LLC Cost for South Carolina (All Fees & Expenses Revealed)
Hire Professionals to Create South Carolina LLC (from $0 + state fees)
Despite popular belief, forming an LLC in SC does not need to be complicated or expensive. By taking the time to understand what needs to be done, you can easily make it happen! Plus, using a service like ours will simplify the process even further and provide you with everything needed for your new venture.
If you’re considering setting up an LLC, South Carolina may be the place to go. Not only does it have a worthwhile filing fee for articles of incorporation, but there are also no fees charged for statements of information or annual reporting fees – unlike other states!
If you want to skip the hassle of starting a South Carolina LLC yourself, consider using professional help for the best price in the market:
- Northwest Registered Agent ($39+state fees) (best support)
- ZenBusiness ($0+state fees) (best price)
- Hire Professionals to Create South Carolina LLC (from $0 + state fees)
- Quick Costs for South Carolina LLC Breakdown & Best Options
- Pros and Cons of Starting an LLC in South Carolina
- How Much Does an LLC Cost in South Carolina?
- South Carolina Articles of Organization Filing Fee ($110)
- South Carolina Foreign LLC Cost ($110)
- South Carolina Registered Agent Fee ($39 or $129/year)
- South Carolina Business Name Cost ($0)
- LLC Name Reservation ($25)
- Foreign LLC Fictitious Name ($2)
- LLC Operating Agreement Fee ($0)
- LLC EIN Number Fee ($0)
- South Carolina LLC Annual Report Fee ($0)
- Costs Change Often. Where Can I Find the Most Up-to-date Cost & Tax Info?
- How to Start Your Own LLC in South Carolina Step-by-Step
- Other Annual and Additional South Carolina LLC Costs
- Get Professionals To Form an LLC in South Carolina for You
- FAQs
Quick Costs for South Carolina LLC Breakdown & Best Options
| Who forms the LLC? | Total fees |
You form the LLC in South Carolina Yourself | $135 = ($110 Articles of Organization fee+ $25 Name reservation Fee) |
| by using ZenBusiness | $0 + state fees |
| by using Northwest Registered Agent | $39 + state fees |
| see our other best LLC service providers | varies |
Pros and Cons of Starting an LLC in South Carolina
Starting an LLC in South Carolina can be a great way to establish a business, but it’s important to recognize that it is not right for everyone.
Pros
Cons
Here’s what it’ll cost if you choose to form your LLC in SC:
How Much Does an LLC Cost in South Carolina?
Forming an LLC in South Carolina requires a fee of $110 for the Articles of Organization. This form must be submitted to and approved by the Secretary of State, after which your LLC will officially come into existence.
Ready to start your own LLC? Let’s get going, but if you don’t know how to start your own LLC by yourself in any state take a look at our easy step-by-step guide on how to start your own LLC.
South Carolina Articles of Organization Filing Fee ($110)
In South Carolina, launching an LLC is a straightforward process that can be completed for only $110. The key document to launch your business – the Articles of Organization – must be filed with the Secretary of State; once it’s approved, you’ll have officially created your own Limited Liability Company!
Get started today with your South Carolina LLC, paying only a one-time fee of $110. There are no additional monthly or annual fees to contend with!
South Carolina Foreign LLC Cost ($110)
If you’re looking to expand your business and take it nationwide, registering a foreign LLC in South Carolina is the way to go! It’s only $110 for registration fees, but what you get out of it can be invaluable. You simply have to file an Application for Certificate of Authority to Transact Business so that your existing LLC from another state is accepted as a legal entity in South Carolina. Don’t let this great chance pass by – make sure that your business keeps growing with success!
South Carolina Registered Agent Fee ($39 or $129/year)
In South Carolina, you can decide to handle the role of a registered agent yourself or you can hire a professional service. The latter is often advantageous since it ensures that your business remains compliant and reminds you about crucial filing deadlines so that late fees are avoided.
There will be no additional cost to you if you or someone that you know opts to become the LLC’s Registered Agent.
Here are our recommended Agent service providers:
- Northwest Registered Agent services is the perfect choice for those seeking to establish a new business and gain access to a registered agent, with a full LLC creation package starting at only $39 + state fees!
OR:
- When you only require a professional registered agent service, Northwest is the perfect solution. Their exceptional RA service comes at an unbeatable price of $125/year!
