How To Get A Registered Agent In Sc

The requirements for a registered amanuensis in South Carolina might seem simple on the surface, only in reality this function has some nuance involved. Rather than spending hours researching the rules and regulations yourself, we've created a guide to aid you access this information easily.

Knowing exactly what is required from a registered agent is essential to your business remaining in compliance with your state'southward laws. Whether y'all have on this office yourself or outsource it to some other person or business entity, the South Carolina registered amanuensis must continue on top of things in order for your company to stay compliant.

Below is a complete picture of the iv best South Carolina registered agent services (which also provide LLC services ) and what they offer. We will outline each selection and make independent recommendations based on what y'all are looking for.

Zen Business Special Offer - Free Registered Agent

If you want a free registered agent service in S Carolina and take not yet formed a business organisation, Zen Business will include it with every online LLC formation package. All for simply $39 + state fee.

four Top Southward Carolina Registered Amanuensis Services & Description

A registered agent service is a visitor that specializes in existence a registered amanuensis for a broad variety of businesses across the country, bringing tons of expertise and a healthy dose of reliability to the function.

What'due south great is that the personal addresses of dwelling house-based entrepreneurs remain private when you hire a professional registered agent service. There are quite a few of these companies out there, and most of them brand information technology quite easy to enlist their services.

Registered amanuensis services ordinarily include some boosted features, which vary depending on which company you lot choose. In general though, you'll often encounter these services offer a compliance calendar to help you track your important filing deadlines, and y'all'll ever receive admission to their helpful customer back up teams.

Hither are the 4 best registered agent services in South Carolina :

Best If You lot Prefer Feel

BANG FOR YOUR Buck	Great
Claim TO FAME	First-class client service
COMPARED TO OTHER SERVICES	Above average value

Northwest Registered Agent : Northwest charges $125 per year, and they're the merely major national registered agent service that locally scans every document they receive as your amanuensis. They also have personalized customer support that assigns a dedicated account representative to each client.

Here are some of the other top things to love well-nigh Northwest:

Disbelieve for $100 per twelvemonth per business if you utilize them for more than 10 states, or you employ them as the registered agent for more than 10 businesses
Promises never to sell your personal information; stands by their Privacy by Default guarantee
Offers one twelvemonth of complimentary registered agent service if yous employ their LLC formation service, which has a $39 cost tag ($125 per year will beginning on the second year)

Ane terminal note: if you practice choose to use a business organization formation package from Northwest, you'll pay their service fee plus the $110/$135 Due south Carolina filing fee.

Northwest Strengths

Solid pricing model – Northwest doesn't have the lowest prices in the industry, just considering what you get, their registered agent service is a corking deal. They even take book discounts bachelor if you require service in multiple states, or prepay multiple years.
12 months registered agent service included with business germination packages – No matter which of their business formation packages you buy, Northwest includes 1 full year of their height-shelf registered agent service.
Personalized customer support – Northwest takes customer service to the next level. They refer to their representatives as "corporate guides," and they have all the expertise necessary to walk you through each step of your company's formation.
20+ years experience – So many companies in this industry were just formed within the final few years, but Northwest has already been around for decades. They're here to stay.

Northwest Weaknesses

Cheaper options available – There are other companies that undercut Northwest'due south pricing models for registered agent service, although they tin't quite match Northwest'southward local scanning or great customer support.

All-time If Yous Prefer Adept Company Values

Blindside FOR YOUR Cadet	Excellent
CLAIM TO FAME	Friendly and socially witting arrangement
COMPARED TO OTHER SERVICES	Higher up average value

Zen Business concern : Zen Business has a lower $99 rate than Northwest offers, with an actress focus on making the procedure less stressful and an easier-to-use website. You'll receive their outstanding customer support, as well as access to helpful software that allows yous to rail and file your company's annual reports.

