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Plain CharterLLC questions, short answers.

No legalese · South Carolina

3 Best LLC Services in South Carolina (2026), Plainly Answered

Asked who to hire in South Carolina in 2026, we'd say Mainstay Filing ($199), South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199) and SC Registered Agent.org ($199), in that order. The state's filing fee is $110 no matter who files. Service fees over three years: $397 to $597.

By the Plain Charter editorial team ·

Plainly put

State filing fee
$110, at filing
Yearly upkeep
No recurring report
Registered agent
Required by law
Who we'd use
Mainstay Filing, South Carolina Registered Agent.co then SC Registered Agent.org

South Carolina: our picks

The order follows our five criteria, led by cost and coverage.
1First choice

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a flat yearly price

$199 a year ($309 due at signup with the state fee)

Mainstay Filing leads our list: one $199 yearly price covers the filing and the registered agent, and it applies for the EIN.

Three years cost $200 more than South Carolina Registered Agent.co; reach across states decides it here.

The price covers

  • Articles prepared and filed
  • Registered agent year-round
  • EIN application
  • Official fee, no markup

Upsides

  • $199 a year covers filing and agent
  • No extra charge for the EIN application
  • No price jump ($199)

What to weigh

  • Renews $100 above South Carolina Registered Agent.co
  • The bundle saves less here
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2In-state

2. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for a lean start

$199 to start, $99 yearly

South Carolina Registered Agent.co comes second: three years come to $397 with its $99 renewal.

The price covers

  • Your LLC filed
  • Year-one agent

Upsides

  • Low $99 renewal
  • Agent free for year one
  • Forms the LLC for $199

What to weigh

  • EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3In-state

3. SC Registered Agent.org: best for another local option

$199 to start, $99 yearly

SC Registered Agent.org comes third: three years come to $397 with its $99 renewal.

South Carolina Registered Agent.co charges the same, so this one is a close second.

The price covers

  • Your LLC filed
  • Year-one agent

Upsides

  • Low $99 renewal
  • Agent free for year one
  • Forms the LLC for $199

What to weigh

  • EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Side-by-side prices

#ServiceYear 1Renewal priceThree-year totalIn the price
1Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597articles prepared and filed; Registered agent year-round; EIN applicationVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2South Carolina Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Your LLC filed; Year-one agentVisit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3SC Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Your LLC filed; Year-one agentVisit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Service fees only, from each company's prices on November 12, 2026. State fees are the same with every pick.

Your questions

How much will forming the LLC cost?

Budget $110 for the state and $199 for a service.

Over three years the state collects $110 in total, filing fee included. October 2026 · scstatehouse.gov

Who receives the filing?

What you file: the Articles of Organization. Where: the South Carolina Secretary of State.

See S.C. Code § 33-44-202. October 2026 · scstatehouse.gov

Must the LLC name 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.

October 2026 · scstatehouse.gov

What do I owe each year after that?

No report is due.

Is filing it myself allowed?

No service is required; on your own, three years of state fees come to $110.

What you pay a service ($397 to $597 over three years) buys the paperwork and the agent role.

How did you rank them?

What the price takes off your plate (30% of our weighting) put Mainstay Filing first.

What we weigh most: three-year cost (35%) and what the price takes off your plate (30%). Three smaller criteria break close calls.

Coverage edges it ahead, even with no report to file here.

Read our criteria

South Carolina rules at a glance

ItemWhat it isOfficial source
LLC filing fee$110October 2026 · scstatehouse.gov
Registered agentRequired by lawOctober 2026 · scstatehouse.gov
State fees, first three years$110Our sum of the fees above
We add the filing, two years of reports and any minimum tax for the three-year line. Publication and other variable costs are excluded.

More answers

What about the EIN?

Only Mainstay Filing includes it. Elsewhere: $99 at South Carolina Registered Agent.co, $99 at SC Registered Agent.org.

What is the three-year cost of each?

Mainstay Filing $597, South Carolina Registered Agent.co $397 and SC Registered Agent.org $397, state fees extra.

Where do these figures come from?

State fees from South Carolina's official sources, cited next to each figure; service prices from each company's own pricing.

Is a service required by law?

No. The state accepts filings from owners; a service saves time and handles the agent role.

Any yearly state fees?

No report is due.

What is the best LLC service for South Carolina?

Mainstay Filing first: $199 a year, the same at renewal, pays for formation and the registered agent. South Carolina Registered Agent.co and SC Registered Agent.org follow.

Where these answers come from

  1. scstatehouse.gov (S.C, August 2026)
  2. Mainstay Filing South Carolina service page, prices as of November 12, 2026
  3. South Carolina Registered Agent.co pricing page, prices as of November 12, 2026
  4. SC Registered Agent.org pricing page, prices as of November 12, 2026