[0:00] The short answer Dan: To start an LLC in South Carolina, you file Articles of Organization, Form F0006, with the South Carolina Secretary of State, and the filing fee is $110. Maya: Is that done online? Dan: Yes, through Business Entities Online. You can mail it in too, and the fee is the same either way. Maya: This is The Business Formation Podcast. Today, South Carolina for 2026: six steps with every cost, a surprise about annual reports, and the three best ways to have it filed for you. Where do we begin? [0:33] Step 1: Choose a name Dan: Your LLC's name has to include limited liability company, limited company, LLC, or LC, with or without the periods. Maya: Is there a way to see what's taken? Dan: Use the Secretary of State's free business search. Your name must be distinguishable from the names already on file. Maya: Can I hold a name while I get ready? Dan: You can reserve one for $25. It lasts 120 days, and it can't be renewed. Maya: So that's a hard stop. Dan: Right. After the 120 days, you either file or start over. [1:09] Step 2: Name a registered agent Maya: South Carolina calls this something different, doesn't it? Dan: It's an agent for service of process. That's the person or company who receives legal papers for the LLC. Maya: Who qualifies? Dan: An individual who lives in South Carolina, or a business authorized to operate in the state. Either one needs a South Carolina street address. Maya: Can my LLC be its own agent? Dan: No, the LLC can't name itself. Maya: I'm Maya, by the way, here with Dan. Dan: Glad to be here, Maya. One more thing on the agent: that person signs your Articles, and the address ends up on the public record. Maya: And if I change agents down the road? Dan: That filing is $10. [1:49] Step 3: File the Articles Maya: Walk me through the form. Dan: Form F0006 asks for the LLC's name, a designated office in South Carolina, your agent, and each organizer's name and address. Maya: Online or paper? Dan: The fee is $110 both ways. But online is faster, and it lets you fix errors before you submit. Maya: And by mail? Dan: You send two copies of the form, along with the fee. [2:15] Step 4: Write an operating agreement Maya: Does the state want to see an operating agreement? Dan: No. You keep it with your records. It isn't filed, and there's no state fee. Maya: Is it even required? Dan: South Carolina law says it doesn't have to be in writing. But a handshake is a bad plan, so write it down. Maya: What goes in it? Dan: Who owns what, how profits are split, who makes the decisions, and what happens when a member leaves. [2:41] Step 5: Get a free EIN Maya: Now the federal side. Dan: Apply for an EIN with the IRS at IRS.gov. It's free, and you do it after the Secretary of State files your Articles. Maya: What do I need? Dan: The Social Security number or ITIN of the person in charge. If the online application is approved, the number comes right away. Maya: And the ownership report I keep hearing about? Dan: You can skip it. FinCEN no longer requires one from U.S. companies. [3:09] Step 6: No annual report, but keep your agent current Maya: Okay, so what does South Carolina want every year? Dan: Here's the surprise. A standard LLC files no annual report. Maya: Really? None? Dan: The Department of Revenue says an LLC that isn't taxed as a corporation isn't subject to the annual report or license fee. Maya: What's a standard LLC, in their terms? Dan: Multi-member LLCs are taxed as partnerships. Single-member LLCs are disregarded for income tax. Maya: And if I elect corporate tax treatment? Dan: Then you file Form CL-1 with the Department of Revenue, with a $25 minimum license fee. Maya: Any way to lose the LLC by accident? Dan: Unpaid state fees can lead to dissolution after a 60-day notice. And you need a registered agent in place at all times. [3:58] What it costs Maya: Give me the do-it-yourself math. Dan: $110 to file the Articles. Then nothing for a yearly report, if you're a standard LLC. The EIN is free. Maya: What are the optional extras? Dan: The name reservation is $25. And changing your agent later is $10. Maya: So the whole first year, with no extras? Dan: $110. [4:20] Why the agent matters more here Maya: With no annual report, what keeps the LLC on the state's radar? Dan: Mostly the agent. If the agent changes or goes away, you'll want to file the change. Maya: Which costs $10. Dan: Right. And the agent signed your Articles, so choose someone who plans to stick around. Maya: What if I list myself? Dan: You can, if you live in South Carolina. Your home address then becomes public. Maya: That's why people hire a commercial agent. Dan: Yes. They keep the address public instead of yours. [4:51] Corporate tax treatment Maya: Let me go back to Form CL-1. Who files it? Dan: An LLC that elects to be taxed as a corporation. It goes to the Department of Revenue, not the Secretary of State. Maya: And the $25? Dan: That's the minimum license fee. Maya: So most small LLCs never see it. Dan: Most never do. A standard multi-member or single-member LLC doesn't file it. Maya: But the election changes things. Dan: It does, so check with a tax professional before you make it. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. [5:23] What you'll see on the public record Maya: What can the public look up about my LLC? Dan: What's on your Articles: the name, the designated office, the agent, and the organizers. Maya: Does that include my operating agreement? Dan: No. That stays with you. Maya: And if I'm the organizer myself? Dan: Then your name and address are on it. Think about whose you want there. [5:44] Your first-year checklist Maya: Give me the order of operations. Dan: Search the name. Choose your agent, and make sure the agent will sign. File Form F0006 online for $110. Maya: Then what? Dan: Write your operating agreement, get your EIN, and keep your agent current. If you elect corporate tax treatment, add Form CL-1 to your list. [6:07] The 3 best ways to file in South Carolina Maya: What if I'd rather hand this off? Dan: Here are the three best ways to file in South Carolina. Number one, our pick, is Mainstay Filing, $199 a year plus the state fee. With the $110 state fee, checkout comes to $309. Maya: What does that cover? Dan: Your Articles filed, your EIN application, and your registered agent every year. It renews at the same $199. Maya: And the annual report? Dan: In South Carolina, a standard LLC doesn't have one, so there's no separate yearly filing to worry about. Maya: Number two? Dan: SC Registered Agent.org. It prepares and files your Articles for $199 plus the state fee, also $309 at checkout. Your first year of agent service is free, then $99 a year. Maya: And number three? Dan: South Carolina Registered Agent.co. Same offer: $199 plus the state fee, first year of agent service free, then $99 a year. [7:15] Three years of service fees Maya: How do they compare over time? Dan: Because there's no annual report, it comes down to the agent. Mainstay is $199 a year, so $597 over three years. Maya: And the other two? Dan: $199 in year one, then $99 in each of the next two years, for $397. Maya: A $200 gap. Dan: Yes. From year two, numbers two and three cost less, at $99 a year for the agent alone. Mainstay is the pick when you want one price that covers everything. [7:51] Recap Maya: Can you recap? Dan: Choose a name with LLC in it, name a registered agent who signs your Articles, file Form F0006 for $110, write an operating agreement, get your free EIN, and keep your agent current. A standard LLC files no annual report. Maya: The links to all three services and every official source are in the show notes. Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast, and good luck with your new South Carolina LLC.