3 Best Foreign Registration Services in South Carolina (2026) and What to Check
Start with this 2026 ranking of foreign registration services in South Carolina: SC Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. All of the picks pay South Carolina $110; service fees for three years run $397 to $497.
Written by the Simple Filing Guide editorial team
Start here
What you pay the state
$110
Proof from home?
Yes, it is required (30 days maximum age)
Afterward
None required
Our ranking
SC Registered Agent.org, Mainstay Filing then South Carolina Registered Agent.co
Our South Carolina shortlist
The order follows our five checks: three-year cost first, then what the price covers.
#1Recommended first
1. SC Registered Agent.org: best for registering in this state only
Service $199 plus $110 to the state; agent renewal $99
Why SC Registered Agent.org first? Because the fee is $199 with the first year of agent service included, then $99 annually.
Compare the three-year totals: it lands under Mainstay Filing, and cost is the check we weigh most.
Checklist: what is included
South Carolina registration filing
Year-one agent service
What works
Service fee of $199
No agent charge in year one
Agent renews at $99 afterward
Gaps
Covers South Carolina only, so your home state needs its own agent
The state will have collected $110 by the end of year three. verify at dor.sc.gov, as of October 2026
What registers the LLC?
The South Carolina Secretary of State handles registrations, and the Application for a Certificate of Authority by a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form F0008) is the one to file.
Enclose certificate of existence from the home-state Secretary of State issued within the last 30 days.
What do I do after the LLC registers?
Foreign LLCs file no recurring report here.
Why is number one first?
SC Registered Agent.org leads on total for three years, which carries 37% of our score.
Start with total for three years, then filing jobs included, then three smaller checks.
On cost, SC Registered Agent.org wins at $397, a saving of $100 against Mainstay Filing.
Every amount above links to its official source. The last row is our own total of the filing, two reports and any minimum tax, without variable costs like publication.
Related questions
What about the state where I formed the LLC?
Keep one at home. Mainstay Filing serves both states, and a local company serves only one.
Three years in, what has each cost?
SC Registered Agent.org adds up to $397, Mainstay Filing adds up to $497, South Carolina Registered Agent.co adds up to $397, not counting state fees.
Are the fees official?
Official South Carolina documents supply the state fees, and the companies' own pricing pages supply the service fees. Both carry dates on this page.
Do I have to use a service?
No. You can file with the state yourself; a service saves time and can act as your agent, but nothing makes you hire one.
Who submits the registration?
Yes, filing is part of what these companies sell, and the state fee does not move.
Who is your first choice in South Carolina?
Choose SC Registered Agent.org first, then compare Mainstay Filing and South Carolina Registered Agent.co.