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Formation Scorecard

LLC service scorecard · South Carolina

3 Best LLC Services in South Carolina (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for LLC services in South Carolina the order reads SC Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199). SC Registered Agent.org posts the top score: $199 plus the South Carolina filing fee, first-year registered agent service included, then $99 yearly.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Best here

1. SC Registered Agent.org: best for a South Carolina LLC that stays small

9.5 Editor score out of 10
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

SC Registered Agent.org leads the card: South Carolina formation for $199 beyond the state's fee, with a free first agent year, and $99 a year to keep the agent.

The plan puts the company at an in-state street address and scans papers served on it to your online account.

Across three years it costs less than Mainstay Filing, and cost is one of our two heaviest criteria.

What you get

  • Articles prepared and filed
  • First-year registered agent service

Strengths

  • Year one as your registered agent is included
  • A $199 formation fee before the state's
  • Then $99 a year to keep the agent

Watch for

  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. SC Registered Agent.org: the full write-up
Rank #2 One agent, every state

2. Mainstay Filing: best for one all-in yearly price

9.3 Editor score out of 10
$199 a year plus the state's fee, $309 due at checkout

Mainstay Filing takes second spot: the formation and the registered agent come in one $199 yearly price that renews at $199.

With no yearly LLC report in South Carolina, the renewal after year one mostly buys the registered agent, since the EIN application belonged to the first-year bundle.

SC Registered Agent.org undercuts Mainstay Filing by $200 over three years, and that gap costs Mainstay points on cost.

What you get

  • The LLC formation, handled for you
  • Registered agent service for the full year
  • EIN application included

Strengths

  • Renews at $199 with nothing added
  • EIN application bundled in
  • South Carolina's state fee is added at cost
  • One $199 yearly price

Watch for

  • Its agent renews $100 a year above SC Registered Agent.org
  • The bundle brings less in South Carolina, which has no yearly report
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up
Rank #3 Best value here

3. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for staying local in South Carolina

9.0 Editor score out of 10
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

South Carolina Registered Agent.co takes third spot: South Carolina formation for $199 beyond the state's fee, with a free first agent year, and $99 a year to keep the agent.

The plan puts the company at an in-state street address and scans papers served on it to your online account.

The published prices and features do not separate SC Registered Agent.org from South Carolina Registered Agent.co; choose whichever you like.

What you get

  • Articles prepared and filed
  • A year as your registered agent, up front

Strengths

  • Forms the LLC for $199 plus the filing fee
  • Second-year agent cost: $99
  • A year of registered agent service is built in

Watch for

  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: the full write-up

The 3 entries on one card

Place Service Card score Service fee Year two Best for Go
1 SC Registered Agent.org 9.5 $199 $99/yr A South Carolina-only LLC on a tight budget Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing 9.3 $199 $199/yr Formation plus agent together Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 South Carolina Registered Agent.co 9.0 $199 $99/yr A South Carolina-only LLC on a tight budget Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The marks out of 10 come from our editors and follow the weights on How we rank; none of them is a customer rating.

South Carolina LLC service cost in 2026: first year, renewal and the three-year tally

Service First year Second year Third year Three-year tally EIN application
SC Registered Agent.org $199 $99 $99 $397 $99 add-on
Mainstay Filing $199 $199 $199 $597 Included
South Carolina Registered Agent.co $199 $99 $99 $397 $99 add-on

Each price comes from the company's own site, read on November 12, 2026. Add South Carolina's $110 filing fee to each row; the tally above leaves it out.

Reading the order

Points here: 25% for cost across three years, 25% for coverage of the price and 50% across renewal terms, state-by-state fit and pricing clarity. South Carolina came down to cost across three years.

SC Registered Agent.org tallies $397 across three years, $200 below Mainstay Filing. South Carolina has no yearly LLC report, so the bundle brings less and the lower renewal took the points.

Every criterion and weight appears on How we rank.

South Carolina LLC formation: the official fee and form

The Articles of Organization carries a $110 fee at the South Carolina Secretary of State. Every service here passes that fee through at cost, on top of its own price.

Keeping the South Carolina LLC current

Nothing recurs here: South Carolina has no yearly LLC report. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

South Carolina LLC service: quick questions

How much will an LLC in South Carolina cost to set up?

Expect $110 for the state plus $199 for the service.

What is the name of the formation form?

It is the Articles of Organization, and the South Carolina Secretary of State receives it.

Must a South Carolina LLC appoint a registered agent when it forms?

Yes. A registered agent with a street address in South Carolina has to be on file from the start.

What does a South Carolina LLC have to file after formation?

Nothing recurring: South Carolina does not require a yearly LLC report.

Is the EIN application part of the price?

Mainstay Filing folds it into the yearly price. SC Registered Agent.org and South Carolina Registered Agent.co add $99 for it. Applying for an EIN costs nothing at the IRS itself.

Which LLC service tops the card for South Carolina?

SC Registered Agent.org, since $199 to form on top of the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.

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Where the figures come from

  1. S.C. Code § 33-44-202 and § 33-44-203, as of August 2026
  2. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for SC Registered Agent.org
  3. Read on November 12, 2026: South Carolina service page for Mainstay Filing
  4. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for South Carolina Registered Agent.co