Make your South Carolina business official. Have your LLC paperwork prepared and filed so you can focus on getting your business off the ground.
- Your business name checked before filing.
- Your formation paperwork prepared and submitted.
- Your formation documents together in an online account.
$0 service fee + $110 state filing fee
Filing service by ZenBusiness. Choose Starter for the $0 service fee. State follow-up charges and optional services and renewals are separate.
We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.
Get the paperwork handled and your company underway
With ZenBusiness, you provide the details and its team handles the South Carolina formation filing. You get electronic documents and customer support by phone, chat and email.
Use your approved LLC records to open a company bank account, organize your ownership agreement and do business under the company name. The state-specific costs and next steps below help you plan what comes after approval.
What it costs to start a South Carolina LLC
A South Carolina LLC costs $110 to file with South Carolina Secretary of State.
Start with the official filing office: South Carolina Secretary of State. Government charges are separate from anything a formation company bills you.
| Expense | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Formation filing (Articles / Certificate) | $110 | Required when forming the LLC |
| Typical formation base | $110 | Excludes optional purchases |
| Electronic records access fee (online) | $15; confirm at checkout | Often added at Business Entities Online checkout |
| Typical online checkout total | About $125 | Confirm at portal |
| SOS annual report (standard LLC) | $0 (none) | Keep registered agent current |
| Optional name reservation | $25 | 120 days, nonrenewable |
Budget example: $110 by mail, or about $125 online if the $15 access fee applies—before insurance, permits, or professional help.
Standard LLCs have no SOS annual report. LLCs electing corporate tax treatment may have Department of Revenue Form CL-1 obligations—that is a tax election path, not the default LLC Act report.
Choose the services you want with your filing
Starter’s base formation service does not renew. Registered-agent service, an EIN service, an operating agreement and faster preparation are optional purchases.
The preselected website-builder trial renews at $15/month after 30 days; you can remove it at checkout. Optional Worry-Free Compliance is free for the first year and renews at $199/year. Registered-agent service is listed separately at $199/year; first-year promotions may differ.
Review the services and renewal terms in your order. Provider details checked October 14, 2026 against ZenBusiness’s formation plans.
How to start your South Carolina LLC
Use your company details to get the formation paperwork prepared and submitted. Here is how the filing service works:
- Enter your business details. Choose South Carolina, your company name and the information requested for the filing.
- Review your services and order. Select Starter for the $0 base service fee. ZenBusiness prepares and submits the formation document from your answers.
- Save your approved company records. Once the filing office accepts the paperwork, use the documents to finish your banking and business setup.
Your South Carolina filing checklist and required next steps
- Check the name. Search the state business database and include a required LLC designator. Filing acceptance is not a trademark clearance.
- Gather addresses and agent consent. Have registered-agent details and principal-office information ready.
- Decide who manages the company. Confirm member-managed vs manager-managed as required on the formation form.
- File the formation document. Prefer SC Business Entities Online and pay $110 (plus any listed extras).
- Confirm acceptance. Save the filed document and receipt, then calendar recurring compliance.
Check your proposed name in the South Carolina business search.
How long does approval take?
Online Business Entities Online or mail Form F0006 with $110. A service’s preparation time is separate from South Carolina’s review. ZenBusiness lists standard preparation at 7–10 business days before state processing; state review follows the service’s preparation.
Can I file directly with South Carolina?
Yes. You can prepare and submit the filing yourself through the South Carolina official LLC filing service. A formation service handles preparation and submission from the information you provide. The government charges and required follow-up steps above still apply.
Choose your South Carolina registered agent
Maintain a South Carolina registered agent with a street address. File a change notice when the agent or office changes (commonly $10).
Plan your address use before filing. State records are public. Ask which address fields the agent service covers. Supply accurate information in every field.
South Carolina LLC ongoing filings: what happens after formation?
Standard South Carolina LLCs do not file an annual or periodic report with the Secretary of State under Title 33 Chapter 44. Keep the registered agent current. Corporate-tax-election filings with DOR are separate.
Mail filings remain $110; online checkout often adds a $15 electronic records access fee. If you are optimizing for the lowest cash outlay and can wait for mail processing, the paper path can avoid that access line—confirm current portal behavior at filing time.
Standard LLCs without a corporate tax election generally skip SOS annual reports. Do not assume that means zero tax compliance—sales tax, income tax, and local licenses still depend on your activities.
Get your South Carolina LLC filing underway
Put the formation paperwork in ZenBusiness’s hands. Starter has a $0 service fee plus the applicable South Carolina charges detailed above.
Continue to ZenBusiness to enter your details and review your order. Optional services and renewal details.
We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.
Put your approved LLC to work
- Document how the LLC works. An operating agreement can set ownership, contributions, decision-making, distributions, and exit arrangements. South Carolina’s filing office generally does not require you to file the agreement with the formation paperwork—keep it with your company records. For multiple owners, resolve disagreements before money or contracts are committed.Use the basic LLC operating agreement tool as a starting point.
- Get an EIN when needed. Form the entity first, then use the free IRS application if eligible. A paid EIN service handles the application for you. Save the confirmation for banking and tax records.
- Open your business bank account. Ask the bank for its document checklist and establish a bookkeeping process. Use the correct legal business name on applications and contracts; keep any trade-name registrations consistent.
- Complete taxes and operating approvals. LLC formation does not itself select S-corporation taxation or issue a professional license. The IRS explains LLC tax classifications. Identify the state and local requirements for your actual work before opening.
- Check the current BOI rule. As of this review, FinCEN exempts entities created in the United States from beneficial-ownership reporting. A newly created domestic LLC generally falls within that exemption. Consult FinCEN directly for the current rule.
Insurance guidance for your South Carolina business
Match coverage to your services, employees, equipment and client contracts. Start with the relevant guide:
Continue with the South Carolina business guide for the broader startup process.
South Carolina LLC questions before you start
What is the cheapest way to form a South Carolina LLC?
The state filing fee is $110 (South Carolina Secretary of State). You can file directly or use ZenBusiness Starter, which offers a $0 formation service fee plus the same $110 state fee.
Does South Carolina require an LLC annual report?
Standard LLCs do not file an annual report with the Secretary of State. If you elect corporate tax treatment, Department of Revenue corporate reporting (starting with Form CL-1) may apply—that is not the default LLC path.
Can I be my own South Carolina registered agent?
Yes. Maintain a South Carolina registered agent with a street address. File a change notice when the agent or office changes (commonly $10).
Does forming an LLC give me a South Carolina business license?
Formation creates the entity with South Carolina Secretary of State. Industry licenses and tax registrations are separate.
Can I get an EIN without buying a service?
Yes. The IRS issues EINs free. Form the LLC first, then use the IRS application if eligible.
This guide is for creating a new South Carolina LLC. If you already have an LLC formed in another state, check South Carolina’s foreign-entity registration requirements before creating a second company.
Re-check official fee pages immediately before you pay: statutes and portal convenience fees can change, and third-party blogs often lag behind the Secretary of State. Prefer the links in this guide’s cost table and the state’s own checkout total over marketing estimates.
Page updated October 14, 2026. State-source review: September 14, 2026. ZenBusiness package terms checked October 14, 2026.
