No.1
Our top pick
1. SD Registered Agent.org: best for companies that only add South Dakota
$199 for the registration work and the state's fee besides; the agent is $99 yearly after year one
Score9.2out of 10
First place: SD Registered Agent.org. The South Dakota registration costs $199 with the first agent year included, and $99 a year follows.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
It comes in under Mainstay Filing across three years.
In the price
- South Dakota registration filed for you
- One year of registered agent service at the start
Why pick it
- Twelve months as your registered agent come with it
- Registers the company for $199 and the state's fee
- The agent renews at $99 annually
Weak spots
- Serves South Dakota only; the home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
No.2
Best for expanding companies
2. Mainstay Filing: best for businesses active in several states
$199 for the registration work and the state's fee besides, $949 payable at checkout; the agent is $149 yearly after year one
Score8.9out of 10
Second place: Mainstay Filing. $199 is added to the state fee in any state, and the first year as registered agent is included.
The first agent year costs nothing; later years are $149 each, in this state or any other.
SD Registered Agent.org costs $100 less over three years, and Mainstay Filing trails it on that criterion.
In the price
- The registration prepared and lodged on your behalf
- Year one as your registered agent, at no charge
- Same-business-day scanning of legal papers served, free of charge
Why pick it
- Service of process on the company scanned within the same business day, no charge
- Year-one registered agent service costs nothing
- One price in each of the fifty states
- A $199 service charge, with the state's fee added
Weak spots
- The agent is $149 a year after year one, $50 more than SD Registered Agent.org
No.3
Lower renewal than Mainstay
3. South Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for South Dakota registrations only
$199 for the registration work and the state's fee besides; the agent is $99 yearly after year one
Score8.6out of 10
Third place: South Dakota Registered Agent.co. The South Dakota registration costs $199 with the first agent year included, and $99 a year follows.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
The published prices and features of SD Registered Agent.org and South Dakota Registered Agent.co are identical, which makes the order between them close.
In the price
- South Dakota registration filed for you
- One year of registered agent service at the start
Why pick it
- A $199 service charge plus the registration fee
- Year-one registered agent service is included
- $99 a year for the agent from the second year
Weak spots
- Serves South Dakota only; the home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
The 3 rulings in brief
| Rank | Provider | Ruling score | Service charge | Year two | Suited to | Link |
|---|
| 1 | SD Registered Agent.org | 9.2 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit SD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 2 | Mainstay Filing | 8.9 | $199 | $149/yr | Businesses spread over several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 3 | South Dakota Registered Agent.co | 8.6 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit South Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
The Startup Judge assigns each score out of 10 itself, applying the criteria on
How we rank; no customer ratings are used.
South Dakota foreign registration service charges in 2026: year one, renewals and the three-year total
| Provider | Year one | Year two | Year three | Total over three years | Agent covered in year one |
|---|
| SD Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Free |
|---|
| South Dakota Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
Each charge was taken from the provider's own pages on November 12, 2026. South Dakota's $750 registration fee is payable in addition to every row below and is not in the totals.
How the ruling was reached
The Startup Judge weighs charge over three years at 31% and work taken off the founder at 31%; renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight divide the remaining 38%. In South Dakota, charge over three years was the criterion that tipped it.
Over three years SD Registered Agent.org totals $397, $100 less than Mainstay Filing. Both providers include the first year, so the renewal charge carried the ruling.
Each criterion and its weight appear on How we rank.
Foreign LLC registration in South Dakota: the form, the office and the fee
Registration is lodged with the South Dakota Secretary of State using the Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company. The state fee is $750. South Dakota also requires certificate of Existence.
Once registered, the company's recurring filing is the annual report, priced at $55, with a due date of 1st of the anniversary month.
Items to gather before filing
- Certificate of Existence.
- The exact legal name registered in the home state, along with the date it was formed.
- A registered agent whose street address is in the state. Any provider on this page can fill the role.
- The $750 state fee, remitted with the application.
- A date in your calendar for the annual report, which carries a $55 fee.
Consequences of operating in South Dakota unregistered
The contracts it makes stay enforceable (SDCL 47-34A-1008(b)).
Questions on South Dakota foreign registration services
Is an out-of-state LLC required to register in South Dakota?
Yes, as soon as it conducts business there.
What will foreign registration in South Dakota run in total?
The state fee is $750; service charges run $199.
Must the home state vouch for the company before South Dakota accepts it?
It must. Certificate of Existence accompanies the application.
Is a registered agent still needed after the company is registered?
Yes. A registered agent with a street address in the state stays on file for as long as the registration lasts.
Which foreign registration services were heard in this ranking?
SD Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and South Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199), ruled upon in that order.
Which foreign registration service does the record favor in South Dakota?
SD Registered Agent.org, since $199 over the state fee registers the company in South Dakota, and the agent renews at $99.
The record
- South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services / Corporations Division, on the record as of August 2026
- South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services / Corporations Division, on the record as of August 2026
- South Dakota yearly filing: Annual report: fee and how, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- South Dakota report due date, on the record as of August 2026
- SDCL 47-34A-203, on the record as of August 2026
- South Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- South Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- South Dakota registered agent statute, on the record as of October 2026
- South Dakota Secretary of State, business services, on the record as of October 2026
- Foreign LLC application for Certificate of Authority, on the record as of October 2026
- SDCL 47-34A-1003, transacting business, on the record as of October 2026
- SDCL 47-34A-1008, effect of not registering, on the record as of October 2026
- SDCL 47-34A-1001 to 47-34A-1009, foreign limited liability companies, on the record as of November 2026
- Exhibit: SD Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, South Dakota service page, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: South Dakota Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026