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What is inside · South Carolina

3 Best Registered Agents in South Carolina (2026): Unpacked

Opened up for 2026, the registered agents in South Carolina rank South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), best on top. An agent opens at $99 to $149 in the first year and totals $297 to $447 by year three.
Unpacked by the LLC Unpacked editorial team

Top layer

Required to name one?
Yes, by law
Label in the statute
Registered agent
Going price
$99 to $149 a year
Our pick
South Carolina Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing then SC Registered Agent.org

South Carolina: ranked

Prices come from each company's own page. See how we open it up.
Ranked first

1. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for an LLC that stays in the state

$99 a year, then $99 at renewal

What puts South Carolina Registered Agent.co first: inside the price is an agent in the state for $99 a year.

A smaller three-year total than Mainstay Filing puts it on top for a company that stays put.

Inside the price

  • An in-state street address
  • Scans of legal papers online

Inside, the good

  • Costs less a year than Mainstay Filing
  • $99 each year, no increase

Inside, the catch

  • A second state needs a second agent
All fifty states

2. Mainstay Filing: best for an LLC that may expand

$149 a year, then $149 at renewal

What puts Mainstay Filing second: its price is $149 a year here and identical in every other state.

South Carolina Registered Agent.co totals $150 less across three years, enough to outrank it.

Inside the price

  • An in-state address on file
  • Scans of three government mailings a year at no charge
  • Reaches beyond LLCs: corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits

Inside, the good

  • One price in all fifty states
  • Just $149 a year

Inside, the catch

  • $50 a year more than South Carolina Registered Agent.co
  • The yearly report stays with you
South Carolina only

3. SC Registered Agent.org: best for keeping the agent local

$99 a year, then $99 at renewal

SC Registered Agent.org sits third because inside the price is an agent in the state for $99 a year.

Its prices match South Carolina Registered Agent.co exactly, so the order between them is close.

Inside the price

  • An in-state street address
  • Scans of legal papers online

Inside, the good

  • Costs less a year than Mainstay Filing
  • $99 each year, no increase

Inside, the catch

  • A second state needs a second agent

Inside each price

#CompanyOpening priceEach year afterTotal, 3 yearsCovers
1South Carolina Registered Agent.co$99$99/yr$297An in-state street address; scans of legal papers onlineSee South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$149$149/yr$447An in-state address on file; scans of three government mailings a year at no charge; Reaches beyond LLCs: corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofitsSee Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3SC Registered Agent.org$99$99/yr$297An in-state street address; scans of legal papers onlineSee SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices as of November 13, 2026. The state's own fees are in the checklist below.

Layer by layer

Must the LLC name a registered agent?

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

The law underneath: S.C. Code § 33-44-108. scstatehouse.gov holds the original, confirmed October 2026

Who qualifies?

A South Carolina resident, a South Carolina corporation, another LLC, or a corporation or company from another state authorized to do business in South Carolina.

A qualifying owner can be the agent for free.

How much does an agent cost?

Services we rank charge $99 to $149 each year, which adds up to $297 to $447 over three.

No state fee depends on the agent you name.

What does an agent handle for the LLC?

Whatever legal paper is meant for the LLC in South Carolina goes to the agent, who passes it along.

Ask how quickly the agent tells you when something arrives, so no deadline slips by. What is service of process?

What does the LLC owe the state each year?

No report falls due.

Why is the stack in this order?

On total across three years (34%), South Carolina Registered Agent.co comes out ahead.

Five layers set the order: total across three years (34%), what is inside the price (29%), price laid out in the open (14%), how the renewal behaves (12%) and how far it reaches (11%).

South Carolina Registered Agent.co stacks up to $297 over three years, $150 under Mainstay Filing.

How we open it up

South Carolina agent rule, unpacked

PartWhat is insidePeek at source
LLC filing fee$110scstatehouse.gov holds the original, confirmed October 2026
Registered agentYes, by lawscstatehouse.gov holds the original, confirmed October 2026
What the state collects in three years$110The rows above, stacked
The last row stacks the filing fee, the reports in years two and three and any minimum tax. A cost with no fixed amount, such as a newspaper notice, is explained above and kept out of the sum.

More boxes to open

Can I be my own agent?

Usually. Check who qualifies and which address counts, and if you fit, you can.

What address does an agent need?

The address has to be a street address in South Carolina for the agent, stated in the articles. P.O. boxes are not accepted.

How do the three-year totals compare?

South Carolina Registered Agent.co stacks up to $297, Mainstay Filing stacks up to $447, SC Registered Agent.org stacks up to $297

Are the fees official?

Two kinds of source feed this page: South Carolina's official documents for what the state charges, and company price pages for what services charge.

Do I have to use a service?

No law requires a service. It is a paid convenience.

Who tops the stack in South Carolina?

Open South Carolina Registered Agent.co first, then compare Mainstay Filing and SC Registered Agent.org.

What the page rests on

  1. Unpacking S.C led us to scstatehouse.gov, confirmed August 2026, which you can open yourself
  2. The South Carolina Registered Agent.co pricing page, opened November 13, 2026
  3. The Mainstay Filing South Carolina service page, opened November 13, 2026
  4. The SC Registered Agent.org pricing page, opened November 13, 2026