In a nutshell, here are some of the things we dear best nearly Zen Concern:

Smaller company feel gives y'all more than individualized attention than other companies
Forming your business concern with Zen Business gives you registered amanuensis service for $39 plus state fees for the commencement year (this annual package commonly costs $119)
Has one of the everyman à-la-carte du jour registered agent prices of $99 per yr

If yous use Zen Business to course your business, you'll pay $39 plus Due south Carolina's fee of $110/$135 for the outset year. After that, your annual cost will exist $119 per yr. It's just $99 per year if yous cull registered agent service only.

Zen Business organization Strengths

Fantastic customer feedback – Information technology'south hard to find more a small handful of negative reviews for Zen Business. The vast majority of their 4,700+ reviews are positive.
Inexpensive LLC and corporation formations – Zen Business offers some of the everyman prices in the manufacture for business concern germination service, while nevertheless providing clients with a dainty choice of features.
Registered amanuensis included with every bundle – Every Zen Business business formation customer receives one full year of registered agent service at no extra accuse.

Zen Business Weaknesses

While Zen Business organization does accept solid pricing and keen features, they are not quite the cheapest or the best registered amanuensis service available, in our opinion.

Best If Y'all Adopt Costless Registered Amanuensis Service

Bang FOR YOUR BUCK	Splendid
CLAIM TO FAME	Offers free Due south Carolina registered agent service for ane year
COMPARED TO OTHER SERVICES	Above average value

Incfile : They are one of the most well-known LLC and registered agent services bachelor, with rates that beginning at just $119 per year. Plus they offer an crawly gratuitous LLC formation service if you lot haven't created a business organisation yet and would like a free registered agent service in the procedure.

Hither are some of our superlative loves for Incfile:

The only service to offer free business concern formation services, including ane free twelvemonth of registered agent service
Overwhelmingly positive client feedback: a iv.8 satisfaction score across 13,500+ reviews

And so in short, if y'all course your business organisation with Incfile, yous won't owe anything except the $110/$135 Southward Carolina filing fee for the first yr.

Incfile Strengths

Free business formation offer – Incfile is the but company we're enlightened of that offers a business formation service parcel for free. All yous need to exercise is pay your state fee, and they'll take care of the rest!
Thousands of positive customer reviews – Incfile has one of the best customer feedback reputations in this industry. They have thousands of positive reviews, and very few negative reviews to be constitute.
Ane yr registered agent service included with formation packages – No matter which one of their formation packages you lot choose (even the free version), they'll include 12 months of registered agent at no actress cost.

Incfile Weaknesses

Registered agent service feels like an reconsideration – Incfile has a great offering for business formation service, merely their registered agent service is less impressive. There are no additional features included, and the $119 price tag is reasonable just not impressive.

Best If Yous Adopt A Big Visitor

BANG FOR YOUR Cadet	Fair
Claim TO FAME	Massive ad budget and brand
COMPARED TO OTHER SERVICES	Below average value

LegalZoom: This is another very popular choice that more-or-less does the same thing equally the other services, but charges $299 per year. In our opinion, the affordable registered agent services above are far amend deals and more than half the cost.

While LegalZoom isn't the most affordable service, in that location are some perks:

Largest business organisation service network in the nation
Offers comprehensive legal services, and so they tin can exist your one-stop shop for both business concern and personal legal needs
Their basic business formation service is $79 plus land fees (a fair value)

LegalZoom Strengths

Lots of feel and high customer volume – Not many competitors can say that they've served millions of customers, only LegalZoom tin can. They take a ton of experience that gives them an advantage over near companies in this industry.
Broad-reaching name recognition – LegalZoom advertises more than the vast majority of their competitors, which is function of why they're and then popular. Their brand power is unrivaled.
Many other services bachelor – Few companies offer as broad a diverseness of services as LegalZoom does. They provide personal services like wills and power of attorney, and of grade they also have a vast array of business services as well.

LegalZoom Weaknesses

Mediocre client reviews – LegalZoom has quite a few reviews available online, but they're separate relatively as between positive and negative scores. Some of their competitors have nearly universal praise from their clients.
High prices – LegalZoom'southward registered amanuensis service costs $299 per year. While there are a couple competing companies that charge more than that, at that place are dozens of services with lower price points.
No registered agent included with LLC formations – Some competitors, like Northwest Registered Agent and ZenBusiness, include a total year of registered agent service with any business germination package. LegalZoom does not.

