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Formation Scorecard

LLC service scorecard · South Dakota

3 Best LLC Services in South Dakota (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for LLC services in South Dakota the order reads Mainstay Filing ($199), South Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199) and SD Registered Agent.org ($199). Mainstay Filing posts the top score: $199 a year takes in the formation filing, your registered agent and the annual report, with renewal at $199.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Our top pick in South Dakota

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a bundle of formation, agent and annual report

9.4 Editor score out of 10
$199 a year plus the state's fee, $349 due at checkout

Mainstay Filing leads the card: one $199 charge each year bundles the South Dakota formation, the registered agent and the annual report.

Each renewal includes Mainstay's filing of the annual report. South Dakota bills $55 every year for it, due due during the entity's anniversary month, and missing the date costs $50; Mainstay passes the state's fee along at cost.

Mainstay's three-year total sits $200 above South Dakota Registered Agent.co's, which the extra coverage earns back in our scoring.

What you get

  • The LLC formation, handled for you
  • Registered agent service for the full year
  • The annual report, filed for you each time
  • EIN application included

Strengths

  • One $199 yearly price that also files the annual report
  • Renews at $199 with nothing added
  • EIN application bundled in
  • South Dakota's state fee is added at cost

Watch for

  • Its agent renews $100 a year above South Dakota Registered Agent.co
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up
Rank #2 Best local option

2. South Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for a South Dakota LLC that stays small

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

South Dakota Registered Agent.co takes second spot: $199 to form on top of the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.

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

Its prices leave out the annual report, so you send that filing to South Dakota yourself every year.

What you get

  • LLC filing done for you
  • First-year registered agent service

Strengths

  • Forms the LLC for $199 plus the filing fee
  • Year one as your registered agent is included
  • Second-year agent cost: $99

Watch for

  • Leaves the annual report with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit South Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. South Dakota Registered Agent.co: the full write-up
Rank #3 Lower renewal than Mainstay

3. SD Registered Agent.org: best for staying local in South Dakota

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

SD Registered Agent.org takes third spot: $199 to form on top of the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.

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

Its prices leave out the annual report, so you send that filing to South Dakota yourself every year.

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

What you get

  • LLC filing done for you
  • First-year registered agent service

Strengths

  • Registered agent service for year one is in the price
  • Then $99 a year to keep the agent
  • A $199 formation fee before the state's

Watch for

  • Leaves the annual report with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit SD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. SD Registered Agent.org: the full write-up

The 3 entries on one card

Place Service Card score Service fee Year two Best for Go
1 Mainstay Filing 9.4 $199 $199/yr Formation, agent and annual report together Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 South Dakota Registered Agent.co 9.2 $199 $99/yr A South Dakota-only LLC on a tight budget Visit South Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 SD Registered Agent.org 9.1 $199 $99/yr A South Dakota-only LLC on a tight budget Visit SD Registered Agent.orgPartner 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 Dakota LLC service cost in 2026: first year, renewal and the three-year tally

Service First year Second year Third year Three-year tally Annual report included
Mainstay Filing $199 $199 $199 $597 Yes
South Dakota Registered Agent.co $199 $99 $99 $397 No
SD Registered Agent.org $199 $99 $99 $397 No

Each price comes from the company's own site, read on November 12, 2026. Add South Dakota's $150 filing fee to each row; the tally above leaves it out.

What broke the tie

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 Dakota came down to coverage of the price.

South Dakota asks for a report each year at a $55 fee, and a late one adds $50. The Mainstay price covers that filing, while South Dakota Registered Agent.co's leaves it to you, so the coverage points beat South Dakota Registered Agent.co's cost advantage.

Every criterion and weight appears on How we rank.

South Dakota LLC formation: the official fee and form

The Articles of Organization carries a $150 fee at the South Dakota Secretary of State. Every service here passes that fee through at cost, on top of its own price.

State processing time: Paper 1 to 3 business days; online processed immediately.

Keeping the South Dakota LLC current

The annual report arrives every year and is due due during the entity's anniversary month. It carries a $55 fee. Late filings add $50. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

South Dakota LLC service: quick questions

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

Expect $150 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 Dakota Secretary of State receives it.

How quickly does South Dakota process a new LLC?

Per the state: Paper 1 to 3 business days; online processed immediately.

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

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

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

One item, the annual report, due every year (due during the entity's anniversary month) with a $55 fee.

Is the EIN application part of the price?

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

Which LLC service tops the card for South Dakota?

Mainstay Filing, since a $199 yearly price pays for the South Dakota formation, a year of registered agent service and the annual report, then renews at $199.

Related pages

Where the figures come from

  1. South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services / Corporations Division, as of August 2026
  2. South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services / Corporations Division, as of August 2026
  3. South Dakota yearly filing: Annual report: fee and how, official source, as of October 2026
  4. South Dakota report due date, as of August 2026
  5. SDCL 47-34A-203, as of August 2026
  6. South Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source, as of October 2026
  7. South Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source, as of October 2026
  8. South Dakota registered agent statute, as of October 2026
  9. Processing, official source, as of October 2026
  10. Read on November 12, 2026: South Dakota service page for Mainstay Filing
  11. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for South Dakota Registered Agent.co
  12. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for SD Registered Agent.org