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Best South Carolina Registered Agent Services

Advertiser Disclosure Updated: May 6, 2024, 7:13pm

Best South Carolina Registered Agent Services Of 2024

Belle Wong, J.D.Contributor

Belle Wong is a freelance writer specializing in small business, personal finance, banking, and tech/SAAS. She spends her spare moments testing out the latest productivity apps and plotting her latest novel. Connect with Belle on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Belle Wong, J.D.

Belle Wong, J.D.Contributor

Contributor

Kelly MainStaff Reviewer

Kelly Main is a Marketing Editor and Writer specializing in digital marketing, online advertising and web design and development. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist covering small business marketing content. She is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and she holds an MSc in International Marketing from Edinburgh Napier University. Additionally, she is a Columnist at Inc. Magazine.

Reviewed

Kelly Main

Kelly MainStaff Reviewer

Staff Reviewer

Reviewed

Updated: May 6, 2024, 7:13pm

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

All corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) formed in South Carolina must designate a registered agent to receive legal and government communications on their behalf. Numerous registered agent services exist to help businesses do just that. However, choosing the right one isn’t always easy so we found the best South Carolina registered agents, based on services and features, pricing, turnaround time, support, reviews and more.

Best Of

Featured Partners

ZenBusiness

$0 + State Fees

Varies By State & Package

ZenBusiness

On ZenBusiness’ Website

LegalZoom

$0 + State Fees

Varies By State & Package

LegalZoom

On LegalZoom’s Website

Northwest Registered Agent

$39 + State Fees

Varies By State & Package

Northwest Registered Agent

On Northwest Registered Agent’s Website

Show Summary

Best South Carolina Registered Agents of 2024

Northwest Registered Agent: Best for privacy
ZenBusiness: Best for customer support
BetterLegal: Best for pricing transparency
Inc Authority: Best for new businesses
Harbor Compliance: Best for those with more than one business
Bizee: Best for startups
Rocket Lawyer: Best for creating custom legal documents

Best for Privacy

Northwest Registered Agent

Starting price

$125

per year

Same-day document delivery

Standout features

Specializes in registered agent services, privacy and data protection, reasonable, consistent yearly fees

On Northwest Registered Agent's Website

$125

per year

Specializes in registered agent services, privacy and data protection, reasonable, consistent yearly fees

Editor's Take

With offices in all 50 states, including South Carolina, family-owned Northwest Registered Agent specializes in offering registered agent service across the country. This means businesses that choose it for their registered agent needs get access to a top-notch level of service, including quality, individualized customer assistance, the convenience of pre-filled state forms, annual report reminders and scanning and mail forwarding of documents.

One area in which Northwest Registered Agent shines is privacy and data protection. It offers all customers its signature Privacy by Default protection. For example, it uses its address on your public documents whenever possible, to limit public access to your personal information. It also promises never to sell your data. Best of all, this level of privacy protection is provided automatically, with no need for you to opt in.

Learn more: Read our Northwest Registered Agent review.

Who should use it:

Businesses that value the importance of privacy and want a registered agent service that limits access to their data.

Pros & Cons

Lifetime support
Free digital, open-and-scan mail forwarding
Annual report reminders
No renewal fee increases

No free business formation services
No free trial
No service bundles
Fee for ordering EIN

Best for Extended Customer Support Hours

ZenBusiness

Starting price

$199

per year

Same-day document delivery

Standout features

Easy-to-use dashboard, no-fee cancellation, bundled registered agent and compliance plan

On ZenBusiness's Website

$199

per year

Easy-to-use dashboard, no-fee cancellation, bundled registered agent and compliance plan

Editor's Take

With ZenBusiness’ South Carolina registered agent service, not only do you get your legal and government documents scanned and uploaded to an online dashboard, but you also receive 24/7 access to save, download or print these documents.

With services comparable to other providers on this list, the company stands out with its extended customer support hours. While most providers offer standard business hours on weekdays and no weekend support, ZenBusiness customers can reach out for assistance from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays.

Learn more: Read our ZenBusiness review.

