The South Carolina Registered Agent (2026): 6 Procedures and the 3 Best Agents
The readings for appointing a registered agent in South Carolina in 2026 rank SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), in that order. 6 procedures document what South Carolina requires of a registered agent, who may serve, which address passes and how the agent is recorded.
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. See S.C. Code § 33-44-108.
Procedure3
Procedure 3: Use a qualifying office 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.
TipEngaging a service keeps a home address out of the public record.
Procedure4
Procedure 4: Serve personally or engage an agent
The ranked agents cost $99 to $149 a year; personal service is the alternative for those who qualify.
Procedure5
Procedure 5: File the agent's details
On a new South Carolina LLC the agent appears in the Articles of Organization. A later change reaches the South Carolina Secretary of State as a separate filing.
No yearly report applies here; keeping the registered agent current suffices.
South Carolina agent costs
What
Recipient
Amount
A professional agent
Service
$99 to $149 a year
Renewal
Service
$99 to $149 a year
Method for the three-year state row: take the filing fee, add the reports due in years two and three, then add any yearly minimum tax. Service fees stay in their own rows.
How the readings worked out
The deciding criterion was measured cost over three years, worth 36% of the reading.
Counting the first three years, SC Registered Agent.org comes to $297, $150 less than Mainstay Filing.
Review questions on South Carolina
Does South Carolina law require a registered agent for an LLC?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Can I be my own registered agent?
Yes, when the eligibility and address tests in procedures 2 and 3 are met.
Can I change my registered agent later?
A change is permitted whenever wanted, through the South Carolina Secretary of State, as procedure 5 describes.
What does a registered agent cost in South Carolina?
Budget $99 to $149 a year.
What does the LLC pay the state each year?
South Carolina bills no report fee.
Which registered agent would you choose?
SC Registered Agent.org, because an in-state street address for the registered office, measured at $99 a year. Next: Mainstay Filing and South Carolina Registered Agent.co.