Hiring a Registered Agent Service is a good idea if:
South Carolina Business Name Cost ($0)
Naming your Limited Liability Company doesn’t cost a penny! With the approval of your Articles of Organization filing by the state, you will receive complimentary approval for your South Carolina LLC Name. You may have read that an LLC Name Reservation is necessary; however, this isn’t true in most states. As such, forming an LLC usually does not necessitate reserving its name beforehand.
LLC Name Reservation ($25)
Secure your LLC name for up to four months in advance by submitting an Application to Reserve a Limited Liability Company Name and paying the filing fee of $25.
Foreign LLC Fictitious Name ($2)
If the legal name of an international Limited Liability Company is not available in South Carolina, they can file a form to adopt a fictitious name and pay just $2 as fee for using another title.
LLC Operating Agreement Fee ($0)
The South Carolina LLC Operating Agreement is an essential document for both single-member and multi-member LLCs, as it outlines the rights, responsibilities and expectations between all members. This written contract provides detailed information on topics such as ownership of the company, management procedures and how profits are distributed among parties. It’s important to keep a copy with your business records as well as provide one to each member involved in the agreement.
If you’re looking to form an LLC, chances are you’ll have to pay anywhere between $50 and $200 for a proper Operating Agreement.
LLC EIN Number Fee ($0)
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) – also known as a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) – is essential for any business, from filing taxes and opening an LLC bank account to hiring employees.
Despite the fact that many websites offer this service for a fee, obtaining an EIN for your LLC can be done completely free of charge via the Internal Revenue Service’s online application process in just minutes!
South Carolina LLC Annual Report Fee ($0)
Unlike the majority of states, South Carolina does not have a requirement for LLCs to submit an Annual Report. As long as your LLC is under default tax status (meaning you haven’t requested anything unique from the IRS), you don’t need to file an Annual Report or pay any sort of annual fee to the Secretary of State. However, corporations are still mandated to provide an Annual Report – unless your LLC was authorized as an S-Corp, then this won’t be necessary. Fortunately, most LLCs decide against becoming taxed as S-Corps.
Costs Change Often. Where Can I Find the Most Up-to-date Cost & Tax Info?
The South Carolina Secretary of State website provides an invaluable service for businesses looking to form a Limited Liability Company (LLC) within the state. By providing up-to-date information on the costs, fees and other related provisions, any individual or entity can easily research and determine the expenses associated with forming a business entity.
It enables locals to launch their LLC without having to waste time researching obscure regulations and fees, instead relying on accurate and timely information straight from the source. Plus, it allows individuals to plan accordingly when starting or expanding a business in South Carolina.
If you are unsure of the expenses associated with establishing a South Carolina LLC, don’t hesitate to reach out to the South Carolina Secretary of State for more information.
Cost of Filing Formation Certificates
| South Carolina | Domestic LLC | Foreign LLC |
| Online Filing | $110 | $110 |
| Annual Report | Not Required | Not Required |
| Name Reservation fee | $25 | $25 |
| By Mail | Fill out the application form, and send it to South Carolina Secretary of State’s Office, Attn: Corporate Filings, 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 525, Columbia, SC 29201. Costs $110. | Fill out the application form, and send it to South Carolina Secretary of State’s Office, Attn: Corporate Fillings, 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 525, Columbia, SC 29201. Costs $110. |
How to Start Your Own LLC in South Carolina Step-by-Step
To know everything on how you can form an LLC yourself — check out our full South Carolina LLC guide here.
Step 1: Naming your South Carolina LLC
In order to properly name your LLC, the first step is to make sure that it hasn’t been claimed by someone else. You can do this free of charge with South Carolina’s Secretary of State business name search page online!
You can secure the registration of your LLC name as part of filing its Articles of Organization and pay only one fee in this process. If you’re not quite ready to file, though, then there is another option – reserving a business name for just $25.
Generally, businesses don’t have to pay a fee to use a DBA. Nevertheless, limited partnerships in South Carolina are required by the state to register their DBAs and thus incur a $10 filing fee.
Step 2: Filing Articles Of Organization
To legitimize your LLC in South Carolina, you must submit a form called Articles of Organization and pay the required filing fees of $110.
The Secretary of State’s website provides you with the option to either download a form or file online.
To kickstart the business name filing process online, simply go to your state’s website and search for the desired LLC name. If it is available, then click on “add new entity” to create an account for yourself.
If you do not have an account with the Secretary of State, register for one now. Afterward, fill out all required information to submit your articles of organization and complete the formation process for your Limited Liability Company (LLC).
