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Plain CharterLLC questions, short answers.

Short answers · South Dakota

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

Our 2026 answer for South Dakota: Mainstay Filing ($199), South Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199) and SD Registered Agent.org ($199), best first. The state's filing fee is $150 no matter who files. Service fees over three years: $397 to $597.

By the Plain Charter editorial team ·

The short answer

Filing fee
$150, paid once
What recurs
$55 per year
Registered agent
Yes
Our picks, in order
Mainstay Filing, South Dakota Registered Agent.co then SD Registered Agent.org

Our South Dakota list

Best first, by our stated criteria.
1Top pick

1. Mainstay Filing: best for one price that covers the paperwork

$199 yearly, renewing at $199

Mainstay Filing is the one we'd hire first in South Dakota, because one yearly price of $199 covers the filing, the registered agent and each annual report.

South Dakota Registered Agent.co is $200 less over three years, but leaves more filings with you.

Report filing is included, with the $55 state fee passed through.

The price covers

  • Your LLC filed with the state
  • Registered agent every month of the year
  • Annual report filed for you
  • Help getting the EIN
  • No markup on state fees

Upsides

  • $199 yearly, all in
  • No extra charge for the EIN application
  • No price jump ($199)

What to weigh

  • $100 more per year after year one
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2South Dakota specialist

2. South Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for a low three-year cost

First year $199, then $99 a year

South Dakota Registered Agent.co comes second: formation costs $199 and the yearly agent renewal is $99.

You will file the annual report on your own.

The price covers

  • Your LLC filed
  • Agent included, year one

Upsides

  • Agent service, year one
  • Then $99 yearly
  • $199 to form

What to weigh

  • Your own annual report to file
  • EIN help is $99 more
Visit South Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3South Dakota specialist

3. SD Registered Agent.org: best for single-state companies

First year $199, then $99 a year

SD Registered Agent.org comes third: formation costs $199 and the yearly agent renewal is $99.

You will file the annual report on your own.

Its prices match South Dakota Registered Agent.co exactly, so either is a sound choice.

The price covers

  • Your LLC filed
  • Agent included, year one

Upsides

  • $199 to form
  • Agent service, year one
  • Then $99 yearly

What to weigh

  • Your own annual report to file
  • EIN help is $99 more
Visit SD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

How the picks compare

#PickFirst yearYear two on3-year costYou get
1Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Your LLC filed with the state; registered agent every month of the year; annual report filed for youVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2South Dakota Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Your LLC filed; agent included, year oneVisit South Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3SD Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Your LLC filed; agent included, year oneVisit SD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices as published on November 12, 2026. The state's own fees are listed in the requirements below.

Common questions

What is the total cost to form one?

$150 to the state, plus $199 if a service files it for you.

State fees for the first three years: $260. source: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026

Who receives the filing?

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

Processing time: Paper 1 to 3 business days; online processed immediately. source: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026

Does the law require a registered agent?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

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.

source: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026

What do I owe each year after that?

Budget $55 each year for the annual report. Put it on the calendar: due during the entity's anniversary month.

Late filers pay $50.

source: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026

Can I skip the service?

No service is required; on your own, three years of state fees come to $260.

The trade-off is $397 to $597 over three years against doing every form yourself.

How did you rank them?

Mainstay Filing leads on what the price takes off your plate, which weighs 30% in our order.

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

The deciding detail is the annual report: it is part of the first pick's price.

See how we rank

The official requirements

WhatAnswerCited
Cost to file$150source: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026
Registered agentYessource: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026
Annual report$55 every yearsource: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026
State total, years 1 to 3$260Sum of the rows
Three-year state total = filing + reports in years 2 and 3 + any minimum tax; variable costs are not added.

FAQ

How long does the state take?

Paper 1 to 3 business days; online processed immediately.

What about the EIN?

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

Does a late report cost extra?

South Dakota adds $50.

Three years in, what has each cost?

Mainstay Filing $597, South Dakota Registered Agent.co $397 and SD Registered Agent.org $397 (service fees only).

Where do these figures come from?

Official South Dakota sources for state fees, company price pages for service fees.

Which LLC service would you pick in South Dakota?

We rank Mainstay Filing first on what the price takes off your plate, with South Dakota Registered Agent.co and SD Registered Agent.org behind it.

Sources for this page

  1. South Dakota Secretary of State: sdsos.gov (August 2026)
  2. South Dakota Secretary of State: sosenterprise.sd.gov (August 2026)
  3. South Dakota yearly filing: Annual: sdlegislature.gov (October 2026)
  4. South Dakota report due date: sdlegislature.gov (August 2026)
  5. SDCL 47-34A-203: sdlegislature.gov (August 2026)
  6. South Dakota formation fee: Filing: sdsos.gov (October 2026)
  7. South Dakota formation fee: Filing: sdlegislature.gov (October 2026)
  8. South Dakota registered agent statute: sdlegislature.gov (October 2026)
  9. Processing, official source: sdsos.gov (October 2026)
  10. Mainstay Filing South Dakota service page (prices on November 12, 2026)
  11. South Dakota Registered Agent.co pricing page (prices on November 12, 2026)
  12. SD Registered Agent.org pricing page (prices on November 12, 2026)