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Formation Scorecard

Registered agent scorecard · South Dakota

3 Best Registered Agents in South Dakota (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for registered agents in South Dakota the order reads Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), South Dakota Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and SD Registered Agent.org ($99 a year). Mainstay Filing posts the top score: $149 a year with no bump at renewal, and papers served on the company are scanned the same business day for free.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Number one here

1. Mainstay Filing: best for every state

9.2 Editor score out of 10
$149 a year, no change on renewal

Mainstay Filing leads the card: a $149 agent plan that travels to any state, renewing at $149.

Not formed yet? Mainstay's $199-a-year formation package covers the South Dakota filing along with the annual report.

Mainstay's three-year total sits $150 above South Dakota Registered Agent.co's, which the extra coverage earns back in our scoring.

What you get

  • An in-state street address on the public record
  • Service of process scanned and uploaded the same business day, no fee
  • The first three government mailings each year scanned at no cost
  • Compliance reminders

Strengths

  • Served papers scanned on the day they arrive, free
  • First three government mailings each year scanned free
  • $149 a year with no renewal step-up
  • Fits LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits

Watch for

  • Agent service alone costs $50 a year more than South Dakota Registered Agent.co
  • Reports are filed only under the formation package
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up
Rank #2 Best for a South Dakota-only company

2. South Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for the lowest yearly rate on this list

8.8 Editor score out of 10
$99 a year, no change on renewal

South Dakota Registered Agent.co takes second spot: $99 a year, flat, with scans of served legal papers delivered online.

Under South Dakota Registered Agent.co, the registered office sits at an in-state street address, and served legal papers are scanned for you online.

What you get

  • A physical address in the state for the registered office
  • Legal papers served on the company are scanned and sent to your online account

Strengths

  • Also forms LLCs, first agent year included
  • Yearly price of $99 that holds at renewal
  • Wins on yearly price against Mainstay Filing

Watch for

  • You file the annual report yourself
  • Limited to South Dakota; other states need another agent
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 South Dakota-focused

3. SD Registered Agent.org: best for South Dakota-based companies

8.7 Editor score out of 10
$99 a year, no change on renewal

SD Registered Agent.org takes third spot: $99 a year, flat, with scans of served legal papers delivered online.

SD Registered Agent.org stands in as the company's registered office, receives served papers and posts scans of them to your online account.

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

  • An in-state street address kept on the public record
  • Scans of served documents appear in your account online

Strengths

  • Offers formation with a free first agent year
  • Yearly price below Mainstay Filing's
  • A $99 plan with a flat renewal

Watch for

  • You file the annual report yourself
  • Limited to South Dakota; other states need another agent
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 Yearly cost Renews at Best for Go
1 Mainstay Filing 9.2 $149 $149/yr An agent for every state Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 South Dakota Registered Agent.co 8.8 $99 $99/yr The lowest yearly price we rank here Visit South Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 SD Registered Agent.org 8.7 $99 $99/yr The lowest yearly price we rank here 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 registered agent cost in 2026: first year, renewal and the three-year tally

Service First year Second year Third year Three-year tally Holds its price at renewal
Mainstay Filing $149 $149 $149 $447 Yes
South Dakota Registered Agent.co $99 $99 $99 $297 Yes
SD Registered Agent.org $99 $99 $99 $297 Yes

Each price comes from the company's own site, read on November 12, 2026. South Dakota charges its own fees the same way whichever agent you name.

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.

The Mainstay agent plan earns more coverage points: papers served on the company are scanned the same business day for free, one price holds in all fifty states and three government mailings a year are scanned at no charge. South Dakota Registered Agent.co wins on cost, so the two finish close.

Every criterion and weight appears on How we rank.

What South Dakota Secretary of State requires of a South Dakota registered agent (official)

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be an actual street address or rural route box number in South Dakota, plus a South Dakota mailing address if it differs. Statute: SDCL 59-11-6.

The South Dakota annual report: fee, due date and your agent

South Dakota LLCs file the annual report every year. The fee is $55 and the date is due during the entity's anniversary month. Filing late means $50 more. The state sends related notices to your registered agent.

South Dakota registered agent: quick questions

Is a South Dakota LLC obliged to keep a registered agent?

It is. South Dakota wants every LLC to have a registered agent on file, and that agent must hold a street address inside the state.

What is the going yearly rate for a registered agent in South Dakota?

Yearly prices span $99 to $149, and each service holds its price when it renews.

Is it allowed to serve as my own registered agent?

Yes, if you satisfy the state's conditions. A commercial registered agent listed with the state, a noncommercial agent (an individual or entity with a South Dakota address), or the title of an office in the company.

When must the South Dakota annual report be filed?

The deadline is due during the entity's anniversary month. The state's fee is $55. A late filing is penalized with $50.

Which registered agents sit on this card?

Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), South Dakota Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and SD Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), top to bottom.

Which South Dakota registered agent scores best on value?

Mainstay Filing, since $149 yearly for an agent that fits a company in one state or in fifty, with the first three government mailings each year scanned free.

Read next

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. Read on November 12, 2026: South Dakota service page for Mainstay Filing
  10. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for South Dakota Registered Agent.co
  11. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for SD Registered Agent.org