How to form an LLC in South Carolina

South Carolina schedules no recurring state payment for an LLC in the checked record. The recurring column is therefore $0 in the one-year, three-year, and five-year views, and the state totals on this page are the $110 filing charge standing alone. That covers state charges only. No annual report or recurring Secretary of State filing is required for a standard LLC. Keep formation records and tax filings current even though no recurring state fee lands on the calendar.

How to read the recurring fee

There is no recurring South Carolina charge to read. The checked record shows no annual report and no recurring state fee, so the only state figure to calendar is the $110 filing charge itself. That does not end the record-keeping: No annual report or recurring Secretary of State filing is required for a standard LLC. Confirm any change with South Carolina Secretary of State, because a state can add a report or a fee after the verification date on this page.

Formation checklist

The steps below follow the South Carolina record on this page: formation through South Carolina Secretary of State and the $110 filing charge, checked on 2026-10-04. South Carolina adds no recurring state filing, so the calendar step is about records, not a report date.

1. Choose the legal name. Search the entity records held by South Carolina Secretary of State and check the South Carolina name rules before printing cards, signing a lease, or opening accounts.
2. Choose the registered agent. The agent needs a qualified South Carolina address and must be available to receive official papers. Decide whether that will be you, another eligible person, or a paid service.
3. File the formation document. Submit the form through South Carolina Secretary of State and pay articles of organization, $110.
4. Write the operating agreement. Record owners, contributions, authority, money rules, and exit terms. Keep it with company records even if the state does not collect it.
5. Get tax and bank accounts in order. Apply for an EIN when required, open business banking, and separate personal money from company money from day one.
6. Calendar the recurring charge. No annual report or recurring Secretary of State filing is required for a standard LLC. Add a reminder well before the deadline and save the state confirmation after each filing.

What the state total does not include

The five-year figure on this page is a state formation and recurring-fee total. It does not include income tax, franchise tax beyond a charge explicitly named in the source record, sales tax, payroll tax, local business licenses, industry permits, insurance, bookkeeping, or professional fees.

If the business will operate in another state, price foreign registration there as well. A formation in South Carolina does not remove duties where employees, property, or sales activity create a second registration obligation.

Before you pay for help

A filing service can be worth paying for when your time is tight or the ownership is not simple. Compare the service quote with the state-only baseline in the LLC True Cost Calculator. If a quote bundles a registered agent, ask for the renewal price. Low first-year promotions can become the largest line in year two.

State notes from the checked record

• The current LLC chapter's organization article ends at §33-44-210; no LLC annual-report section appears.
• The Secretary of State's About Us page states the office is the state filing office for limited liability companies.

Next steps

Run the five-year calculator, read the registered agent guide, and keep the recurring report checklist with your formation records.