3 Best Foreign Registration Services in South Carolina (2026): Prices Tracked
After this 2026 price pass on South Carolina foreign registration services, the order is South Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and SC Registered Agent.org ($199). South Carolina takes $110 to register, then the services add $397 to $497 by year three.
Tracked by the Filing Price Watch editorial team
Ordered by:
Best value first, using our five measures
Prices on the watchlist
Foreign filing fee at the state office$110dor.sc.gov (pulled October 2026, noted here)
Year-one prices$199Excludes government fees
Three-year spread$397 to $497Year one and both renewals
State side, years 1 to 3$110Left out of the ordering
Crossover yearLines stay apartNo service overtakes another
South Carolina: best value first
Prices come from each company's own pricing. Add the $110 state fee separately.
#Ordered byPrice in year 1Price at renewalThree-year spend
1
First place
1. South Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for a low-cost registration
$199 plus the state's fee, then $99 a year
Price in year 1$199
Price after year 1$99/yr
Three-year spend$397
In South Carolina, South Carolina Registered Agent.co is the best value because it charges $199 to register and covers a year of agent service, then $99 a year.
Cost decides this one: three years here total less than three years with Mainstay Filing.
Price covers
Registration done for you
A year of agent service to begin with
Holds up
Then $99 a year
First agent year included
$199 on top of the state fee
Weak spots
Limited to one state
2
Most covered
2. Mainstay Filing: best for companies still expanding
$199 plus the state's fee, then $149 a year
Price in year 1$199
Price after year 1$149/yr
Three-year spend$497
Mainstay Filing places second. $199 on top of what South Carolina charges, then $149 a year for the agent.
By year three it trails South Carolina Registered Agent.co by $100.
The agent renews at $149 a year in every state.
Price covers
Registration handled for you
A price that holds across states
Holds up
$199 added to South Carolina's fee
All fifty states covered
Weak spots
$50 more each year for the agent
3
South Carolina only
3. SC Registered Agent.org: best for a single added state
$199 plus the state's fee, then $99 a year
Price in year 1$199
Price after year 1$99/yr
Three-year spend$397
Spot 3 goes to SC Registered Agent.org: it charges $199 to register and covers a year of agent service, then $99 a year.
Price for price, it matches South Carolina Registered Agent.co.
Reports in years two and three, the filing itself and any minimum tax are what make up the three-year state figure here. Costs the state does not put a number on are described, never added.
Why this order for South Carolina
In South Carolina, tracked three-year cost (37% of the order) was the measure where South Carolina Registered Agent.co pulled ahead.
South Carolina Registered Agent.co totals $397 by year three, which is $100 less than Mainstay Filing.
South Carolina foreign LLC registration fee and rules, as written by the state
To register: the Application for a Certificate of Authority by a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form F0008) to the South Carolina Secretary of State, with $110. Also attach certificate of existence from the home-state Secretary of State dated inside 30 days.
Operating without registering can mean no access to South Carolina courts as plaintiff (S.C. Code 33-44-1008(a)).
The state says: dor.sc.gov (pulled October 2026, noted here)
The do-it-yourself total
Do it all yourself and you owe only the state: $110 over three years. The services above add $397 to $497 for the paperwork.
Short answers
How much does it cost to register a foreign LLC with South Carolina?
$110 for the filing itself, and these services add $199.
What do these services cost over three years?
$397 to $497 in service fees, before state fees.
What form registers the LLC?
The registration is Application for a Certificate of Authority by a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form F0008), filed with the South Carolina Secretary of State.
Does South Carolina ask for a certificate from the home state?
Yes, no more than 30 days old: certificate of existence from the home-state Secretary of State.
What recurring filing comes after registration?
None. Foreign LLCs have no recurring report in this state.
In what year does one service become pricier than another?
The order stays the same for ten years.
Which foreign registration service is the best value for South Carolina?
Best to least: South Carolina Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing and SC Registered Agent.org.