Foreign LLC Registration, South Carolina (2026): 5 Procedures and the 3 Best Services
For registering an LLC formed elsewhere in South Carolina in 2026, the lab recommends Mainstay Filing ($199), SC Registered Agent.org ($199) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199), highest reading first. First establish whether registration applies; 5 procedures and a $110 fee follow.
Recorded by the Business Basics Lab staff ·
Key facts for this sheet
Registration fee
$110Observed at dor.sc.gov; entry dated October 2026
Home-state certificate
30 daysNo older than
Upkeep filing
NoneNo report
State fees, three years
$110Service fees excluded
Procedures on this sheet
5From first to last
On this sheet
Which LLCs must register
The form and the fee
What follows registration
Who we would engage to file
Best reading
If you want someone else to file
Five weighted criteria set the order (see how we measure); three-year cost and procedures performed count most.
Begin here
1. Mainstay Filing: best for a second state and beyond
$199 to register, $149 yearly
Mainstay Filing comes first since the South Carolina registration measures $199 plus the state's fee, with the first agent year included.
Three years run $100 higher than at SC Registered Agent.org, in exchange for more of the work being done.
Beyond year one, agent service measures $149 yearly.
What the price performs
Filing with the state
The same price in each state
Measured strengths
$199 plus the state fee
The same fee in every state
Measured limits
SC Registered Agent.org's agent renewal is $50 lower
LLCs formed outside South Carolina submit a foreign registration in order to transact business here. Without registration: Its own lawsuits wait in South Carolina until registration (S.C. Code 33-44-1008(a)). Contracts already signed stay effective (S.C. Code 33-44-1008(b)).
Specimen: Observed at dor.sc.gov; entry dated October 2026
Procedure2
Procedure 2: Collect the document from the home state
Certificate of existence from the home-state Secretary of State is needed, from the previous 30 days.
TipLeave this procedure until just before filing.
Procedure3
Procedure 3: Arrange a South Carolina registered agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a street address in South Carolina for the agent, stated in the articles. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
Specimen: Observed at scstatehouse.gov; entry dated October 2026
Procedure4
Procedure 4: Complete and lodge the Application for a Certificate of Authority by a Foreign Limited Liability Company
the South Carolina Secretary of State accepts the form together with the $110 fee.
Specimen: Observed at dor.sc.gov; entry dated October 2026
Procedure5
Procedure 5: Follow South Carolina's recurring filing
The state does not require an annual report from foreign LLCs.
What each procedure costs in South Carolina
Line
Recipient
Total
Registration fee
Payable to the state
$110
Optional service
The provider
$199 at the outset
State fees for three years
Payable to the state
$110
Every state amount here can be verified against the specimens below. The three-year row combines formation, two later reports and a minimum tax where one exists, and it never includes service prices.
How the readings worked out
The deciding criterion was procedures the price performs, worth 28% of the reading.
With the LLC active in two states, coverage decided the order.
South Carolina questions
Which fees does South Carolina collect on foreign registration?
$110 for the filing. Add $199 if a service is engaged.
Which form do I file to register?
Locate the Application for a Certificate of Authority by a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form F0008); it is delivered to the South Carolina Secretary of State.
Do I need a certificate from my home state?
Yes: certificate of existence from the home-state Secretary of State, issued within 30 days of filing.
What if the LLC does business there without registering?
Its own lawsuits wait in South Carolina until registration (S.C. Code 33-44-1008(a)). Contracts already signed stay effective (S.C. Code 33-44-1008(b)).
What is due after registering?
No recurring report for foreign LLCs in South Carolina.
Which service should handle the registration?
Mainstay Filing reads highest, SC Registered Agent.org and South Carolina Registered Agent.co follow; Mainstay Filing leads on procedures the price performs.