Who should use it:

Businesses that are looking for prompt, consistent customer support that’s available beyond the regular nine-to-five weekday business hours.

Pros & Cons

Public benefit corporation with mission to promote entrepreneurship
Offers small business grants
Affordable fee for first year of registered agent service
Customer support available on Sundays

Registered agent service not offered to professional LLCs or nonprofit organizations
High renewal fees
First-year intro price not displayed on site

Best for Pricing Transparency

BetterLegal

Starting price

$10 per month

or $90 per year

Same-day document delivery

Yes

Standout features

Fast setup and turnaround times, transparent and affordable fees, interactive dashboard

On BetterLegal's Website

$10 per month

or $90 per year

Yes

Fast setup and turnaround times, transparent and affordable fees, interactive dashboard

Editor's Take

Along with most of the other providers on our list, BetterLegal offers South Carolina small business owners several other business legal services in addition to its registered agent service. At a cost of $90 per year, or $10 paid month to month, BetterLegal’s registered agent fees are affordable and in line with most of the offerings here.

Where BetterLegal shines is in its price transparency. Unlike some of the other providers we evaluated, it’s easy to find the price for any of the services the company provides. It offers a pricing page on its site where you can search for its fees for business formation, registered agent service, research services and filing services in each of the 50 states.

Learn more: Read our full BetterLegal review.

Who should use it:

Businesses that like the certainty of knowing upfront what fees they will be paying for the services they need.

Pros & Cons

Straightforward pricing
Affordable pricing with monthly payment option
Quick setup time
No upsells

Customer support not available on weekends
No free trial
Lack of on-site details about document handling process and alerts and notifications

Best for New Businesses

Inc Authority

Starting price

$0 for the first year

Same-day document delivery

Standout features

Free business formation with one year of free registered agent services, fast order processing

On Inc Authority's Website

$0 for the first year

Free business formation with one year of free registered agent services, fast order processing

Editor's Take

There’s nothing more affordable than free, and Inc Authority’s offer of a free year of registered agent service in South Carolina is one of the reasons we’ve included the company in our best-of list. However, this free offer comes with a caveat: It’s only available to customers taking advantage of Inc Authority’s free LLC or corporation formation services.

If you’re starting a new business, though, and haven’t yet formed your LLC or corporation, Inc Authority is worth checking out. Its free business formation services will get you up and running, and you won’t have to pay for registered agent service for the first year, either. Keep in mind, however, that while the first year of registered agent service is free, there is a renewal fee of $179 for the second and subsequent years.

Learn more: Read our Inc Authority review.

Who should use it:

New businesses that can take advantage of Inc Authority’s free LLC or corporation formation services, which come with a year of free registered agent service.

Pros & Cons

Business formation comes with free year of registered agent services
Free corporation and LLC formation services
Free business credit and funding analysis
Free business name check

No fee transparency for renewal of registered agent services
Costly renewal fee
No fee transparency for premium service bundles

Best for Those Running Multiple Businesses

Harbor Compliance

Starting price

$89 or $99 per state per year

Same-day document delivery

Yes

Standout features

Pre-filled state forms, bulk and multi-year discounts, customizable notifications, annual report notices

On Harbor Compliance's Website

$89 or $99 per state per year

Yes

Pre-filled state forms, bulk and multi-year discounts, customizable notifications, annual report notices

Editor's Take

Harbor Compliance offers same-day document access for South Carolina businesses that sign up for its registered agent service. And in addition to secure online access to your documents, you’ll receive email notifications when you get mail, plus a phone call if your business receives service of process—that is, notice of a lawsuit. At $99 per year, Harbor Compliance’s fees are comparable to many of the other providers on our list.

But the company stands out as a particularly solid choice if you own multiple business entities requiring a registered agent, or you want to consolidate the registered agent services for your businesses. If this is the case, it’s worth contacting the company to discuss its bulk business discount rate.

Learn more: Read our full Harbor Compliance review.

Who should use it:

Business owners who own multiple business entities and want to take advantage of Harbor Compliance’s bulk business discount.

