How to Start an LLC in South Carolina (2026)

Q: How much does it cost to start an LLC in South Carolina?

The Articles of Organization cost $110, filed with the South Carolina Secretary of State. Your EIN is free from the IRS. Online filing through Business Entities Online may add a small electronic access charge at checkout. For a standard LLC there is no Secretary of State annual report fee after that.

Q: Does a South Carolina LLC file an annual report?

A standard LLC does not file an annual report with the Secretary of State. That changes if you elect to have the LLC taxed as a corporation, which brings you into the Department of Revenue corporate system with the CL-1 initial report and an annual corporate license fee. Most small owner-operators stay on default pass-through treatment and file nothing annual with the Secretary of State.

Q: Can I file a South Carolina LLC online?

Yes. The Secretary of State runs Business Entities Online at businessfilings.sc.gov, where you can check name availability, file the Articles of Organization, and retrieve filed documents. Paper filing is still accepted at 1205 Pendleton Street in Columbia, but online is faster.

Q: Do I need a registered agent in South Carolina?

Yes. Every South Carolina LLC must have a registered agent with a physical street address in the state who can accept legal papers during business hours, and that agent signs to accept the appointment. You can serve as your own agent if you have a South Carolina address, or hire a service to keep your home address out of the public record.

Last updated: August 28, 2026

To start a South Carolina LLC, file the Articles of Organization with the South Carolina Secretary of State for $110, name a registered agent with a South Carolina address, and get a free EIN. A standard LLC does not file an annual report with the Secretary of State. If you elect to be taxed as a corporation, you pick up a separate filing and license fee with the Department of Revenue instead.

Quick note: we're operators, not attorneys or accountants. This is general educational info, not legal or tax advice. South Carolina's tax treatment changes your paperwork more than in most states, so decide how you want to be taxed early.

South Carolina is a mid-priced state to form in and a very light one to maintain, as long as you leave your LLC on default tax treatment. Here is the whole process in plain English, written for people starting something real like a courier route.

Your tax election decides your paperwork here A standard South Carolina LLC, taxed as a sole proprietorship or partnership, files nothing annual with the Secretary of State. But if you elect to be taxed as a corporation, you enter the corporate system with the Department of Revenue: the CL-1 initial report and an annual corporate license fee. That election can be worth it later, but it is not free of paperwork, so make it deliberately.

How to start a South Carolina LLC in 6 steps

Name it, appoint a South Carolina registered agent, file the Articles ($110) through Business Entities Online, write an operating agreement, get a free EIN, then keep the registration current.

Name your South Carolina LLC

The name must be distinguishable from other South Carolina entities and include an LLC designator. Check availability in the Business Entities Online system before you file, and grab the matching domain while you are there.

Appoint a South Carolina registered agent

You need an agent with a physical South Carolina street address who accepts legal papers during business hours, and the agent signs to accept the appointment. You can be your own, or use a service to keep your home address off the public record. Northwest includes agent service free the first year with their $39 filing.

File the Articles of Organization

File with the South Carolina Secretary of State under sections 33-44-202 and 33-44-203. The fee is $110, and you can file online through Business Entities Online or on paper. Online is faster and gives you a filed copy back sooner.

Write an operating agreement

South Carolina does not require one, but write it anyway. It sets out ownership, management, and who can sign contracts, it backs up your liability protection, and banks usually ask for it at account opening. A simple template covers a single-owner courier business.

Get a free EIN from the IRS

Your EIN is free at irs.gov and takes about ten minutes. You need it for the business bank account, contracts, and hiring. Never pay a third-party site for one.

Keep the registration current (no SOS annual report)

A standard South Carolina LLC files no annual report with the Secretary of State. Your ongoing duties are to keep the registered agent and addresses current and to handle your taxes. If you elected corporate tax treatment, the annual filings happen at the Department of Revenue instead.

South Carolina LLC cost breakdown

$110 to form and, for a standard LLC, nothing recurring at the Secretary of State.

Item	Cost	Required?
Articles of Organization	$110	Yes
EIN	Free from the IRS	Yes (free)
Registered agent service	$0 (yourself) to $300/yr	No
Secretary of State annual report	None for a standard LLC	No
CL-1 initial report + annual license fee	Only if taxed as a corporation	Depends on tax election

South Carolina figures as of August 2026, from the Secretary of State downloadable forms and fees list (Articles of Organization, sections 33-44-202 and 33-44-203). Online filing may add a small electronic access charge at checkout. Confirm before filing.

Rather have it filed for you? Northwest will form your South Carolina LLC for $39 + the $110 state fee and act as your registered agent the first year, keeping your home address off the public record. See the $39 formation service → Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Setting up to run courier routes in South Carolina?

The LLC is step one. Our course covers the rest: insurance and certifications, the business bank account, and how to find routes and win contracts with South Carolina clinics, labs, and hospitals.

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South Carolina LLC FAQs

How much does it cost to start an LLC in South Carolina?

The Articles cost $110 with the Secretary of State, plus a small online access charge if you file electronically. Your EIN is free, and there is no annual report fee for a standard LLC.

Does a South Carolina LLC file an annual report?

Not with the Secretary of State, for a standard LLC. If you elect corporate tax treatment, you file the CL-1 and an annual license fee with the Department of Revenue instead.

Can I file a South Carolina LLC online?

Yes, through Business Entities Online at businessfilings.sc.gov. Paper filing in Columbia is still accepted but slower.

Do I need a registered agent in South Carolina?

Yes, with a physical South Carolina street address, and the agent must sign to accept. You can be your own, or use a service for privacy.

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