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The Formation Desk

Rankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

Registered agent picks · South Carolina

3 Best Registered Agents in South Carolina (2026)

The The Formation Desk call for registered agents in South Carolina in 2026: Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), in that order. Mainstay Filing takes the call: $149 a year, and it holds on renewal, with papers served on the company scanned the same business day for free.
Written by The Formation Desk editorial team
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Our top pick

1. Mainstay Filing: best for every state

$149 a year, and it holds on renewal

Editorial score 9.6 out of 10

The desk picks Mainstay Filing: $149 for a single agent plan that works in every state, $149 on renewal.

Over three years Mainstay runs $150 more than SC Registered Agent.org, and the desk thinks the wider coverage is worth it.

In the price

  • A registered office address in any state you file in
  • Free scans of service of process, uploaded the same business day
  • Free scans for the first three government mailings a year
  • Compliance reminders

Strengths

  • Free scans of served papers on the same business day
  • First three government mailings each year, scanned free
  • Works for LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits alike
  • $149 a year and it holds on renewal

Cons

  • $50 a year more than SC Registered Agent.org for agent service alone
  • On the agent plan you send in your own annual report
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing up close
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Best for a South Carolina-only company

2. SC Registered Agent.org: best for the lowest price per year on this list

$99 a year, and it holds on renewal

Editorial score 9.3 out of 10

Runner-up, SC Registered Agent.org: a South Carolina specialist at $99 a year, with an in-state street address as the registered office.

Your registered office is an in-state street address from SC Registered Agent.org, and legal papers served on the company are scanned for you.

In the price

  • The in-state address the state asks you to file
  • Papers served on the company arrive in your account as scans

Strengths

  • Yearly price below Mainstay Filing's
  • Also forms LLCs and includes the first agent year
  • A $99 plan with no renewal hike

Cons

  • South Carolina only; you need another agent elsewhere
Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. SC Registered Agent.org up close
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South Carolina only

3. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for South Carolina companies

$99 a year, and it holds on renewal

Editorial score 9.0 out of 10

Third, South Carolina Registered Agent.co: a South Carolina specialist at $99 a year, with an in-state street address as the registered office.

South Carolina Registered Agent.co takes the registered office role, using an in-state address and scanning what is served there.

The published prices and features do not separate SC Registered Agent.org from South Carolina Registered Agent.co; take whichever you like.

In the price

  • A street address in the state on the public record
  • You get online scans of any papers served on the company

Strengths

  • $99 per year and no bump at renewal
  • LLC formation available, year-one agent included
  • Costs less a year than Mainstay Filing

Cons

  • South Carolina only; you need another agent elsewhere
Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. South Carolina Registered Agent.co up close

The desk's 3 picks in brief

Pick Service Desk score Price a year Renewal Good for Visit
1 Mainstay Filing 9.6 $149 $149/yr One agent that covers every state Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 SC Registered Agent.org 9.3 $99 $99/yr The lowest yearly price we rank here Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 South Carolina Registered Agent.co 9.0 $99 $99/yr The lowest yearly price we rank here Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

A score out of 10 here is editorial judgment built on the criteria explained on How we rank, not an average of customer ratings.

What a South Carolina registered agent costs in 2026: year one, renewal and the three-year bill

Service Year one Year two Year three Bill over three years Price holds on renewal
Mainstay Filing $149 $149 $149 $447 Yes
SC Registered Agent.org $99 $99 $99 $297 Yes
South Carolina Registered Agent.co $99 $99 $99 $297 Yes

Every price here was read off the company's own pages on November 12, 2026. South Carolina charges the same state fees whichever agent you name.

What tipped the order

Here is the weighting: 33% for spend over three years, 33% for work the price removes, 34% spread over what renewal looks like, fit with the state and plain price display. In South Carolina, work the price removes made the call.

Mainstay's agent plan brings more to the table: served papers are scanned the same business day for nothing, one price in all fifty states and three government mailings a year scanned free. SC Registered Agent.org is cheaper, and it was close.

The full criteria and weights are on How we rank.

South Carolina registered agent rules straight from South Carolina Secretary of State (official)

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. The law behind it: S.C. Code § 33-44-108.

Does South Carolina want a yearly report?

South Carolina has no yearly LLC report. What it does require all year is a registered agent on record, and notices go to that address.

South Carolina registered agent: reader questions

Do you need a registered agent to run a South Carolina LLC?

You do. South Carolina wants a registered agent on file for every LLC, and the agent must have a street address in the state.

What should you expect to pay a South Carolina registered agent?

Plan on $99 to $149 a year, and the price holds when it renews.

Could you serve as your own registered agent?

You can if the state's rules allow it. 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.

Which registered agents did the desk rank here?

Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), best pick first.

What does a registered agent do all day?

The registered agent is the company's official mailbox for lawsuits, subpoenas and state notices. It accepts them and passes them along, and every plan on this page scans them to your online account.

Who is our pick for registered agent in South Carolina?

Mainstay Filing, since $149 a year for an agent that goes wherever the company does, plus the first three government mailings each year scanned free.

See also

Where the numbers came from

  1. S.C. Code § 33-44-202 and § 33-44-203, last checked August 2026
  2. Mainstay Filing: South Carolina service page, as of November 12, 2026
  3. SC Registered Agent.org: pricing and service pages, as of November 12, 2026
  4. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: pricing and service pages, as of November 12, 2026