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How to start an LLC in South Carolina: checklist (2026)
To start an LLC in South Carolina, file the Articles of Organization with the South Carolina Secretary of State for $110, name a registered agent, get a free EIN and check your local licenses. Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, does the filing, the agent, the EIN application and the report for $199 a year.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
South Carolina checklist
- File the formation document. Articles of Organization, South Carolina Secretary of State, $110.
- Name a registered agent. Required. 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.
- Get an EIN. Free from the IRS online.
- Check licenses. South Carolina Business One Stop says: “There is no statewide business license in South Carolina.” (no general state business license).
- Keep it current. South Carolina has no annual report.
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year, same at renewal
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in South Carolina?
The state filing fee is $110 for the Articles of Organization. The first report later costs nothing because none is required.
Do I need a registered agent in South Carolina?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Do I need a business license in South Carolina?
South Carolina Business One Stop says: “There is no statewide business license in South Carolina.” (no general state business license).
Sources
- S.C. Code § 33-44-202 (organization) and § 33-44-203 (articles of organization); fee set by § 33-44-1204(a)(1) (multira state research spine): www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t33c044.php, checked August 12, 2026
- South Carolina Secretary of State for formation (multira state research spine): dor.sc.gov/tax-index/business-income-taxes/corporate/c-corporation, checked August 12, 2026
- South Carolina Secretary of State for formation (multira state research spine): dor.sc.gov/business-income-taxes/corporate/s-corporation, checked August 12, 2026
- South Carolina yearly filing: Annual report, official source read 2026-10-01: dor.sc.gov/business-income-taxes/corporate/corporate-faqs, checked October 1, 2026
- South Carolina Secretary of State: sos.sc.gov/, checked October 20, 2026
- IRS: Get an employer identification number: www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number, checked October 21, 2026
- South Carolina Business One Stop (business license statement): scbos.sc.gov/business-compliance/licenses/business-license, checked October 21, 2026