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Researched and written by the Launchwise Review editorial team
Launchwise Review

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

Launch guide · South Carolina · registered agent

3 Best Registered Agents in South Carolina (2026)

Researched and written by the Launchwise Review editorial team
For a 2026 launch in South Carolina, Launchwise Review grades registered agents this way: South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year). South Carolina Registered Agent.co earns the top grade here: $99 a year, with no jump at renewal, the lowest yearly price on this list.
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Number one here

1. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for the smallest annual bill we rank here

$99 a year, flat

Our mark 9.6 out of 10

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

South Carolina Registered Agent.co puts its in-state street address on file as the company's registered office and scans served legal papers to you.

On a three-year bill it comes in under Mainstay Filing, and that is a heavily weighted criterion for us.

In the price

  • A state street address on file as the registered office
  • Scans of legal papers served on the company wait in your account

Pros

  • Also forms LLCs, first agent year free
  • A lower yearly price than Mainstay Filing
  • $99 annually with no renewal bump

Less good

  • Made for South Carolina; other states need their own agent
Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the South Carolina Registered Agent.co launch review
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Best for multi-state companies

2. Mainstay Filing: best for all fifty states

$149 a year, flat

Our mark 9.4 out of 10

Next up is Mainstay Filing: the price stays $149 a year if you stay put or expand, and your first three government letters each year are scanned free.

South Carolina Registered Agent.co is $150 lower across three years, which puts Mainstay Filing behind it on cost.

In the price

  • A registered office street address in any state you need
  • Anything served on the company scanned the same business day at no fee
  • Your first three government letters each year, scanned free
  • Compliance reminders

Pros

  • $149 a year and it does not rise
  • Your first three government letters each year are scanned free
  • Papers served on the company are scanned the same business day, free
  • Works for LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits

Less good

  • The agent plan alone costs $50 a year more than South Carolina Registered Agent.co
  • Without the formation package, you file the annual report yourself
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Mainstay Filing launch review
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Built for South Carolina

3. SC Registered Agent.org: best for South Carolina specialists

$99 a year, flat

Our mark 9.1 out of 10

Rounding out the list is SC Registered Agent.org: a South Carolina specialist at $99 a year, supplying an in-state street address for the registered office.

Your registered office becomes SC Registered Agent.org's street address in the state, and you read anything served on the company as a scan online.

Nothing in the published price or features separates South Carolina Registered Agent.co from SC Registered Agent.org; go with whichever you like.

In the price

  • A state street address on file as the registered office
  • Papers served on the company are scanned and sent to your account

Pros

  • LLC formation with year-one agent service included
  • A $99 yearly plan with a steady renewal price
  • Costs less per year than Mainstay Filing

Less good

  • Made for South Carolina; other states need their own agent
Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the SC Registered Agent.org launch review

The 3 grades at a glance

Place Company Launch grade Per year At renewal Best fit Go
1 South Carolina Registered Agent.co 9.6 $99 $99/yr The lowest yearly price among the picks we rank here Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing 9.4 $149 $149/yr An agent for every state you may enter Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 SC Registered Agent.org 9.1 $99 $99/yr The lowest yearly price among the picks we rank here Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Each grade out of 10 reflects our editors' reading of the weighted criteria on How we rank, not a customer rating.

South Carolina registered agent cost in 2026: first year, renewals, three-year total

Company Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Three years, total Renewal price matches
South Carolina Registered Agent.co $99 $99 $99 $297 Yes
Mainstay Filing $149 $149 $149 $447 Yes
SC Registered Agent.org $99 $99 $99 $297 Yes
Prices were copied from each company's own pages on November 12, 2026. South Carolina's own fees do not change with your choice of agent.

The thinking behind the order

Launchwise Review puts 26% on cost to launch and stay and 26% on launch paperwork handled, then spreads 48% over renewal behavior, state match and price transparency. For South Carolina, the call came down to cost to launch and stay.

South Carolina Registered Agent.co comes to $297 over three years, $150 under Mainstay Filing. A launch that only needs an agent in South Carolina gets little from fifty-state reach, so the lower yearly price took it.

Every criterion and weight is listed on How we rank.

South Carolina registered agent rules, straight from South Carolina Secretary of State

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

What is left to do in South Carolina once an agent is named

There is no yearly LLC report in South Carolina. The one standing task is to keep a registered agent on file, since the state mails its notices there.

Quick answers about South Carolina registered agents

Do I have to line up a registered agent before launching a South Carolina LLC?

Yes. Put a registered agent with a physical South Carolina address on the paperwork, because the state will not accept an LLC without one.

What should I budget each year for a South Carolina registered agent?

Expect $99 to $149 a year, and each company keeps its price at renewal.

Could I just serve as my own registered agent?

Often yes, if you meet the state's conditions. 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 are graded on this page?

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

What does a registered agent handle?

Think of the registered agent as the company's mailing address for the state and the courts: lawsuits, subpoenas and official notices land there first. The agent passes them to you, and every plan on this page uploads scans to your account.

Which South Carolina registered agent should a new company pick first?

South Carolina Registered Agent.co, because a flat $99 a year, with scans of papers served on the company in your account.

Read next

Sources and dates

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