How to Form an LLC in South Carolina (2026)
We prepare and file your South Carolina Articles of Organization for $199 flat, plus the state's $110 filing fee. Every South Carolina LLC also needs a registered agent on file, and your first year of ours is included; after that it's $99/year.
A South Carolina LLC begins with one document, the Articles of Organization, filed with the South Carolina Secretary of State for an official state fee of $110. After that the ongoing obligations are among the lightest in the country: keep a registered agent on file, and skip the annual report entirely, because standard South Carolina LLCs do not file one. Here is the full process, fee by fee and step by step.
Launch Your South Carolina LLC
Hand off the filing for $199. Our team prepares the Articles of Organization, files them in Columbia, and acts as your registered agent for twelve months at no added cost.
The Case for a South Carolina LLC
A limited liability company shields the owner's house, savings, and vehicle from most business liabilities. Among South Carolina small companies, owners choose LLCs over corporations when they want that protection without stock records and board formalities.
South Carolina LLC Filing Fee: $110
The official South Carolina filing fee for Articles of Organization is $110, fixed by S.C. Code § 33-44-1204(a)(1), which prices the filing at "one hundred ten dollars." The Secretary of State's forms list shows the same $110 whether you file through Business Entities Online or on paper; online is simply faster and lets you fix errors before the filing is accepted.
You can file electronically or mail the paper form. Online submissions are generally the quicker path, and the state does not publish a guaranteed processing timeline for either.
The Articles of Organization (South Carolina's Formation Document)
South Carolina's founding document is the Articles of Organization (Domestic Limited Liability Company). The Secretary of State assigns it no form number; the official forms list identifies it by name, by its statutes (§§ 33-44-202 and 33-44-203), and by its $110 fee. Under § 33-44-202, formation happens when one or more persons deliver articles of organization to the Secretary of State's office for filing.
The form records:
- The LLC's name, with a required LLC designator
- The designated office address in South Carolina
- The registered agent's name and street address
- The management structure, member-managed or manager-managed
- Organizer names and signatures
The paper version is available from the state's Downloadable Paper Forms page under Starting a Business in South Carolina, and the statute text is on the State House site.
South Carolina LLC Pricing
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| Official state filing fee (Articles of Organization) | $110 one-time |
| Registered agent (required for every South Carolina LLC) | Year one included; $99/year after |
| Annual report | None for standard LLCs |
We charge $199 for the filing, and a first agent year is bundled in. The South Carolina Secretary of State collects the state fee directly. From year two, the agent runs $99 a year.
Important South Carolina notes: a standard LLC, taxed as a partnership or disregarded entity, files no annual report with the Secretary of State. Only an LLC electing corporate taxation files the one-time Form CL-1 initial report ($25 minimum License Fee) and an annual report schedule with its Department of Revenue returns. See our annual report page for details.
South Carolina LLC Formation Steps
- Choose your LLC name. Include an LLC indicator and make sure the name is distinguishable from entities already registered. Search the Secretary of State's records before committing. Names implying banking, insurance, trust, or government ties need separate authorization.
- Appoint your registered agent. Under S.C. Code § 33-44-108, the agent must be an individual South Carolina resident, a domestic corporation, another LLC, or an authorized foreign company, at a street address in the state. Whatever you list becomes public record; we list our own office there instead (no agent charge during year one if we filed your Articles; $99 yearly afterward).
- File the Articles of Organization. Submit online through Business Entities Online or mail two copies of the paper form, with the $110 fee either way. Approval is what makes the LLC a legal entity.
- Adopt an operating agreement. The state does not ask for one, but banks and co-owners will. It sets ownership shares, profit flow, decision rights, and exit terms; without one, the default rules of the state's LLC statute fill the gaps.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. Free at IRS.gov, roughly ten minutes. Banks, payroll, and federal filings all require it. Never pay a third party for one.
- Keep up ongoing compliance. Maintain your registered agent continuously, keep business and personal finances separate, and file federal and state taxes on schedule. There is no annual report to calendar for a standard LLC.
Falling behind on any of these puts the liability shield at risk. If you would rather not manage the filing, we prepare and submit the South Carolina Articles of Organization from start to finish for $199.
The South Carolina Registered Agent Rule
The agent requirement in § 33-44-108 applies to every South Carolina LLC for its entire life. The agent must:
- Maintain a street address in South Carolina (a PO box alone does not qualify)
- Receive lawsuits and legal notices at that in-state address
- Pass along legal mail and state notices promptly
Note the statute's wording: a qualifying agent can be "another limited liability company," which means your LLC cannot name itself. Self-listing as an individual also puts your address into the Secretary of State's searchable public record. Our service keeps your address off the formation document, and the first year of that costs nothing when our team prepares your Articles.
FAQs
How much does it cost to form an LLC in South Carolina?
The official state filing fee is $110, set by statute, the same online or on paper; filing online through Business Entities Online is the faster route. There is no annual report fee afterward for standard LLCs.
How long does it take to form an LLC in South Carolina?
The state does not publish a guaranteed timeline. Online filings through Business Entities Online generally process faster than mailed paperwork.
Does South Carolina require an annual report?
No. Standard LLCs file no annual report with the South Carolina Secretary of State. Only LLCs electing corporate taxation file the one-time CL-1 and an annual report schedule with their tax returns.
Do I need a registered agent for my South Carolina LLC?
Yes. The requirement is unconditional: an agent meeting the criteria of § 33-44-108, at a South Carolina street address, from formation onward.
Can I form an LLC in South Carolina if I live in another state?
Yes. Non-residents form South Carolina LLCs without extra steps. What must be local is the agent, and that's precisely what we provide, the first year at no charge with our formation.
File Your South Carolina LLC With Our Help
Filing on your own through the South Carolina Secretary of State works fine; the $110 official fee goes to the state either way, and a registered agent must still be on file. If you would rather hand it off, we prepare and file the Articles of Organization, list our South Carolina address in the agent section, and scan your documents the day they arrive.
Need only a registered agent? The registered agent product runs $99 a year.
Questions about South Carolina LLC formation or how the agent role works? Visit the FAQ page or send a message via contact.
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