What Is a South Carolina Registered Amanuensis?

Every business organization entity in the state of South Carolina is required to accept a registered amanuensis. In fact, you will non exist allowed to finish the formation procedure for your company until yous designate your registered agent.

The about important aspect of this role is receiving document deliveries from the land regime, then alerting your business of the delivery, before forwarding the documents to yous. The part of the registered agent is and then important because information technology establishes a indicate of contact for your business with the land, and then that they have a reliable place to get in touch with an official representative of your company at any time.

The South Carolina Secretarial assistant of State does non provide a comprehensive listing of the registered agents serving in the state, just they practise offer a Registered Amanuensis Search tool. If you know at to the lowest degree part of an agent's proper noun and want to get more than data, you lot tin can type it into the search and obtain a list of upwards to 50 results. Delight note that this requires you to do a little of your own legwork. But betwixt that research and this guide, y'all should be all set up to find the perfect agent for your business organization.

Who Tin Be a S Carolina Registered Amanuensis?

A South Carolina registered agent is a person or business organisation entity that has a physical accost in the state. You lot or i of your co-owners can serve as your ain registered agent, you lot can designate a friend or family unit member for this role, you can hire a lawyer or auditor every bit your agent, or you can hire an online business concern services company to provide registered agent service.

No matter who you choose to be your registered agent, they need to be physically present at the address provided to the state during all standard business organisation hours. This person or entity does not demand to have any prior feel existence a registered agent, but it'south wise to choose a registered agent who is familiar with the serious responsibilities that come with this role.

There is no minimum age requirement on who can be a registered amanuensis in the state of South Carolina. Co-ordinate to Title 33, Chapter 5 of the South Carolina Lawmaking of Laws, each business concern entity needs a registered agent that is either:

an individual who resides in this state and whose business role is identical with the registered office; or…
a domestic corporation or non-for-turn a profit domestic corporation whose business role is identical with the registered office; or…
a foreign corporation or not-for-profit foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state whose business office is identical with the registered function.

What Does a Registered Amanuensis Do?

A registered agent performs several modest tasks that accumulate into a larger role of meaning importance. They are essentially the liaison betwixt your concern and the state yous are conducting business in.

Legal Matters

Start and foremost, a registered agent must act as the designated recipient of whatever taxation or legal documents sent by the country of South Carolina . In the instance of legal matters, the registered agent must be physically present to receive hand-delivered service of process (SOP) paperwork regarding legal action being taken confronting your company. After the handoff, the registered amanuensis then needs to effectively report this commitment to your business, and forrad the documents to you.

The registered agent and the business they represent should have a previously agreed-upon club of operations for the intake and delivery of these documents. For example, they should determine whether the documents will be delivered from the registered agent to the concern via fax, mail, or email.

Ongoing Due south Carolina Business Compliance

The registered amanuensis as well typically helps ensure that your concern remains current and compliant on all country-required ongoing maintenance filings. Each state has its own set of laws regarding which maintenance filings are required, which ordinarily refers to annual reports and/or franchise tax payments. These rules are subject to change at any time, then the registered agent must stay up to engagement in order to ensure your business remains in skilful continuing with the state, and avoids fines or a business dissolution.

There is no annual written report requirement in the state of South Carolina. At that place is, yet, an annual report folio in the corporation tax return form which must exist completed in club for a corporation in this state to remain compliant. The payment due for this filing varies from one entity to another, though, considering the "fee" is just what taxes you owe for the year.

Your registered agent should be aware of the schedule and help y'all file your annual written report in order to stay in good standing with the state.

What almost modest, South Carolina -simply registered agent services?

Every bit you lot've probably noticed, the registered amanuensis services we've listed here serve businesses across the country. But if y'all Google " South Carolina Registered Amanuensis," yous'll probably encounter results for local services, also. These tin exist local entrepreneurs with a knack for clerical tasks, offices dedicated to serving businesses in their counties, or statewide companies.

