3 Best Registered Agents in South Carolina (2026), No Fluff
Our 2026 ranking of registered agents in South Carolina runs Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year). An agent runs $99 to $149 for year one and $297 to $447 for three years.
Straight from the LLC Straight Talk editorial team
The short of it
The short of it
Is it required?
Yes, you have to
What the law calls it
Registered agent
What agents charge
$99 to $149 per year
Who we'd use
Mainstay Filing, SC Registered Agent.org then South Carolina Registered Agent.co
South Carolina: our ranking
The order comes from our five tests: three-year cost first, then what the price covers.
#1Our top pick
1. Mainstay Filing: best for one price in every state
Annual price $149, renewal price $149
$149 a year goes with you when the company adds a state. That's why Mainstay Filing is first.
Here's the catch: SC Registered Agent.org costs $150 less over three years, but it only works in South Carolina.
What you get
A real address in the state, on file
Scans of three government letters a year, free
Not only for LLCs: corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits too
Pluses
$149 each year, no increase
One price in all fifty states
What's not
$50 a year more than SC Registered Agent.org
You'll still file the reports
#2South Carolina specialist
2. SC Registered Agent.org: best for one-state businesses
Annual price $99, renewal price $99
You get an agent in the state for $99 a year. That puts SC Registered Agent.org second.
What you get
A local address on file
Scans of legal papers
Pluses
Annual price $99, renewal price $99
Smaller yearly bill than the national pick
What's not
A second state means a second agent
#3South Carolina specialist
3. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for another in-state choice
Annual price $99, renewal price $99
You get an agent in the state for $99 a year. That puts South Carolina Registered Agent.co third.
Price for price, it's a tie with SC Registered Agent.org.
What you get
A local address on file
Scans of legal papers
Pluses
Smaller yearly bill than the national pick
Annual price $99, renewal price $99
What's not
A second state means a second agent
The numbers
#
Company
Year one
Each year after
Three-year total
Covers
1
Mainstay Filing
$149
$149/yr
$447
A real address in the state, on file; scans of three government letters a year, free; Not only for LLCs: corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits too
Service fees only, from each company's prices on November 13, 2026. State fees are the same whoever you pick.
The questions that matter
Does the state make me have a registered agent?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
The law: S.C. Code § 33-44-108. go check scstatehouse.gov, last confirmed October 2026
Who's allowed to serve?
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.
If you qualify, name yourself and you won't pay an agent.
What does an agent cost?
You're looking at $99 to $149 a year for the services we'd use, $297 to $447 across three years.
Naming a different agent won't change any state fee.
What does an agent actually do?
Court papers and state notices for your company get delivered to its South Carolina address.
What matters is that nothing important sits there unnoticed while you're away. What's service of process?
Anything due annually?
South Carolina wants no report, so there's nothing to file.
Why this order?
Mainstay Filing scores best on jobs the price actually covers, and that test is worth 30%.
65% of the score comes from money out the door in three years and jobs the price actually covers.
The last row is our math, not the state's: filing fee, plus the reports in years two and three, plus any minimum tax. If a cost has no fixed amount, like a newspaper notice, it's explained above and left out.
Still wondering?
Can I be my own agent?
Yes, as long as you meet the state's rules on who can serve and on the address, both shown above.
Which addresses count?
The address has to be a street address in South Carolina for the agent, stated in the articles. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
What do the picks cost over three years?
Mainstay Filing will set you back $447, and SC Registered Agent.org will set you back $297, and South Carolina Registered Agent.co will set you back $297
Where do these numbers come from?
State fees come from South Carolina's official documents, and service fees come from each company's own price page. Both are dated here.
Do I have to use a service?
No. You can file with the state yourself. A service saves you time and can be your agent, but nothing makes you hire one.
What's the best registered agent in South Carolina?
Mainstay Filing is first: it's $149 a year here and exactly the same in every other state. Then comes SC Registered Agent.org and South Carolina Registered Agent.co.