3 Best LLC Services in South Carolina (2026) for You
Our 2026 South Carolina ranking, best first, is Mainstay Filing ($199), SC Registered Agent.org ($199) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199). Budget $110 for the state plus $397 to $597 in service fees over three years.
By the LLC Answered editorial team
Quick reply
Short reply
Cost to form
$110, paid up front
Upkeep
None required
Registered agent
Yes, by law
Best first
Mainstay Filing, SC Registered Agent.org then South Carolina Registered Agent.co
The South Carolina ranking
Order set by our five tests: three-year cost first, then what the price covers.
#1First choice
1. Mainstay Filing: best for a known yearly cost
$199 yearly ($309 due at signup with the state fee)
Mainstay Filing is our answer because you spend $199 a year to have the filing done and a registered agent for twelve months.
Over three years it sits $200 above SC Registered Agent.org, and the extra pays for service in every state.
What is bundled
State filing handled
Registered agent all year
EIN request, handled
State fees at cost
Pluses
EIN step covered
A flat $199 yearly
No increase ($199)
Downsides
Renews $100 higher than SC Registered Agent.org
South Carolina has no recurring report
#2One-state pick
2. SC Registered Agent.org: best for a one-state LLC
$199 at the start, then $99 yearly
SC Registered Agent.org comes next since forming the LLC costs $199 and covers the agent in year one, then $99 a year.
What is bundled
Formation handled
Year-one agent service
Pluses
$99 a year after that
Year one of agent service is part of the price
Formation fee $199
Downsides
EIN help is $99 more
#3One-state pick
3. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for a low agent renewal
$199 at the start, then $99 yearly
South Carolina Registered Agent.co comes next since forming the LLC costs $199 and covers the agent in year one, then $99 a year.
It charges what SC Registered Agent.org charges; the order between them is close.
What is bundled
Formation handled
Year-one agent service
Pluses
Formation fee $199
$99 a year after that
Year one of agent service is part of the price
Downsides
EIN help is $99 more
The picks compared
#
Who
First year
Renews at
3-year cost
Included
1
Mainstay Filing
$199
$199/yr
$597
state filing handled; registered agent all year; EIN request, handled
Service fees only, from each company's prices on November 13, 2026. State fees are identical whichever you pick.
Questions and replies
How much should I put aside?
The state's share is $110. A service takes $199 more in the first year.
After three years, the state has charged $110 in total. scstatehouse.gov, current in October 2026 per the state
What do I send, and to whom?
You send the Articles of Organization to the South Carolina Secretary of State, and that single filing creates the LLC.
Statute behind it: S.C. Code § 33-44-202. scstatehouse.gov, current in October 2026 per the state
Can the LLC go without 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.