Pros & Cons

Immediate access to registered agent address
Pre-filled state forms, and pre-signed where required
Annual report notifications
No additional fees

Registered agent services not included as part of business formation services
No monthly payment option
Site lacks chat support

Best for Startups

Bizee

Starting price

$119 per state

per year

Same-day document delivery

Yes

Standout features

Free registered agent service with free business formation, resource center, free business tools

On Bizee's Website

$119 per state

per year

Yes

Free registered agent service with free business formation, resource center, free business tools

Editor's Take

In addition to offering free LLC filing, Incfile provides a suite of startup services, including banking and bookkeeping, with the goal of becoming a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs and startups. And whether you’re forming an LLC or a corporation, when you use Incfile’s business formation services, you’ll also get a free year of registered agent service. The company is also transparent about the renewal fee of $119 per year after the first free year.

But Incfile provides startups with more than just free LLC formation and a free first year of registered agent service. The site houses a startup resource center that offers not only startup information and guidance but also tools and resources to plan, start and grow your business, including a business name generator, a business name search tool and a DIY email course.

Learn more: Read our Incfile review.

Who should use it:

Business owners in need of tools, guides and resources to help plan, start and grow their businesses in addition to Incfile’s free LLC formation and a free year of registered agent service.

Pros & Cons

First year of registered agent services free with business formation
Free incorporation
Free tax consultation
Extensive resources for business owners and entrepreneurs

Customer reviews highlight slow turnaround times
Price of subsequent years of registered agent services more expensive than some alternative services

Best for Creating Custom Legal Documents

Rocket Lawyer

Starting price

$249.99 per year

Same-day document delivery

Standout features

Legal services membership plan, free seven-day trial, legal document creation, attorney network

On Rocket Lawyer's Website

$249.99 per year

Legal services membership plan, free seven-day trial, legal document creation, attorney network

Editor's Take

With its $149.99 yearly fee for its registered agent service, Rocket Lawyer is one of the pricier options on our list. However, if you have a Premium Membership with the company, which costs $39.99 per month, you’ll get 25% off the registered agent service fee.

A Rocket Lawyer membership provides South Carolina small businesses with a number of legal services, including consultations from attorneys within its legal network and free incorporation services for new members. One feature of membership that stands out in particular for small business owners is its legal document builder. With this easy-to-use tool, you can create a custom legal document in minutes by answering a few simple questions.

Learn more: Read our Rocket Lawyer review.

Who should use it:

Businesses that have a need for the custom documents generated by the legal document maker that comes with Rocket Lawyer’s Premium Membership.

Pros & Cons

Premium membership offers comprehensive suite of legal services and legal advice
30-minute attorney consultations
Custom legal document builder
Free seven-day trial

Expensive for nonmembers
No weekend phone or live chat customer support
Membership is expensive if only registered agent services are required

Forbes Advisor Ratings

Company	Forbes Advisor Rating	Starting price	Same-day document delivery	Standout features	Learn More CTA text	Learn more CTA below text
Northwest Registered Agent	4.7	$125 per year	No	Specializes in registered agent services, privacy and data protection, reasonable, consistent yearly fees	Learn More	On Northwest Registered Agent's Website
ZenBusiness	4.6	$199 per year	No	Easy-to-use dashboard, no-fee cancellation, bundled registered agent and compliance plan	Learn More	On ZenBusiness' Website
BetterLegal	4.6	$10 per month or $90 per year	Yes	Fast setup and turnaround times, transparent and affordable fees, interactive dashboard	Learn More	On BetterLegal's Website
Inc Authority	4.3	$0 for the first year	No	Free business formation with one year of free registered agent services, fast order processing	Learn More	On Inc Authority's Website
Harbor Compliance	3.6	$89 or $99 per state per year	Yes	Pre-filled state forms, bulk and multi-year discounts, customizable notifications, annual report notices	Learn More	On Harbor Compliance's Website
Bizee	3.4	$119 per state per year	Yes	Free registered agent service with free business formation, resource center, free business tools	Learn More	On Bizee's Website
Rocket Lawyer	3.4	$249.99 per year	No	Legal services membership plan, free seven-day trial, legal document creation, attorney network	Learn More	On Rocket Lawyer's Website

