The ordered tally
Each row carries year one, the later-year price and the three-year total. South Dakota's $750 is booked on top.
1. South Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for a low yearly agent cost
Top of the tally
Year one $199, year two on $99
- First year
- $199
- Later years
- $99/yr
- Three-year tally
- $397
South Dakota Registered Agent.co leads the South Dakota ledger. The entries: a $199 filing fee and a $99 agent renewal in South Dakota.
The tiebreaker is cost, and three years here come in lower than at Mainstay Filing.
Included lines
- State registration
- Agent service, year one
Gains
- Registers you for $199
- First-year agent service is covered
- $99 a year from year two
Minus column
- The home state needs a separate agent
2
2. Mainstay Filing: best for several registrations
Any state
Year one $199, year two on $149
- First year
- $199
- Later years
- $149/yr
- Three-year tally
- $497
Row 2, Mainstay Filing, books this way: $199 above South Dakota's fee, followed by $149 a year for the agent.
Three years here come to $100 more than South Dakota Registered Agent.co.
The agent line reads zero in year one and $149/yr from year two, in any state.
Included lines
- Registration prepared and filed
- Registered agent, year one free
- Fifty-state coverage
Gains
- The fee is identical in every state
- $199 to file the registration
- No registered agent charge in year one
Minus column
- $50/yr extra for the agent
3
3. SD Registered Agent.org: best for a low agent renewal
South Dakota only
Year one $199, year two on $99
- First year
- $199
- Later years
- $99/yr
- Three-year tally
- $397
Third line: SD Registered Agent.org, because a $199 filing fee and a $99 agent renewal in South Dakota.
Its published prices equal South Dakota Registered Agent.co's.
Included lines
- State registration
- Agent service, year one
Gains
- First-year agent service is covered
- Registers you for $199
- $99 a year from year two
Minus column
- The home state needs a separate agent
Totals carried year by year
Year one and then renewals, per the prices read November 13, 2026. None of the totals cross in ten years.
Break-even calculator
Set the years and the calculator adds year one and the renewals for every row.
Official state fees
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.
Reading the ranking
At 39%, three-year tally is the column that decided the first row.
Three years with South Dakota Registered Agent.co add up to $397; Mainstay Filing runs $100 higher.
South Dakota foreign LLC registration fee and rules (official)
An LLC from elsewhere that does business in South Dakota needs the Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company, filed with the South Dakota Secretary of State for $750. Enclose certificate of Existence.
Cited: from sdlegislature.gov, recorded October 2026 as a ledger line
Filing on your own
The do-it-yourself bottom line is $860 in state fees across three years. Each service books its own extra on top, $397 to $497 over the same period.
Common questions
What does South Dakota charge to register an LLC formed elsewhere?
$750 as the official fee, with $199 more if a service files it.
What do three years of service add up to?
Three years of service total $397 to $497.
Which form registers the LLC?
The registration is Application for Certificate of Authority, Foreign Limited Liability Company, submitted to the South Dakota Secretary of State.
Does South Dakota want a document from the home state?
Yes: certificate of Existence.
What recurring filing follows the registration?
The annual report costs $55.
When does one service turn into the lower total?
Within ten years, never: the order of the totals does not change.
Which foreign registration service is the best value for South Dakota?
The first line belongs to South Dakota Registered Agent.co, the second to Mainstay Filing and the third to SD Registered Agent.org.
Record of sources
- August 2026 entry: South Dakota Secretary of State, source sdsos.gov
- August 2026 entry: South Dakota Secretary of State, source sosenterprise.sd.gov
- October 2026 entry: South Dakota yearly filing: Annual, source sdlegislature.gov
- August 2026 entry: South Dakota report due date, source sdlegislature.gov
- August 2026 entry: SDCL 47-34A-203, source sdlegislature.gov
- October 2026 entry: South Dakota formation fee: Filing, source sdsos.gov
- October 2026 entry: South Dakota formation fee: Filing, source sdlegislature.gov
- October 2026 entry: South Dakota registered agent statute, source sdlegislature.gov
- October 2026 entry: South Dakota Secretary of State, source sdsos.gov
- October 2026 entry: Foreign LLC application for Certificate, source sdsos.gov
- October 2026 entry: SDCL 47-34A-1003, transacting business, source sdlegislature.gov
- October 2026 entry: SDCL 47-34A-1008, effect of not, source sdlegislature.gov
- November 2026 entry: SDCL 47-34A-1001 to 47-34A-1009, foreign, source sdlegislature.gov
- South Dakota Registered Agent.co pricing page (ledger date November 13, 2026)
- Mainstay Filing South Dakota service page (ledger date November 13, 2026)
- SD Registered Agent.org pricing page (ledger date November 13, 2026)