Rank1
Top pick on this page
1. SC Registered Agent.org: best for the smallest yearly fee on this list
$99 yearly, unchanged
Editor score9.5out of 10
SC Registered Agent.org takes the top spot because it is built for South Carolina companies, at $99 a year with an in-state street address as the registered office.
SC Registered Agent.org stands in as the company's registered office, so there is a real in-state street address, and each legal paper served is scanned and sent to you.
It costs less than Mainstay Filing over three years, and cost is one of our two heaviest criteria.
In the price
- A registered office with a street address in the state
- Anything served on the company is scanned and posted to your account
Good
- A yearly plan at $99 that does not rise
- Also files LLC formations, agent year one included
- Yearly cost below Mainstay Filing
Watch for
- Made for South Carolina; another state needs a different agent
Mainstay Filing makes the list at number two because the price is $149 a year whether you stay in one state or add more, with three government letters a year scanned at no charge.
SC Registered Agent.org undercuts it by $150 across three years, which leaves Mainstay Filing second on cost.
In the price
- A registered office street address in whichever state you need
- Papers served on the company scanned free on the day they arrive
- Three government letters a year scanned free
- Compliance reminders
Good
- Free scans of three government letters each year
- $149 a year, and it holds at renewal
- Takes LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits
- Papers served on the company are scanned the same business day at no charge
Watch for
- The agent alone is $50 a year more than SC Registered Agent.org
- Unless you buy the formation package, the annual report is yours to file
South Carolina Registered Agent.co makes the list at number three because it is built for South Carolina companies, at $99 a year with an in-state street address as the registered office.
South Carolina Registered Agent.co provides the state street address on the public record and sends you scans of any legal papers served there.
We found no difference in price or features between SC Registered Agent.org and South Carolina Registered Agent.co; choose whichever you prefer.
In the price
- A state street address on file as the registered office
- Papers served on the company are scanned into your online account
Good
- A lower yearly price than Mainstay Filing
- LLC formation available with a free first agent year
- $99 per year, flat across renewals
Watch for
- Made for South Carolina; another state needs a different agent
The 3 picks side by side
Each number out of 10 is our own mark, drawn from the weighted criteria on How we rank, and not a customer rating.
South Carolina registered agent pricing in 2026: first year, renewals, three-year total
Every price comes from the company's own pages as of November 12, 2026. South Carolina's own fees stay the same whichever agent you pick.
What decided the order
Filing Shortlist puts 28% of the weight on three-year price and 28% on what the price covers. The remaining 44% goes to renewal terms, fit for the state and price clarity, and for South Carolina the deciding factor was three-year price.
SC Registered Agent.org adds up to $297 over three years, which is $150 below Mainstay Filing. A company with a South Carolina agent need gains little from fifty-state reach, so the smaller yearly price settled it.
Every criterion and weight is set out on How we rank.
South Carolina registered agent rules from South Carolina Secretary of State
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. Statute: S.C. Code § 33-44-108.
What South Carolina expects after you appoint an agent
South Carolina does not ask for a yearly LLC report. What remains is keeping a registered agent on record, since the state sends its notices there.
Common questions about South Carolina registered agents
Does the company need to name a registered agent in South Carolina?
It does. South Carolina wants each LLC to name a registered agent with a street address inside the state, and that name stays on the public record.
How much do agents in South Carolina charge per year?
Yearly prices span $99 to $149, and each company holds its price at renewal.
Can the owner be the registered agent?
Yes, 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 made this shortlist?
SC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), listed from the top pick down.
What does a registered agent actually do?
The registered agent is the company's official contact for lawsuits, subpoenas and state notices. It accepts them and forwards them, and each plan here scans them into your online account.
Which South Carolina registered agent makes the shortlist first?
SC Registered Agent.org, because the plan is $99 a year, flat, and papers served on the company reach you as online scans.
Where the figures come from
- S.C. Code § 33-44-202 and § 33-44-203 (checked again August 2026)
- Pulled from SC Registered Agent.org: pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Pulled from Mainstay Filing: South Carolina service page, November 12, 2026
- Pulled from South Carolina Registered Agent.co: pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026