How To Choose the Best South Carolina Registered Agent Service

Our best-of list makes a good starting point for choosing the right registered agent for your business’s needs. Once you’ve gone through the list and put together your own shorter list of selected providers, you should consider other factors in making your choice, including:

Multistate support: Even if you’re only operating your business in South Carolina right now, it’s a good idea to see if the provider you’re looking at offers multi-state support. If you expand your business to other states in the future, you’ll need to have a registered agent in each of the states you’re operating in. It will make things easier if your provider offers multi-state support to accommodate your expansion needs.
First-year fee vs. renewal pricing: Some providers offer lower fees for the first year of registered agent service, with the cost of the service going up in the second year. This is particularly important if you go with a provider that offers registered agent service for free for the first year. You might think you’re getting a deal, but if the fee after the first year is high, you could end up paying more overall than if you went with another provider.
Bundling of services: Most businesses have multiple legal needs. If this is the case for your business, consider what other services a provider offers in addition to registered agent service. In some cases, you might get a deal on a bundled plan. It’s usually more efficient to use the same provider for multiple services.
Quality of customer support: You can’t predict what, if anything, might go wrong, but if something does go wrong, you want prompt customer support to help you resolve the issue. In assessing the quality of support a company offers, don’t go by the details of the support provided. Contact its support with questions before you sign up, and don’t forget to look at customer reviews on various review sites.
Company reputation: There’s only so much you can glean from a provider’s website. To see if a company is one you can trust, you’ll need to dig a little deeper. In addition to reading other customers’ reviews, check out places, such as the Better Business Bureau to see if there are specific issues that are common to any customer complaints.

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Methodology

We evaluated dozens of providers across hundreds of data points to find the top providers for this best-of list. In narrowing down our selection, we assessed weighted scores for a selection of criteria, including:

Price: Price considerations have a large impact for most small businesses. In evaluating providers on their registered agent service fees, we looked for reasonable monthly or annual prices, as well as any introductory deals or discounts.
Features: We took into consideration registered agent service features such as multi-state support, document handling processes, same-day document delivery and the availability of online dashboards or portals, as such features can mean the difference between a good provider and a mediocre one.
Additional services: Many small businesses require other business legal services such as compliance or bookkeeping, and it’s often convenient and more efficient to sign up for multiple services under the umbrella of one provider. To this end, we scored providers on the overall range of business services they offered.
Trust and reputation: Customer reviews and ratings at sites such as the Better Business Bureau provided the additional data we needed to assess providers’ reputations.
User experience: From setup to purchase to the day-to-day use of services, user experience plays a large role in quality. We gave providers scores based on the ease of use of their sites and online dashboards or client portals.
Customer support: Businesses need prompt and efficient customer support when issues arise, and our scoring took this into consideration.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What does a registered agent do?

A registered agent is someone you designate to receive specific types of documents—typically legal, state, regulatory and tax-related—on your behalf. Then, your agent shares those documents with you by scanning and uploading them to an online portal or forwarding them to your address. A registered agent may call you or send you a text message if they receive an urgent message, such as a court document or upcoming deadline notice.

Do I need a registered agent for my LLC doing business in South Carolina?

If you have an LLC doing business in South Carolina, you will need to designate a registered agent for your LLC. Additionally, you’ll need a registered agent in each state in which your LLC is doing business. Read our guide to learn how to complete the process of setting up an LLC in South Carolina.

Can I act as my LLC’s registered agent?

You can designate yourself as your LLC’s registered agent. However, keep in mind that a registered agent’s physical address must be listed in LLC public filings.

Can my registered agent have a P.O. box for an address?

Your registered agent cannot use a post office box as their address. A registered agent must have a physical address where they can receive delivery of physical mail during regular business hours.

Next Up In Business

Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.

Belle Wong, J.D.

Contributor

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