South Carolina Registered Agent Service
South Carolina requires all businesses to appoint a registered agent. Why not choose an agent that gives you a variety of services to support your entire business vs. one that just checks the box? With our South Carolina registered agent service, we’ll:
- file, store, and organize your business formation paperwork (you get 24/7 access to it online!)
- hold regular office hours to receive your legal mail (so you don’t have to!)
- maintain your privacy and shred the junk mail (use our address on public record!)
Sign up today and get instant access to our South Carolina registered office address, local business experts ready to answer your call, and a wealth of other business resources to fuel your success.
Our SC Registered Agent Service
In spite of our name, we offer far more than just South Carolina registered agent service. In fact, we offer a full array of South Carolina business services:
- Same-day document uploads: your business mail is always processed in-house
- Immediate notifications: as soon as we upload your mail, we let you know!
- FREE compliance reminders: no more wondering when or if it’s due
- Information privacy protection: use our address on all state filings instead of your own
- South Carolina business presence: we can help you get your business online with a website, domain name, email addresses & more!
- FREE online account for the life of your business: access your documents and manage your services 24/7 by phone or computer
- Expert business assistance: our team of local business experts is here to answer your questions by phone, email, or online chat
Need help with a business filing? We have our own in-house filing service so your filing orders get submitted right away, right here. Let our filers handle your:
- LLC or corporation formation applications
- Foreign registrations
- Compliance reports
- Business amendments
- Beneficial Ownership Information report (BOI)
- EIN (Employer Identification Number)
- S-corp tax application
- …and more!
Our business model is simple: great service at an affordable price. How do we achieve this? By hiring knowledgeable team members that are committed to quality service every time they interact with a customer. By picking up the phone whenever it rings. By being friendly, helpful and polite. By saying please and thank you. By responding to emails in a timely manner. By living up to our guarantee: no hassles and no worries.
The Role of a South Carolina Registered Agent
The main role of a South Carolina registered agent is to be the reliable point of contact between the businesses they represent and the legal system. This means the registered agent must be available to receive legal service of process (lawsuit paperwork) during all normal business hours on behalf of your business. Once the registered agent receives the legal documents, they are responsible for forwarding them to the business right away so appropriate action can be taken.
The state will also use the registered agent to reliably communicate with the business owner about annual reports, information required to approve filings, etc.
The contact information for the registered agent you choose will be available to the public. For business owners who value their information privacy, this makes hiring a professional registered agent service the best choice.
South Carolina Registered Agent Requirements
Every registered agent in South Carolina is required to do the following:
- Maintain a registered office within the state (a physical address, not a PO box)
- Keep regular business hours
- Accept service of process and notifications on behalf of clients
- Forward documents to clients in a timely manner
Our registered office is in Charleston, where we accept your important business documents in person. We maintain regular business hours and get your documents uploaded into your client account the same day they arrive. You are contacted immediately after each document upload so you can access your legal mail as soon as possible.
What is a Registered Office?
A registered office is a physical location where your South Carolina registered agent is located. This is the office at which service of process, important state notifications and other business mail is delivered.
A registered office cannot be a PO box. It must be open during regular business hours and able to receive hand-deliveries.
Who can be a South Carolina Registered Agent?
When you are looking for a SC registered agent, you have a few different options:
- You can appoint a resident of South Carolina (such as yourself, a friend or family member, or business partner)
- You can designate a commercial registered agent (like us)
- You can hire a non-commercial agent (a law firm, CPA, etc.)
Non-commercial agents do not specialize in registered agent service, which is one of the reasons we suggest that you don’t hire them. These companies rarely view registered agent service as an important part of their bottom line, and thus the service you receive is generally pretty shoddy.
Can I be my own registered agent in South Carolina?
There is nothing wrong with appointing yourself or another individual as your South Carolina registered agent. It is important to remember, though, that you will be listing your name and address in the public record. Furthermore, you must keep regular business hours at your registered office throughout the year (banker’s schedule).
How do I appoint my South Carolina registered agent?
To appoint your South Carolina registered agent, you will need to enter their name and physical SC address in the appropriate area of your business entity formation application. Be sure to get their consent to serve your business as the registered agent before placing their name on this legal document. If consent is not acquired first, they can apply to resign as your registered agent and leave your business vulnerable to administrative dissolution by the state.
How do I change my South Carolina registered agent on state record?
You can change your SC registered agent at any time by filing a Change of Agent form with the Division of Business Registrations of the Secretary of State. There is a $10 filing fee. You will need to download and submit the correct Change of Agent form for your entity type from the Business Entities Online site. The Change of Agent form is generally processed within two days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to live in South Carolina to register my business?
No, you do not need to live in South Carolina to form or register your business there. However, you will need a South Carolina physical address to put on your state business application documents. This is why many people choose to hire a commercial South Carolina registered agent service to help them get their business started.
Is South Carolina a “private state” for businesses?
Yes, South Carolina is considered a “private state” for member-managed LLCs and corporations. This means that the names and addresses of LLC members and corporate officers/directors are not available to the public on the Secretary of State’s business search website. However, anyone can pay a fee to order a copy of your business formation documents where that information may be listed.
If your LLC is “manager-managed,” then the names and addresses of each manager will be available to the public on the SC Secretary of State website.
How do I start my LLC in South Carolina?
To start your LLC in South Carolina, you will need to find a South Carolina registered agent, complete and submit the LLC Articles of Organization application, and pay the state application fee of $110. For more information, check out our complete South Carolina LLC guide.
How do I start my corporation in South Carolina?
To start your corporation in South Carolina, you will need to appoint a South Carolina registered agent, complete and submit the Articles of Incorporation application with Initial Report, and pay the $250 state filing fee. Check out our complete step-by-step guide on forming a South Carolina corporation to get your company started the right way.
How do I foreign register my business into South Carolina?
To foreign register your business into South Carolina, you’ll need to choose a South Carolina registered agent, acquire a recent Certificate of Good Standing from your home state, and submit the correct foreign business application for your entity type:
- Foreign LLCs – will need to submit the LLC Certificate of Authority application with $125 fee.
- Foreign corporations – will need to submit the Corporate Certificate of Authority application with $125 fee.
South Carolina prefers to receive foreign business applications through their Business Entities Online application portal. Ready to expand your business into South Carolina from another state? We can help! Our local professional filers will quickly and accurately prepare the application and perform a business name search to make sure your application gets approved the first time.