South Carolina LLC Cost

What does it cost to start a business in South Carolina? To help you assess your costs, here are some fees you may encounter when you start your LLC in South Carolina.

South Carolina LLC Filing Fee – $125

Filing your South Carolina Articles of Organization for your LLC costs$125.

LLC Name Reservation Fee – $25

If you would like to reserve a name for your LLC before you file your Articles of Organization, you can file an Application to Reserve a Limited Liability Company Name with the South Carolina Secretary of State for $25.

Business Taxes – 5% of your LLC’s net income

If you choose to treat your LLC as a corporation for tax purposes, you’d have to pay South Carolina state corporate taxes. The South Carolina corporate tax rate is 5% of your company’s net income.

Fee for Registered Agent – Free

You can serve as your South Carolina LLC’s Registered Agent if you are 18 or older and have a physical office in South Carolina. You’ll have to be prepared to accept legal documents on behalf of your LLC during regular business hours if you serve as its Registered Agent.

Many South Carolina businesses choose to hire a Registered Agent for their LLC as an alternative. When considering the cost to start a business in South Carolina, many business owners believe that hiring a Registered Agent is a worthwhile expense.

We can help you find a South Carolina Registered Agent that fulfills your needs and all of South Carolina’s requirements with our South Carolina Registered Agent Service.

The average cost to start a business in South Carolina doesn’t end with filing your LLC formation documents and paying your taxes. Here’s a list of additional costs you might have to pay when getting started with your South Carolina LLC.

Certificate of Existence

Your new South Carolina LLC may need to obtain a Certificate of Existence to do business or open a bank account. A Certificate of Existence is a document that the South Carolina Secretary of State issues. A Certificate of Existence proves that your LLC was legally formed in the state. It also shows that your LLC complies with all of the ongoing requirements for a South Carolina LLC. The fee for a Certificate of Existence is $10.

Certificate of Compliance

A Certificate of Compliance states that your LLC has paid all its South Carolina business taxes and filed its business tax returns. A Certificate of Compliance is a document issued by the South Carolina Department of Revenue. The fee for a Certificate of Compliance is $60.

DBA Name in South Carolina

Often, businesses operate under a name different than their official name. These are called a DBA or “Doing Business As” name. In South Carolina, you’re not required to register your DBA name, but it still mustn’t conflict with another existing business name in the state. If you want to protect your LLC’s DBA name, you may consider trademark registration. The cost to apply for a trademark of your DBA name is about $10.

Certificate of Authority for Foreign LLCs

A foreign LLC is an LLC organized under the laws of another state that wishes to do business in South Carolina. The South Carolina Secretary of State requires that a foreign LLC register and obtain permission to do business in South Carolina through a Certificate of Authority to Transact Business. The cost to apply for a Certificate of Authority is $110.

Retail Sales Tax License

A South Carolina business that will engage in retail sales must obtain a Retail Sales Tax License from the South Carolina Department of Revenue. A retail sales tax license costs $50.

Other Business Licenses

Depending on the type of business you plan to run, your South Carolina LLC may need additional business licenses. You’ll need to check with the local government to determine if your LLC will need a specific license. The cost of a business license will vary depending on the locality and type of license.

We can help you determine if your new LLC will need a business license with our Business License Report service.

For just $0 plus state fees, we can form your South Carolina LLC for you in just minutes. No LegalZoom promo code required: Pay just $0 plus filing fees for fast LLC formation in South Carolina. 

Yes. If you don’t pay the fees associated with starting or running an LLC in South Carolina, you could be assessed penalties or lose your LLC status entirely.

If you don’t pay the LLC filing fee to the South Carolina government, you won’t receive LLC status in South Carolina. The Secretary of State won’t accept your LLC’s Articles of Organization for filing, and your LLC won’t legally exist. This means that you won’t have any protection from liability, and you won’t be able to choose your tax status. Instead, your business will be treated as a sole proprietorship or general partnership, depending on the circumstances.

The South Carolina Secretary of State receives the filing fee for your LLC’s Articles of Organization.

The highest South Carolina LLC cost is the$125fee for filing your LLC’s Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State.

You can pay your South Carolina LLC filing fee by check or money order if you mail your Articles of Organization. However, if you use the South Carolina Secretary of State’s online filing system, you can pay your LLC filing fee by credit card.