agent.org then South Carolina Registered Agent.co
1. Mainstay Filing: best for formation and agent for one price
$199 a year plus $110 for the state
Mainstay Filing is the one to ask first in South Carolina because $199 a year forms the LLC and supplies a registered agent, and the EIN application comes with it.
Going with SC Registered Agent.org would save $200 across three years, as long as you stay in South Carolina.
Prices as of November 13, 2026. The state's own fees are in the checklist below.
Questions owners ask
What will forming an LLC cost in this state?
Set aside $110 for the state, plus $199 if you hire help in the first year.
Over three years the state collects $110, filing fee included. scstatehouse.gov, read in October 2026 for this answer
What do I actually send the state?
The paper that starts the company is the Articles of Organization, and it is submitted to the South Carolina Secretary of State.
The law behind it: S.C. Code § 33-44-202. scstatehouse.gov, read in October 2026 for this answer
Does this state require a registered agent?
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.
You can check the total by hand: take the filing fee, add two reports and any minimum tax. Costs that have no set amount are left for the text to explain.
Still wondering?
Is the EIN application included?
With Mainstay Filing it costs nothing extra. SC Registered Agent.org charges $99, South Carolina Registered Agent.co charges $99.
What do the picks cost over three years?
For three years you would pay $597 at Mainstay Filing, $397 at SC Registered Agent.org, $397 at South Carolina Registered Agent.co for the services alone.
Where do these numbers come from?
Official South Carolina sources back the state side, and posted company prices back the service side.
Does the law require a service?
Not at all. The state takes filings from owners directly. A service just saves you time, and it can double as your agent.
What does the LLC owe the state yearly?
Nothing repeats on the report side, because South Carolina asks for no report.
Who should I ask first about a LLC service in South Carolina?
Mainstay Filing comes first: the yearly $199 covers the filing and the registered agent, plus the EIN application. Next are SC Registered Agent.org and South Carolina Registered Agent.co.
Where did we look this up?
Our answer on S.C rests on scstatehouse.gov, a page we confirmed August 2026 and still point you to
Mainstay Filing South Carolina service page, read November 13, 2026
SC Registered Agent.org pricing page, read November 13, 2026
South Carolina Registered Agent.co pricing page, read November 13, 2026