No.1
Number one here
1. Mainstay Filing: best for every filing under one flat yearly charge
$199 a year plus the state fee ($309 due at checkout)
Score9.4out of 10
First place: Mainstay Filing. $199 covers the South Carolina formation and a year of registered agent service, plus the EIN application.
South Carolina does not require a yearly LLC report, so the renewal after year one pays for the registered agent and nothing else (the first year also covered the EIN application).
Its three-year total exceeds South Carolina Registered Agent.co's by $200; the broader coverage outweighs that difference in our scoring.
In the price
- The formation document prepared and filed on your behalf
- Registered agent service for the year
- EIN application prepared
Why pick it
- South Carolina's fee is passed along at cost
- One yearly charge of $199
- Renews at $199 with nothing added
- Covers the EIN application
Weak spots
- Its agent charge after year one is $100 a year above South Carolina Registered Agent.co's
- South Carolina has no yearly report, so the bundle delivers less
No.2
Best local option
2. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for a South Carolina LLC that intends to stay put
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, with the state fee extra
Score9.2out of 10
Second place: South Carolina Registered Agent.co. The formation charge is $199 over the state fee, then $99 annually for the agent.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
In the price
- South Carolina formation filed for you
- Year-one registered agent service
Why pick it
- Covers the first year of registered agent service
- Year-two agent charge: $99
- A $199 service charge plus the state filing fee
Weak spots
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
No.3
Lower renewal than Mainstay
3. SC Registered Agent.org: best for a filing made only in South Carolina
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, with the state fee extra
Score9.1out of 10
Third place: SC Registered Agent.org. The formation charge is $199 over the state fee, then $99 annually for the agent.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
No difference in price or features separates South Carolina Registered Agent.co from SC Registered Agent.org; choose whichever you prefer.
In the price
- South Carolina formation filed for you
- A first year as your registered agent
Why pick it
- The first year as registered agent is free
- $199 to form the LLC, state fee on top
- The agent renews at $99 annually
Weak spots
- 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 | Mainstay Filing | 9.4 | $199 | $199/yr | The formation and the agent under one charge | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 2 | South Carolina Registered Agent.co | 9.2 | $199 | $99/yr | A South Carolina business holding down its costs | Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 3 | SC Registered Agent.org | 9.1 | $199 | $99/yr | A South Carolina business holding down its costs | Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
Every mark out of 10 reflects the editorial team's reading of the criteria on
How we rank, not any customer rating.
South Carolina LLC service charges in 2026: year one, renewals and the three-year total
| Provider | Year one | Year two | Year three | Total over three years | Includes the EIN |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $199 | $199 | $597 | Included |
|---|
| South Carolina Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | $99 add-on |
|---|
| SC Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | $99 add-on |
|---|
Each charge was taken from the provider's own pages on November 12, 2026. South Carolina's $110 filing fee is payable in addition to every row below and is not in the totals.
What decided the order
Two criteria carry 31% each in this ranking, charge over three years and work taken off the founder. Renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight share 38%, and in South Carolina the decisive one was work taken off the founder.
South Carolina has no yearly report, which weakens the case for a bundle, but one fixed price with the EIN application included still gave Mainstay a slight edge on coverage over South Carolina Registered Agent.co.
Each criterion and its weight appear on How we rank.
The South Carolina LLC filing fee and form (official figures)
To file the Articles of Organization with the South Carolina Secretary of State, budget $110. Each provider on this page adds that state fee at cost to its own charge.
Obligations after the South Carolina filing is accepted
South Carolina sets no yearly LLC report. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Questions on South Carolina LLC services
What does it take, in dollars, to form an LLC in South Carolina?
The state filing fee is $110; service charges run $199.
What is filed to bring the company into existence?
The Articles of Organization, lodged with the South Carolina Secretary of State.
Does a South Carolina LLC have to name a registered agent on its formation paperwork?
Yes. The company names a registered agent when it forms and keeps one on file afterward, with a street address in South Carolina.
Which recurring filings follow formation?
None. South Carolina requires no yearly LLC report.
Does the quoted price cover the EIN application?
At Mainstay Filing it does; the application sits inside the yearly price. South Carolina Registered Agent.co and SC Registered Agent.org add $99 for the application. Applying directly with the IRS carries no fee.
Which South Carolina LLC service does the record favor?
Mainstay Filing, since $199 a year pays for the South Carolina filing and the registered agent and includes the EIN application, with renewal at $199.
The record
- S.C. Code § 33-44-202 and § 33-44-203, on the record as of August 2026
- Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, South Carolina service page, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: South Carolina Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: SC Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026