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Filing Verdict

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

Registered agent verdict · South Carolina

3 Best Registered Agents in South Carolina (2026)

Filing Verdict's 2026 verdict on registered agents in South Carolina: 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 takes first place: $99 a year, flat, with served legal papers scanned and sent to you online.
The Filing Verdict editorial team
Number one here
Spot 1

1. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for the lowest yearly fee on this list

$99 per year, flat

9.6Editorial score
out of 10

South Carolina Registered Agent.co wins here: $99 a year, unchanged at renewal, and the lowest yearly price on this list.

Your registered office address comes from South Carolina Registered Agent.co, and legal papers served there are scanned to your online account.

Over three years it comes in under Mainstay Filing, and cost is one of our two heaviest criteria.

What you get

  • A state street address listed as the registered office
  • Scans of any served legal papers, available in your online account

What we like

  • Also forms LLCs, with year-one agent service included
  • Beats Mainstay Filing on yearly price
  • $99 annually, flat at renewal

Cons

  • Built for South Carolina; other states need a separate agent
Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full South Carolina Registered Agent.co verdict
Best for growing companies
Spot 2

2. Mainstay Filing: best for all fifty states

$149 per year, flat

9.2Editorial score
out of 10

Second place goes to Mainstay Filing: $149 a year whether the company stays put or expands, and the first three government mailings each year are scanned free.

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

What you get

  • A street address in the state, on the public record
  • Any legal papers served on the company are scanned the same business day for free
  • The first three government mailings each year scanned free
  • Compliance reminders

What we like

  • Three government mailings a year scanned free
  • $149 a year, unchanged at renewal
  • Same-business-day scans of served papers, free
  • Serves LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits

Cons

  • The agent alone runs $50 a year above South Carolina Registered Agent.co
  • You file your own annual report unless you buy the formation package
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full Mainstay Filing verdict
Local South Carolina agent
Spot 3

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

$99 per year, flat

9.0Editorial score
out of 10

Third place goes to SC Registered Agent.org: $99 a year, unchanged at renewal, and the lowest yearly price on this list.

With SC Registered Agent.org, the registered office address sits in the state, and anything served on the company is scanned and sent to you online.

Nothing in the published prices or features divides South Carolina Registered Agent.co from SC Registered Agent.org; pick either.

What you get

  • A state street address listed as the registered office
  • Papers served on the company are scanned and posted to your online account

What we like

  • Cheaper per year than Mainstay Filing
  • A $99 yearly plan that holds its price
  • LLC formation available, first agent year free

Cons

  • Built for South Carolina; other states need a separate agent
Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full SC Registered Agent.org verdict

The 3 verdicts at a glance

No.ServiceVerdict scoreYearly priceRenewalBest forVisit
1South Carolina Registered Agent.co9.6$99$99/yrThe lowest yearly price we rank here Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing9.2$149$149/yrAn agent that works in all fifty states Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3SC Registered Agent.org9.0$99$99/yrThe lowest yearly price we rank here Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Scores come from Filing Verdict's editors, out of 10, using the criteria explained on How we rank; they are not customer ratings.

South Carolina registered agent prices for 2026: year one, renewals and three years

ServiceYear 1Year 2Year 3Total, 3 yearsRenewal price unchanged
South Carolina Registered Agent.co$99$99$99$297Yes
Mainstay Filing$149$149$149$447Yes
SC Registered Agent.org$99$99$99$297Yes
Prices were read from each company's own pages on November 12, 2026. South Carolina's fees do not depend on which agent you choose.

The reasoning behind the order

Two criteria lead Filing Verdict's method at 35% apiece: total over three years and paperwork the price handles. Renewal behavior, match to the state and up-front pricing share the other 30%, and South Carolina came down to total over three years.

South Carolina Registered Agent.co totals $297 over three years, $150 under Mainstay Filing. A company that needs an agent in South Carolina only gains little from fifty-state coverage, so the lower yearly price decided it.

The full list of criteria and weights is on How we rank.

South Carolina registered agent requirements, 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. Citation: S.C. Code § 33-44-108.

Yearly filings after you name an agent in South Carolina

South Carolina asks for no yearly LLC report. The one standing duty is keeping a registered agent on file, and the state's notices go to that address.

South Carolina registered agent: questions answered

Must a South Carolina LLC have a registered agent?

Yes. South Carolina requires every LLC to keep a registered agent on file, and the agent needs a street address in the state.

What do South Carolina registered agents charge each year?

The prices run $99 to $149 a year, and every service keeps its price at renewal.

May I act as my own registered agent?

Only 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 ranked on this page?

South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), from first place to last.

What is the registered agent's job?

The registered agent is the company's official address for lawsuits, subpoenas and state notices. It receives them and passes them on, and every plan on this page scans them to you online.

Which registered agent is the best value in South Carolina?

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

Keep reading

Sources and dates

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