South Carolina: ordered by value
Each row carries year one, the later-year price and the three-year total. South Carolina's $110 is booked on top.
1. Mainstay Filing: best for a second state and the ones after
First line
$199 to register, $149 a year after
- First year
- $199
- Later years
- $149/yr
- Three-year tally
- $497
Mainstay Filing tops the South Carolina tally: $199 above South Carolina's fee, followed by $149 a year for the agent.
The $100 three-year gap to South Carolina Registered Agent.co is made up by the 28% jobs-covered column.
Year one carries no agent charge; $149 a year follows.
Included lines
- Registration prepared and filed
- All fifty states covered
Gains
- $199, with state fees on top
- No price change by state
Minus column
- $50/yr extra for the agent
2
2. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for a low yearly agent cost
In-state
$199 to register, $99 a year after
- First year
- $199
- Later years
- $99/yr
- Three-year tally
- $397
South Carolina Registered Agent.co is second: service fees add up to $397 over three years.
Included lines
- Registration, filed
- Agent service, year one
Gains
- Only $199 to register
- Agent included for the first year
- Agent renews at $99 after that
Minus column
- Covers South Carolina alone, so the home state needs its own agent
3
3. SC Registered Agent.org: best for another in-state filer
In-state
$199 to register, $99 a year after
- First year
- $199
- Later years
- $99/yr
- Three-year tally
- $397
SC Registered Agent.org is third: service fees add up to $397 over three years.
Same posted prices as South Carolina Registered Agent.co.
Included lines
- Registration, filed
- Agent service, year one
Gains
- Agent included for the first year
- Agent renews at $99 after that
- Only $199 to register
Minus column
- Covers South Carolina alone, so the home state needs its own agent
The tally after 1, 2, 3 and 5 years
Read November 13, 2026. Each column adds another renewal. No row overtakes another within ten years.
Break-even calculator
Set the years and the calculator adds year one and the renewals for every row.
What South Carolina itself charges
To reproduce the bottom line, add the filing, the year-two report, the year-three report and any minimum tax. Costs without a fixed amount stay out of it.
Why the table is ordered this way
Mainstay Filing beat South Carolina Registered Agent.co on jobs ticked off, a 28% column.
Registering here involves at least two states, and a single provider for both beat South Carolina Registered Agent.co.
South Carolina foreign LLC registration fee and rules (official)
The South Carolina Secretary of State receives the Application for a Certificate of Authority by a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form F0008) and $110 from out-of-state LLCs working in South Carolina. Attach certificate of existence from the home-state Secretary of State issued within the last 30 days.
Trading while unregistered risks it cannot act as plaintiff (S.C. Code 33-44-1008(a)).
Cited: from dor.sc.gov, recorded October 2026 as a ledger line
The do-it-yourself row
The do-it-yourself bottom line is $110 in state fees across three years. Each service books its own extra on top, $397 to $497 over the same period.
FAQ
What does South Carolina charge to register an LLC formed elsewhere?
$110 in state fees, with our rows adding $199.
What do three years of service add up to?
$397 to $497 in service fees, not counting state fees.
Which form registers the LLC?
The registration is Application for a Certificate of Authority by a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form F0008), submitted to the South Carolina Secretary of State.
Does South Carolina want a document from the home state?
Yes, and it must be dated within 30 days: certificate of existence from the home-state Secretary of State.
What recurring filing follows the registration?
Nothing recurs: foreign LLCs file no report here.
When does one service turn into the lower total?
They never cross in ten years, so the year-one order holds.
Which foreign registration service is the best value for South Carolina?
The first line belongs to Mainstay Filing, the second to South Carolina Registered Agent.co and the third to SC Registered Agent.org.
What each entry rests on
- S.C, recorded from scstatehouse.gov in August 2026
- South Carolina Business Entities Online, recorded from businessfilings.sc.gov in October 2026
- SC Secretary of State, business, recorded from sos.sc.gov in October 2026
- SC Department of Revenue, corporate, recorded from dor.sc.gov in October 2026
- S.C, recorded from scstatehouse.gov in November 2026
- South Carolina service page at Mainstay Filing, booked November 13, 2026
- pricing page at South Carolina Registered Agent.co, booked November 13, 2026
- pricing page at SC Registered Agent.org, booked November 13, 2026