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Formation Rated

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

LLC service ratings · South Dakota

3 Best LLC Services in South Dakota (2026)

From the Formation Rated editorial team
Formation Rated's 2026 ratings for LLC services in South Dakota, highest first: South Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and SD Registered Agent.org ($199). South Dakota Registered Agent.co holds the top rating: South Dakota formation at $199 beyond the state's amount, first agent year included, then $99 a year for the agent.
Position1
Our top pick in South Dakota

1. South Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for a South Dakota LLC that will not expand

$199 to form, $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

Our score9.4out of 10

South Dakota Registered Agent.co is rated first: $199 to form, state fee on top, then $99 a year for the agent.

The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.

The annual report sits outside its published prices; you file it with South Dakota yourself every year.

Over three years it sums lower than Mainstay Filing, and cost is one of our two heaviest criteria.

What you get

  • Articles prepared and filed
  • A year of registered agent service at the start

Pros

  • $99 per year to keep the agent
  • Registered agent service for year one is included
  • $199 service fee and the filing fee

Trade-offs

  • The annual report is not on its price list
  • EIN application billed at $99
Position2
Best bundle

2. Mainstay Filing: best for formation, agent and annual report on a single line

$199 a year plus the state fee, $349 due at checkout

Our score9.1out of 10

Mainstay Filing is rated second: the South Dakota formation, the registered agent and the annual report are bundled into $199 a year.

Mainstay files the annual report at each renewal. The state's line is $55 every year, due due during the entity's anniversary month, with $50 added if late, and Mainstay passes that fee on at cost.

South Dakota Registered Agent.co is $200 cheaper on the three-year sum, and that lowers Mainstay Filing's cost rating.

What you get

  • LLC formation filed on your behalf
  • Registered agent service for the whole year
  • Annual report prepared and filed
  • EIN application

Pros

  • South Dakota's fee goes through at cost
  • EIN application is in the package
  • One $199 yearly line that includes the annual report
  • $199 on renewal with no extras

Trade-offs

  • Agent renews $100 a year above South Dakota Registered Agent.co
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. The Mainstay Filing entry
Position3
Lower renewal than Mainstay

3. SD Registered Agent.org: best for staying local in South Dakota

$199 to form, $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

Our score8.9out of 10

SD Registered Agent.org is rated third: $199 to form, state fee on top, then $99 a year for the agent.

The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.

The annual report sits outside its published prices; you file it with South Dakota yourself every year.

Nothing in the published amounts or features separates South Dakota Registered Agent.co from SD Registered Agent.org; take either.

What you get

  • Articles prepared and filed
  • A year of registered agent service at the start

Pros

  • The first registered agent year is covered
  • Then $99 yearly for the agent
  • Formation line of $199, plus the state's fee

Trade-offs

  • The annual report is not on its price list
  • EIN application billed at $99
Visit SD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. The SD Registered Agent.org entry

The 3 ratings summarized

LineServiceRatingService feeYear twoBest forOpen
1 South Dakota Registered Agent.co 9.4 $199 $99/yr A South Dakota-only LLC counting every dollar Visit South Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing 9.1 $199 $199/yr Formation, agent and annual report on one line Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 SD Registered Agent.org 8.9 $199 $99/yr A South Dakota-only LLC counting every dollar Visit SD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Every rating out of 10 here is an editorial judgment from the criteria explained on How we rank, not an average of customer ratings.

South Dakota LLC service amounts for 2026: year one, renewal and three-year sum

ServiceYear oneYear twoYear threeThree-year sumAnnual report filed by them
South Dakota Registered Agent.co$199$99$99$397No
Mainstay Filing$199$199$199$597Yes
SD Registered Agent.org$199$99$99$397No
Each amount was read from the company's own site on November 12, 2026. South Dakota's $150 filing fee is paid in addition to each line and sits outside these sums.

What decided the order

Weights: 27% cost over years one to three, 27% inclusions per price, 46% shared by renewal price and terms, fit with state rules and price clarity. Cost over years one to three decided South Dakota.

South Dakota Registered Agent.co sums to $397 across three years, $200 below Mainstay Filing. Mainstay would also file the annual report, but an owner can file it directly for the state fee alone, so the lower amount decided the rating.

Each criterion and its weight is listed on How we rank.

South Dakota LLC formation: official amount and form

Filing the Articles of Organization costs $150, paid to the South Dakota Secretary of State. Each service here passes that amount through at cost, added to its own.

State processing time: Paper 1 to 3 business days; online processed immediately.

Ongoing items for a South Dakota LLC

Plan on the annual report every year; the date is due during the entity's anniversary month. State amount: $55. Late: $50 extra. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

South Dakota LLC service: your questions

What are the total costs to form an LLC in South Dakota?

$150 to the state plus $199 to the service.

What is the formation document called?

It is the Articles of Organization, lodged with the South Dakota Secretary of State.

How long does South Dakota take to process a new LLC?

The filing office reports: Paper 1 to 3 business days; online processed immediately.

Is a registered agent a requirement for a South Dakota LLC?

Yes. South Dakota wants a registered agent on file at all times, with a physical street address in the state.

Which filings recur each year for a South Dakota LLC?

One line item: the annual report, every year, due due during the entity's anniversary month, fee $55.

Is the EIN application a separate charge?

Mainstay Filing includes it in the yearly price. South Dakota Registered Agent.co and SD Registered Agent.org charge $99 separately. At the IRS the EIN itself costs nothing.

Which LLC service holds the top rating in South Dakota?

South Dakota Registered Agent.co, as $199 plus the South Dakota filing fee, first-year registered agent service included, then $99 a year.

Source lines

  1. South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services / Corporations Division (ledger date August 2026)
  2. South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services / Corporations Division (ledger date August 2026)
  3. South Dakota yearly filing: Annual report: fee and how, official source (ledger date October 2026)
  4. South Dakota report due date (ledger date August 2026)
  5. SDCL 47-34A-203 (ledger date August 2026)
  6. South Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source (ledger date October 2026)
  7. South Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source (ledger date October 2026)
  8. South Dakota registered agent statute (ledger date October 2026)
  9. Processing, official source (ledger date October 2026)
  10. South Dakota Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026
  11. Mainstay Filing, South Dakota service page: amounts read November 12, 2026
  12. SD Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026