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Straight talk · South Dakota

3 Best LLC Services in South Dakota (2026), Simply Ranked

In South Dakota for 2026, we like South Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and SD Registered Agent.org ($199), ranked from first to last. Everyone pays the state the same $150, and the service fees come to $397 to $597 for three years.
From the LLC Plainly editorial team

The gist

State filing fee
$150, just once
Each year
$55 each year
Registered agent
Required
Our picks
South Dakota Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing then SD Registered Agent.org

Who we'd use in South Dakota

The order comes from our five checks: three-year cost first, then how much the price covers.
Our top pick

1. South Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for a small first-year bill

Pay $199 now and $99 each year later, state fee extra

South Dakota Registered Agent.co is our favorite here, because year one is $199, and every year after is $99.

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

You'd handle the annual report separately.

Your money buys

  • Formation handled for you
  • Agent included for year one

The good

  • A $199 formation fee, plus the state fee
  • $99 a year from year two
  • You don't pay for an agent in year one

Trade-offs

  • You'd still be handling the annual report
  • Getting an EIN costs $99 more
Nationwide

2. Mainstay Filing: best for not having to think about the annual report

Annual price $199, renewal price $199, state fee on top

Second place goes to Mainstay Filing, where the annual report comes with the $199 yearly price, next to formation and the registered agent.

At $200 more than South Dakota Registered Agent.co over three years, it lands lower on our list.

You never file the annual report yourself. South Dakota still charges $55, and that's passed through at cost.

Your money buys

  • The state filing, taken care of
  • Registered agent for twelve months
  • Annual report taken off your plate
  • EIN request filed
  • No markup on the state fee

The good

  • The renewal is $199
  • They also apply for your EIN
  • Locked at $199 a year

Trade-offs

  • Its renewal is $100 above South Dakota Registered Agent.co
Local to South Dakota

3. SD Registered Agent.org: best for owners who do their own reports

Pay $199 now and $99 each year later, state fee extra

SD Registered Agent.org comes next since year one is $199, and every year after is $99.

You'd handle the annual report separately.

The same published prices as South Dakota Registered Agent.co, so go with whichever you like.

Your money buys

  • Formation handled for you
  • Agent included for year one

The good

  • You don't pay for an agent in year one
  • A $199 formation fee, plus the state fee
  • $99 a year from year two

Trade-offs

  • You'd still be handling the annual report
  • Getting an EIN costs $99 more

Compared

#CompanyFirst yearRenews atOver three yearsIn the price
1South Dakota Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397formation handled for you; agent included for year oneTake a look at South Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597the state filing, taken care of; registered agent for twelve months; annual report taken off your plateTake a look at Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3SD Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397formation handled for you; agent included for year oneTake a look at SD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Each company's listed prices on November 13, 2026. State fees come on top and don't change by pick.

Your questions, answered

What will it cost me to form an LLC here?

$150 if you file yourself, and $199 more if a service does it.

When the recurring report are counted, the state collects $260 over three years. official: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026

Where do I send the LLC paperwork?

The form is the Articles of Organization, and the office is the South Dakota Secretary of State.

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

Will the state make me name 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.

official: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026

What comes due in later years?

Put $55 aside every year for the annual report. The due date, per the state, is due during the entity's anniversary month; put it on your calendar.

Miss the deadline and the state tacks on $50.

official: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026

Can I skip the service and file myself?

Yes, you can. On your own you'd owe just the state's fees, which come to $260 over three years.

Using a service lifts your three-year bill by $397 to $597.

What's behind the ranking?

South Dakota Registered Agent.co is strongest on cost across three years, which counts for 33% of our score.

We start with cost across three years, move to work taken off your hands, and finish with three smaller checks.

On cost, South Dakota Registered Agent.co takes it at $397, a saving of $200 against Mainstay Filing.

See how we score

South Dakota checklist

WhatDetailsCheck it
Cost to form the LLC$150official: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026
Registered agentRequiredofficial: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026
Annual report$55 every yearofficial: sdlegislature.gov, October 2026
State fees, years one to three$260The rows above, added up
The bottom row isn't a state figure. It's our total of the filing fee, the next two reports and the minimum tax, if the state has one.

Other things people ask

What's the processing time?

Paper 1 to 3 business days; online processed immediately.

Does anyone handle the EIN for me?

Free with Mainstay Filing. At the other picks it's $99 (South Dakota Registered Agent.co) and $99 (SD Registered Agent.org).

Does the state penalize a late report?

South Dakota adds $50 if you're late.

How do the three-year costs stack up?

South Dakota Registered Agent.co will cost you $397, Mainstay Filing will cost you $597, SD Registered Agent.org will cost you $397 for the services alone.

How official are these figures?

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

Who would you go with in South Dakota?

South Dakota Registered Agent.co comes first: forming your LLC costs $199 and the agent is covered in year one, then $99 a year. Then come Mainstay Filing and SD Registered Agent.org.

Sources, with dates

  1. South Dakota Secretary of State (sdsos.gov), last confirmed August 2026
  2. South Dakota Secretary of State (sosenterprise.sd.gov), last confirmed August 2026
  3. South Dakota yearly filing: Annual (sdlegislature.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  4. South Dakota report due date (sdlegislature.gov), last confirmed August 2026
  5. SDCL 47-34A-203 (sdlegislature.gov), last confirmed August 2026
  6. South Dakota formation fee: Filing (sdsos.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  7. South Dakota formation fee: Filing (sdlegislature.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  8. South Dakota registered agent statute (sdlegislature.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  9. Processing, official source (sdsos.gov), last confirmed October 2026
  10. pricing page from South Dakota Registered Agent.co, November 13, 2026
  11. South Dakota service page from Mainstay Filing, November 13, 2026
  12. pricing page from SD Registered Agent.org, November 13, 2026