Foreign registration ratings · South Carolina
3 Best Foreign Registration Services in South Carolina (2026)
1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies registered in more than one state
$199 plus the state fee ($309 due at checkout), then the agent at $149 a year after year one
Mainstay Filing is rated first: $199 on top of the state's fee, with year one as registered agent free and the same amount in every state.
Year one of agent service costs nothing, and afterward the agent is $149 a year in whichever state.
On three-year sums Mainstay is $100 above South Carolina Registered Agent.co; the wider coverage justifies that gap in the rating.
What you get
- Foreign registration filed on your behalf
- No-fee scans of service of process on the day it is received
Pros
- The same amount in all fifty states
- Same-business-day scans of service of process, no fee
- $199 service fee, state fee separate
Trade-offs
- Agent renewal of $149 is $50 over South Carolina Registered Agent.co
2. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for adding South Carolina and nothing else
Service fee $199, state fee on top; agent $99 a year after that
South Carolina Registered Agent.co is rated second: $199 on top of the state fee to register in South Carolina, agent at $99 afterward.
The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.
What you get
- South Carolina registration filed for you
- First-year registered agent service
Pros
- $99 per year to keep the agent
- A $199 registration amount before the state fee
- The first registered agent year is covered
Trade-offs
- South Carolina only; your home state needs its own agent
- EIN application billed at $99
3. SC Registered Agent.org: best for South Carolina registrations only
Service fee $199, state fee on top; agent $99 a year after that
SC Registered Agent.org is rated third: $199 on top of the state fee to register in South Carolina, agent at $99 afterward.
The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.
On amounts and features alone, South Carolina Registered Agent.co and SC Registered Agent.org are the same, which makes the order between them a close call.
What you get
- South Carolina registration filed for you
- The first year as your registered agent
Pros
- $199 to register, state fee on top
- Year-two agent amount: $99
- Includes year one as your registered agent
Trade-offs
- South Carolina only; your home state needs its own agent
- EIN application billed at $99
The 3 ratings summarized
| Line | Service | Rating | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.2 | $199 | $149/yr | Companies that register in several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | South Carolina Registered Agent.co | 8.8 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal we rank here | Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | SC Registered Agent.org | 8.6 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal we rank here | Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
South Carolina foreign registration service amounts for 2026: year one, renewal and three-year sum
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year sum | Agent paid for year one |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Not stated |
| South Carolina Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
| SC Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
How the lines were rated
Formation Rated puts 27% on cost over years one to three, 27% on inclusions per price and the other 46% on renewal price and terms, fit with state rules and price clarity. In South Carolina the order came down to inclusions per price.
A foreign registration involves two states, and one provider with one amount in both rated highest on coverage, ahead of South Carolina Registered Agent.co.
Each criterion and its weight is listed on How we rank.
South Carolina foreign LLC registration: amount, form and office
A company from another state registers by lodging the Application for a Certificate of Authority by a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form F0008) with the South Carolina Secretary of State; the state amount is $110. South Carolina also needs certificate of existence from the home-state Secretary of State, issued inside 30 days of the filing.
South Carolina sets no yearly report for foreign LLCs.
Have these ready
- Certificate of existence from the home-state Secretary of State, issued within 30 days before the filing.
- Home-state legal name, spelled exactly, and the formation date.
- An in-state registered agent; every service rated here can fill the role.
- $110 to the state, paid with the filing.
What skipping South Carolina registration costs
An unregistered outside LLC may not sue in South Carolina courts until it registers (S.C. Code 33-44-1008(a)). Contracts it signs remain valid (S.C. Code 33-44-1008(b)).
South Carolina foreign registration service: your questions
Is registration compulsory for an outside LLC doing business in South Carolina?
Yes, once it does business there. An unregistered company cannot bring suit in the state's courts.
What are the costs of foreign registration in South Carolina?
$110 to the state plus $199 to the service.
What form does South Carolina use to register a foreign LLC?
the South Carolina Secretary of State handles it; the form's exact title is on the facts line above.
Must the filing include a home-state certificate for South Carolina?
Yes: certificate of existence from the home-state Secretary of State, with an issue date within 30 days.
Must a registered agent stay on file after registering?
Yes. A registered agent with a street address in the state stays on record.
Which foreign registration service holds the top rating in South Carolina?
Mainstay Filing, as the South Carolina registration costs $199, and the registered agent is free for year one and $149 a year after.
Source lines
- S.C. Code § 33-44-202 and § 33-44-203 (ledger date August 2026)
- South Carolina Business Entities Online (ledger date October 2026)
- SC Secretary of State, business entity FAQs (ledger date October 2026)
- SC Department of Revenue, corporate FAQs (ledger date October 2026)
- S.C. Code Title 33, Chapter 44, Uniform Limited Liability Company Act (ledger date November 2026)
- Mainstay Filing, South Carolina service page: amounts read November 12, 2026
- South Carolina Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026
- SC Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026