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Just the facts · South Carolina

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in South Carolina (2026) for Real People

In South Carolina for 2026, we like SC Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199), ranked from first to last. Plan on $110 for the state and $397 to $497 for services over three years.
From the LLC Plainly editorial team

In a nutshell

What the state charges
$110
Home-state paper needed?
Required (30 days maximum)
What comes next
No report
Who to use
SC Registered Agent.org, Mainstay Filing then South Carolina Registered Agent.co

Who we like in South Carolina

The scoring is spelled out on this page.
Start here

1. SC Registered Agent.org: best for adding just this one state

First year $199 (state's $110 separate); $99 after

SC Registered Agent.org is our favorite here, because $199 files the registration, and the agent costs $99 each year after.

It's the cheaper of the two over three years, and cost is our first check.

Your money buys

  • State registration done
  • Year-one registered agent

The good

  • The first year of agent service is covered
  • Registers you for $199 over the state fee
  • Year two onward: $99

Trade-offs

  • Only one state covered
Nationwide

2. Mainstay Filing: best for the same fee anywhere

First year $199 (state's $110 separate); $149 after

Second place goes to Mainstay Filing, where it charges $199 plus state fees and waives the registered agent for the first year.

At $100 more than SC Registered Agent.org over three years, it lands lower on our list.

Once the free year is up, the registered agent renews at $149.

Your money buys

  • The registration filing
  • No change in price by state

The good

  • Set for the next state you add
  • A service fee of $199

Trade-offs

  • SC Registered Agent.org charges $50 less to renew the agent
A South Carolina favorite

3. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for a low agent renewal

First year $199 (state's $110 separate); $99 after

Number 3 is South Carolina Registered Agent.co: $199 files the registration, and the agent costs $99 each year after.

Price for price, it ties SC Registered Agent.org.

Your money buys

  • State registration done
  • Year-one registered agent

The good

  • Registers you for $199 over the state fee
  • The first year of agent service is covered
  • Year two onward: $99

Trade-offs

  • Only one state covered

Price check

#WhoFirst yearAfter year oneOver three yearsWhat you get
1SC Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397state registration done; Year-one registered agentHead to SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497the registration filing; no change in price by stateHead to Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3South Carolina Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397state registration done; Year-one registered agentHead to South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
We read these prices on November 13, 2026. Three years means year one plus two renewals.

Straight answers

Who has to register in this state?

An out-of-state LLC signs up with the South Carolina Secretary of State first and does business in South Carolina afterward.

Doing business unregistered can bring it can't be a plaintiff (S.C. Code 33-44-1008(a)).

dor.sc.gov · October 2026 · checked

How much will registering cost?

Registering on your own is $110. Add $199 for a service.

The state's three-year fees, registration included, add up to $110. dor.sc.gov · October 2026 · checked

Which form do I file, and where?

The South Carolina Secretary of State is the office, and the Application for a Certificate of Authority by a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form F0008) is what it wants.

Include certificate of existence from the home-state Secretary of State from the past 30 days.

Any ongoing fees?

The state doesn't ask for a follow-up report.

What put number one on top?

It comes down to cost across three years, and SC Registered Agent.org is best at it.

33% of the score is cost across three years, 31% is work taken off your hands, and three smaller checks split ties.

You'd pay $397 over three years at SC Registered Agent.org, which is $100 less than at Mainstay Filing.

The five checks

South Carolina: the rules, cited

ItemAmount or ruleCheck it
Registration fee$110dor.sc.gov · October 2026 · checked
Good standing proofRequired, 30 daysdor.sc.gov · October 2026 · checked
What the state gets in three years$110Added from the rows
How we get the bottom line: filing + report in year two + report in year three + any minimum tax. Open-ended costs are described in the text only.

Also worth knowing

Do I still need an agent where I formed the LLC?

You do. Two states mean two sets of rules, and a one-state company stops at its border while Mainstay Filing keeps going.

What's the three-year total for each?

SC Registered Agent.org $397; Mainstay Filing $497; South Carolina Registered Agent.co $397, not counting state fees.

How official are these figures?

Official South Carolina sources on the state side and company pricing on the service side, all dated.

Is hiring help required?

No law says you must hire anyone.

Do these services handle the filing?

They do. What the state charges is fixed, and only the service fee varies.

Who do you like best in South Carolina?

SC Registered Agent.org comes first: you pay $199 with the first agent year included and $99 yearly afterward. Then come Mainstay Filing and South Carolina Registered Agent.co.

Sources, with dates

  1. scstatehouse.gov: the page for S.C, seen August 2026
  2. businessfilings.sc.gov: the page for South Carolina Business Entities Online, seen October 2026
  3. sos.sc.gov: the page for SC Secretary of State, business, seen October 2026
  4. dor.sc.gov: the page for SC Department of Revenue, corporate, seen October 2026
  5. scstatehouse.gov: the page for S.C, seen November 2026
  6. SC Registered Agent.org's pricing page, as of November 13, 2026
  7. Mainstay Filing's South Carolina service page, as of November 13, 2026
  8. South Carolina Registered Agent.co's pricing page, as of November 13, 2026