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Biz Formation Report

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

Registered agents report · South Carolina

3 Best Registered Agents in South Carolina (2026)

By the Biz Formation Report editorial team

Biz Formation Report ranks registered agents in South Carolina for 2026 as South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), in that order. South Carolina Registered Agent.co earns the top grade: $99 a year flat, with online scans of any legal papers served.

No.1

Our top pick

1. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for the lowest annual price on this list

Score9.2out of 10
$99 a year, unchanged at renewal

Top grade, South Carolina Registered Agent.co: $99 a year with no renewal increase, the lowest yearly price on this list.

With South Carolina Registered Agent.co, the registered office has a street address in the state, and served papers reach you as online scans.

Over three years it costs less than Mainstay Filing, and cost is one of our two heaviest criteria.

What you get

  • A physical in-state address listed for the company
  • Served legal documents are scanned and made available online

Good

  • $99 per year, same when it renews
  • A lower yearly price than Mainstay Filing
  • LLC formation available, first agent year free

Weak spots

  • Serves South Carolina only; other states need a separate agent
Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the South Carolina Registered Agent.co review
No.2

Best for multi-state companies

2. Mainstay Filing: best for all fifty states

Score8.9out of 10
$149 a year, unchanged at renewal

Second grade, Mainstay Filing: a $149 yearly plan that works in every state, renewing at $149.

South Carolina Registered Agent.co is $150 cheaper across three years, and that difference lowers Mainstay Filing's cost grade.

What you get

  • A physical address in the state on the public record
  • Same-business-day scanning of legal papers served, no fee
  • Scans of the first three government mailings each year, free
  • Compliance reminders

Good

  • Served papers scanned within the same business day, free
  • Open to LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits
  • $149 a year, no renewal increase
  • Three government mailings a year scanned at no cost

Weak spots

  • The agent alone costs $50 a year more than South Carolina Registered Agent.co
  • Annual report filing requires the formation package
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Mainstay Filing review
No.3

South Carolina specialist

3. SC Registered Agent.org: best for companies based in South Carolina

Score8.6out of 10
$99 a year, unchanged at renewal

Third grade, SC Registered Agent.org: $99 a year with no renewal increase, the lowest yearly price on this list.

The company's registered office is an in-state street address supplied by SC Registered Agent.org; scans of served legal papers appear in your account.

Prices and features do not separate South Carolina Registered Agent.co from SC Registered Agent.org; either works.

What you get

  • A physical in-state address listed for the company
  • Papers served on the company are scanned and delivered to your account

Good

  • Costs less per year than Mainstay Filing
  • Also forms LLCs and includes the first agent year
  • Yearly price of $99, steady at renewal

Weak spots

  • Serves South Carolina only; other states need a separate agent
Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the SC Registered Agent.org review

Summary of the 3 grades

RankProviderGradePrice per yearRenewal priceBest fitSite
1South Carolina Registered Agent.co9.2$99$99/yrThe lowest yearly price we rank hereVisit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing8.9$149$149/yrOne agent across fifty statesVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3SC Registered Agent.org8.6$99$99/yrThe lowest yearly price we rank hereVisit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The grades are editorial: Biz Formation Report assigns every mark out of 10 using the criteria on How we rank, not customer ratings.

South Carolina registered agent prices, 2026: year one, renewal and three-year outlay

ProviderYear 1Year 2Year 3Three-year outlayRenewal at the same price
South Carolina Registered Agent.co$99$99$99$297Yes
Mainstay Filing$149$149$149$447Yes
SC Registered Agent.org$99$99$99$297Yes

All prices were taken from the companies' own websites on November 12, 2026. South Carolina's own fees are the same whichever agent is named.

The basis for the order

Of the grade, 32% rests on three-year bill and 32% on what the money buys; renewal handling, local rules match and pricing openness share the remaining 36%. Three-year bill decided South Carolina.

Total outlay with South Carolina Registered Agent.co over three years: $297, $150 less than Mainstay Filing. An agent needed only in South Carolina gains little from fifty-state coverage, so the lower yearly price decided the grade.

Every criterion and weight is listed on How we rank.

South Carolina registered agent rules according to 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. Authority: S.C. Code § 33-44-108.

South Carolina and the yearly report

No yearly LLC report is required in South Carolina. The continuing duty is to keep a registered agent on record, and the state's notices go to that agent.

South Carolina registered agent: common questions

Does a South Carolina LLC have to maintain a registered agent?

Yes. The state expects every LLC to keep a registered agent on record, and South Carolina requires that agent to have a street address inside its borders.

How much do South Carolina registered agents charge per year?

Annual charges run from $99 to $149, and prices are unchanged at renewal.

Can the owner be the company's own registered agent?

Yes, provided you meet the state's requirements. 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 does this report rank?

South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), in descending order of grade.

What is a registered agent responsible for?

The registered agent accepts lawsuits, subpoenas and official state notices on the company's behalf and passes them on. Each plan in this report scans what arrives and sends it to your online account.

What is the best-value registered agent in South Carolina?

South Carolina Registered Agent.co: a South Carolina-focused agent at $99 a year, supplying an in-state street address for the registered office.

Read next

Source notes

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