On i hand, using a local service can have its advantages. Some volition exist cheaper than nationwide firms (simply non always!). And each land has its own nuances for business compliance requirements— South Carolina included. A registered agent service that services South Carolina alone will have detailed knowledge about those requirements. Granted, most national services exercise a practiced job understanding local requirements. But they probably won't give you the aforementioned "homegrown South Carolina " feeling every bit a local amanuensis service.

That said, national businesses similar Northwest Registered Agent and Zen Concern give you streamlined solutions. Permit's say you lot're using a local South Carolina -only registered agent service, merely it's fourth dimension to add together locations in North Carolina . You could search for an additional agent that services North Carolina businesses. Just that's going to require a lot of additional paperwork, including new receipts, new automatic payments, more emails…you become the idea. But if you lot're using a national service, you can cut down the "new" paperwork and focus on what really matters: growing your business.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you, and there's no "incorrect" answer. The most important thing is that you appoint one so you lot can run a compliant South Carolina business.

What If I Desire to Change My S Carolina Registered Agent?

While the role of the registered amanuensis is vitally important for any American business entity, this function can always be changed, and at that place are different rules for how to change your agent depending on which country your business operates in.

In Due south Carolina, corporations and LLCs tin can file a Observe of Change of Registered Office or Registered Amanuensis or Both form (y'all tin find downloads of the grade for all entity types here ). The fee is $10 for all entities. Documents can be mailed, handed off in person, or filed online .

For pace-by-step instructions to alter a registered agent in S Carolina , please bank check out our guide .

Need to outset a business concern in Due south Carolina ?

We've gone into a lot of detail virtually registered agents in this guide, but here'south the deal: appointing a registered agent is just i step in the much bigger procedure of starting a concern. If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed past all that goes into it, don't panic. Nosotros're here to help.

You can catch the full guide to offset a South Carolina LLC , but hither's the wing-by version:

Choose a concern name : Every business in South Carolina needs a name that's both catchy and gives potential clients a good idea what the business organization does. The proper name too needs to be unique—both for legal reasons and and so your business stands out from the contest.
Appoint your registered agent: Whether you elect to utilize a private registered agent, serve equally your own, or you hire a service like the 1 nosotros've listed here, yous can't skip this step. Without a registered agent, you won't become a legitimate, registered entity.
File your germination documents: If yous're forming an LLC, you'll need to file the Articles of Organization; corporations file the Articles of Incorporation . Once you fill it out and file it, this document is what officially forms your business organization in the state. At that place is a $110 filing fee for LLCs; corporations pay $135 to file.

Beyond that, there are plenty of ongoing maintenance requirements. We won't go into a ton of detail hither, though. Your registered amanuensis will help you keep tabs on most of those, but you can read more than here .

South Carolina Business Fast-Facts

Business Formation Speed : up to seven business organisation days for standard filing; expedited processing commonly requires 2 business days (no expedited filings bachelor)
Price to Class a Business : $110 for LLCs and $135 for corporations (plus the service's fee if yous use ane)
How to Register: File the Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation online or by mail
Almanac Reports : Not required for about businesses; corporations have an "annual report" section on their annual franchise tax return class
State General Business License : Not required on the state level, merely local licenses may be required; industry licenses may also utilise

Decision

If yous want a complimentary registered amanuensis service in Due south Carolina and have not withal formed a business organisation, Zen Business organisation will include information technology with every online LLC formation packet. All for just $39 + state fee.

The role of a Due south Carolina registered agent is disquisitional to your visitor'due south compliance and legal standing.

This position requires dealing with seemingly elementary tasks, yet if they're handled incorrectly, they could cost you a considerable corporeality of money in fines, and could even potentially see the state dissolve your business organization.

While you can ever change your registered amanuensis downwardly the line, we think it'due south essential to choice the right registered agent for your business organization starting at the formation phase. You should also keep an middle on your compliance standing to ensure naught goes awry along the way.