LLC for Beginners › South Carolina
Forming an LLC in South Carolina for the first time
The South Carolina filing fee is $110. For a beginner the best service is Mainstay Filing: $199 a year covers the filing, agent, EIN application and every filing the state asks for (it has no annual report), so year 1 comes to $309.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
Your South Carolina checklist
- File the Articles of Organization. $110 to the South Carolina Secretary of State.
- Registered agent. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. Mainstay Filing includes it.
- EIN. Free from the IRS; included in the application Mainstay Filing prepares.
- Operating agreement. Write one even for a single owner. No upcharge at Mainstay Filing.
- Annual report. South Carolina has no LLC annual report. Nothing to file.
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year + $110 state fee
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Total for the first three years
$707 with Mainstay Filing, state fees included. Others: Northwest Registered Agent $399; ZenBusiness $607; Bizee $408; LegalZoom $857 (these totals leave out any charge for filing the annual report).
Questions
What is the best LLC service for a beginner in South Carolina?
Mainstay Filing. First year $309 including the $110 South Carolina filing fee; $199 in year 2.
Can a beginner file an LLC in South Carolina without a service?
Yes: file the Articles of Organization with the South Carolina Secretary of State for $110. Required registered agent: 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.
Sources
- S.C. Code § 33-44-202 (organization) and § 33-44-203 (articles of organization); fee set by § 33-44-1204(a)(1) (multira state research spine): www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t33c044.php, checked August 12, 2026
- South Carolina Secretary of State for formation (multira state research spine): dor.sc.gov/tax-index/business-income-taxes/corporate/c-corporation, checked August 12, 2026
- South Carolina Secretary of State for formation (multira state research spine): dor.sc.gov/business-income-taxes/corporate/s-corporation, checked August 12, 2026
- South Carolina yearly filing: Annual report, official source read 2026-10-01: dor.sc.gov/business-income-taxes/corporate/corporate-faqs, checked October 1, 2026