When you submit your LLC in South Carolina, make sure to include the name of the LLC, address of its designated office, names and addresses of all organizers as well as signatures from each organizer. Unlike other U.S states, there is no need for a statement information form or worrying about additional fees – making this simply one less step towards registering your business!
Step 3: Appointing A Registered Agent
Owning an LLC in South Carolina calls for appointing a registered agent; someone who is available to accept documents on the company’s behalf if it gets taken to court. The agent will also act as your business’s contact person and accept legal documents from the state directly to you.
As a South Carolina resident, you can represent yourself as your own registered agent; however, the ideal situation is to have an office in the state that has someone available every day during business hours. Fortunately for you, when doing so there are no additional costs involved.
However, engaging with a professional Registered Office Service will keep your company compliant and help avoid costly late fees by reminding you of critical filing deadlines.
- Northwest Registered Agent services is the perfect choice for those seeking to establish a new business and gain access to a registered agent, with full LLC creation package starting at only $39 + state fees!
Alternatively: - When you only require a professional registered agent service, Northwest is the perfect solution. Their exceptional RA service comes at an unbeatable price of $125/year!
Step 4: Creating an Operating Agreement
A South Carolina Operating Agreement is a must-have contract between the members of your LLC. Even though creating this type of agreement isn’t compulsory, we highly advise doing so as it will help ensure smooth business operations and stop any potential disputes that may arise among partners.
Even if you are the only member of your single-member LLC, an operating agreement is essential. Not only will it make sure that your LLC’s liability protection remains secure by clearly demonstrating a division between business operations and personal finances, but it can also provide additional peace of mind in knowing that all aspects of running the company have been properly documented.
Crafting an operating agreement is not rocket science, yet it does require legal knowledge and a certain level of comfort in creating binding contracts. As such, many LLC owners opt to hire professionals or engage services like ours that will put together the document for them at minimal costs starting from as low as $99 – way cheaper than paying your lawyer up to $1,000! So save yourself some money and hassle by utilizing our service today.
Other Annual and Additional South Carolina LLC Costs
Franchise tax
South Carolina does not have a franchise tax, but instead requires LLCs that are organized as traditional corporations or S corporations to pay an annual corporate license fee. This mandatory fee is based on the total value of the business and begins at $25 per year. Paying this fee is easy and will help ensure your business remains compliant with state regulations.
There are other South Carolina business taxes that you may want to look up before starting your LLC.
Some of the taxes LLC owners pay include:
Business Licenses and Permits
In South Carolina, obtaining a business license is essential to running an LLC. While other states may enforce statewide general business licenses, SC requires all such permits to be issued at the local level. Additionally, acquiring the relevant permits allows you to demonstrate that your venture has complied with safety regulations and any necessary standards of operation.
Depending on your locality, the cost of permits and licenses can vary. To find out what fees you’re required to pay, speak with the clerk at your county or town hall. Moreover, keep in mind that businesses located in South Carolina may also be subject to an annual business license tax based off their total revenue and activities associated with their company.
Common permits include:
Required Business licenses in South Carolina include:
Get Professionals To Form an LLC in South Carolina for You
It can be difficult and time-consuming to form a South Carolina LLC all by yourself.
That’s why we decided to give you a few of the best options for professional services that can help you start an LLC in no time & with 0 effort!
#1 – Create an LLC in South Carolina Using Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest has vast experience in creating LLCs and Corporations. They by far have the best support and client satisfaction rate. We’ve used and tested them ourselves and can guarantee that they’ll do an exceptional job for you.
You can read our full & extensive Northwest review here.
$39+State Fees
Rating: 4.9/5
Review count: 4850+
Form an LLC today with Nortwest. They have 98% customer satisfaction rating and over 4150+ verified reviews. They will include 1 year of free registered agent service!
#2 – ZenBusiness can help you form an LLC in South Carolina
ZenBusiness is one of our top-rated LLC services as well. They have a super value-to-price ratio. And it’s perfect for those who are looking for the cheapest option to form their LLCs. When we tested their service — they’ve done a great job, so we can honestly recommend them.
To know more about them — read our full ZenBusiness review here.
$0 + State Fees
Rating: 4.8/5
Review count: 4830+
Form an LLC today with ZenBusiness for only $0 + State fees. They Have 98% customer satisfaction rating and over 4830+ verified reviews.