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Formation Rated

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

Registered agent ratings · South Carolina

3 Best Registered Agents in South Carolina (2026)

From the Formation Rated editorial team
Formation Rated's 2026 ratings for registered agents in South Carolina, highest first: South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year). South Carolina Registered Agent.co holds the top rating: $99 a year, flat, with online scans of legal papers served.
Position1
Best here

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

$99 a year, level on renewal

Our score9.5out of 10

South Carolina Registered Agent.co is rated first: $99 a year, level on renewal, the lowest yearly price on this list.

South Carolina Registered Agent.co provides the registered office address inside the state and uploads scans of whatever is served there.

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

What you get

  • The in-state address the state requires on file
  • Legal papers served on the company reach you as online scans

Pros

  • $99 annually, no renewal increase
  • A smaller yearly line than Mainstay Filing
  • LLC formation offered, with year-one agent service

Trade-offs

  • South Carolina only; other states need another agent
Position2
Best all-in coverage

2. Mainstay Filing: best for any state

$149 a year, level on renewal

Our score9.2out of 10

Mainstay Filing is rated second: $149 for a plan that applies in every state, $149 on renewal.

South Carolina Registered Agent.co is $150 cheaper on the three-year sum, and that lowers Mainstay Filing's cost rating.

What you get

  • A street address in the state on the public record
  • Papers served on the company scanned and uploaded within the business day, free of charge
  • Free scans of the first three government mailings each year
  • Compliance reminders

Pros

  • Accepts LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits
  • $149 a year, level on renewal
  • Same-business-day scans of service of process, no fee
  • Government mail scanned free, first three pieces a year

Trade-offs

  • Agent alone is $50 a year above South Carolina Registered Agent.co
  • Filing the annual report requires the formation package
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. The Mainstay Filing entry
Position3
Built for South Carolina

3. SC Registered Agent.org: best for businesses in South Carolina

$99 a year, level on renewal

Our score8.9out of 10

SC Registered Agent.org is rated third: $99 a year, level on renewal, the lowest yearly price on this list.

The registered office is an in-state street address from SC Registered Agent.org; anything served on the company is scanned for your account.

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

What you get

  • The in-state address the state requires on file
  • Scans of legal papers served on the company, posted online

Pros

  • Yearly amount under Mainstay Filing's
  • Also forms LLCs and includes the first agent year
  • $99 per year and the same at renewal

Trade-offs

  • South Carolina only; other states need another agent
Visit SC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. The SC Registered Agent.org entry

The 3 ratings summarized

LineServiceRatingYearly amountRenewal amountBest forOpen
1 South Carolina Registered Agent.co 9.5 $99 $99/yr The lowest yearly price we rank here Visit South Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing 9.2 $149 $149/yr A single agent in any state Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 SC Registered Agent.org 8.9 $99 $99/yr The lowest yearly price we rank here Visit SC 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 Carolina registered agent amounts for 2026: year one, renewal and three-year sum

ServiceYear oneYear twoYear threeThree-year sumSame amount on renewal
South Carolina Registered Agent.co$99$99$99$297Yes
Mainstay Filing$149$149$149$447Yes
SC Registered Agent.org$99$99$99$297Yes
Each amount was read from the company's own site on November 12, 2026. South Carolina's own fees are identical for every agent named.

Reasoning behind 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 Carolina.

South Carolina Registered Agent.co sums to $297 across three years, $150 below Mainstay Filing. For a company that needs an agent in South Carolina only, fifty-state coverage adds little, so the lower yearly amount decided the rating.

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

South Carolina registered agent requirements per 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. Authority cited: S.C. Code § 33-44-108.

South Carolina: is there a yearly report?

South Carolina has no yearly LLC report. The standing item is the registered agent on record, and the state's notices go to that address.

South Carolina registered agent: your questions

Does a South Carolina LLC need to appoint a registered agent?

It does. South Carolina treats a registered agent as a standing requirement, and the agent needs a street address within the state.

What is the yearly price of a registered agent in South Carolina?

Yearly amounts run $99 to $149, and each holds on renewal.

Is it permitted to be your own registered agent?

Yes, when the state's conditions are met. 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 rated on this page?

South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), highest rated first.

What does the registered agent handle?

The registered agent is the official recipient of lawsuits, subpoenas and state notices for the company. It takes delivery and forwards them, and every plan rated here scans them to your account.

Which South Carolina registered agent has the best value rating?

South Carolina Registered Agent.co, as a South Carolina specialist at $99 a year, providing an in-state registered office street address.

Source lines

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