How to Change Your Registered Agent in South Carolina

Changing your registered agent in South Carolina is straightforward and affordable. The state charges just $10 to update your information, one of the lowest change fees in the country. Whether you're switching due to service quality concerns, privacy considerations, or cost factors, updating your registered agent is a standard business administrative action.

Why Businesses Change Their Registered Agent

There are numerous legitimate reasons to update your registered agent:

Privacy Protection: If you've been serving as your own registered agent, your personal address is on public record with the South Carolina Secretary of State. Switching to a professional service removes your personal address from public view and reduces unwanted solicitation.

Service Quality Issues: If your current agent provides slow document forwarding, unreliable communication, or inconsistent availability, these deficiencies can put your business at risk. Professional registered agent service requires consistent execution.

Compliance Concerns: Missing documents or delayed forwarding can result in missed deadlines, default judgments, or compliance issues. Reliable document handling is essential for maintaining good standing.

Cost Considerations: Many registered agent services charge $125 to $436 per year. If you're paying premium prices without receiving corresponding value, switching to more affordable professional service makes financial sense.

Business Structure Changes: Moving out of state, closing a South Carolina office, or restructuring your business operations may require updating your registered agent arrangement.

Administrative Efficiency: If you've been managing registered agent duties internally, you may determine that professional service provides better operational efficiency.

Steps to Change Your Registered Agent in South Carolina

The process is efficient:

1. Choose a New Registered Agent Who Meets South Carolina Requirements

Your new registered agent must meet South Carolina's standards. Individual agents must be at least 18 years old with a physical South Carolina address. Business entity agents must be authorized to operate in South Carolina. The agent must maintain a physical street address (no PO boxes) and be available during standard business hours, 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday.

2. File the Change Form with the South Carolina Secretary of State

South Carolina provides a registered agent change form that you'll submit to update your business records. The form typically requires your business name, entity ID, the name and address of your new registered agent, and the effective date of the change.

3. Pay the $10 Filing Fee

South Carolina charges just $10 to process the registered agent change, one of the lowest fees in the country. This is a one-time cost paid to the state.

4. Confirm the Change in State Records

Once the South Carolina Secretary of State processes your form, the update will appear in your business record. You can verify the change by checking your business status online through the state's business filing portal.

Why Switch to South Carolina Registered Agent?

We built our service around compliance expertise and operational reliability:

Same-Day Document Forwarding: When we receive a document for your business, we scan and send it to you the same day. You receive maximum time to respond to legal matters and official correspondence.

Privacy Protection: Our Columbia address appears on your public business filings instead of your personal or primary business address, maintaining your privacy and reducing unwanted solicitation.

Compliance Monitoring: We forward all correspondence from the South Carolina Secretary of State immediately, keeping you informed of any compliance requirements specific to your business structure.

Online Document Portal: Access all your documents anytime through our secure online platform. Review history, download files, and manage your account from any location.

Professional Standards: We maintain consistent availability during all required business hours. You can rely on professional execution of registered agent duties.

Transparent Pricing: $99 per year covers everything. No setup fees, no hidden charges, no tiered pricing structures.

Making the Switch Is Efficient

We handle registered agent changes regularly and ensure smooth transitions:

Sign Up: Complete our enrollment process, which takes just a few minutes. Provide your business information and confirm your service details.

We'll Provide the Forms: Once you're enrolled, we'll provide the change form and instructions for filing with the South Carolina Secretary of State.

File with the State: Submit the form along with the $10 state filing fee to update your registered agent information.

Start Receiving Service: Once the South Carolina Secretary of State processes the change, we'll begin accepting documents on your behalf. You'll receive immediate alerts when documents arrive.

The entire process typically takes just a few days from enrollment to full activation.

What Happens to Documents During the Transition?

While your change is being processed, documents may still be sent to your previous registered agent. If you were serving as your own agent, continue monitoring your registered address until the transition is complete and confirmed in state records.

Once the South Carolina Secretary of State updates your business record, all new documents will be delivered to South Carolina Registered Agent, and we'll handle them with our same-day scanning and forwarding service.

The Cost of Switching

Here's the complete cost structure:

• State filing fee: $10 (one-time, paid to South Carolina)
• Our annual service: $99/year (no setup fees or hidden charges)

Transparent pricing with no complications.

Get Started Today

If your current registered agent arrangement isn't meeting professional standards, switching is straightforward and affordable. For $99 per year, you get professional document handling, privacy protection, and compliance monitoring built around expertise and reliability.

Ready to make the change? Sign up today and establish professional registered agent service for your South Carolina business.