SC registered agent
South Carolina registered agent service, $3.50 a year
South Carolina requires every corporation and LLC on its books to keep a registered agent at a real address in the state. Here is what South Carolina law says about who that agent has to be and where it has to be.
What South Carolina requires of a registered agent
The requirement
A corporation's registered agent may be an individual SC resident, a domestic corporation or nonprofit corporation, or a foreign corporation or nonprofit authorized to transact business in SC - in each case with a business office identical to the registered office. For LLCs, the agent for service of process must be an individual SC resident, a domestic corporation, another LLC, or a foreign corporation or foreign company authorized to do business in SC (S.C. Code Ann. § 33-44-108(b)).
Each corporation must continuously maintain in this State: (1) a registered office that may be the same as any of its places of business; and (2) a registered agent, who may be: (i) an individual who resides in this State and whose business office is identical with the registered office; (ii) a domestic corporation or not-for-profit domestic corporation whose business office is identical with the registered office; or (iii) a foreign corporation or not-for-profit foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state whose business office is identical with the registered office.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: S.C. Code Ann. § 33-5-101
How we comply
We don't.
What South Carolina does to your company when we don't
Here is what the state does to an entity that has no agent, or whose agent is us.
Administrative dissolution
The Secretary of State must commence administrative dissolution of a domestic corporation that is without a registered agent or registered office, or that fails to notify the SOS of agent/office changes or resignation.
The Secretary of State shall commence a proceeding under Section 33-14-210(a) to dissolve a corporation administratively if: ... (3) the corporation is without a registered agent or registered office in this State; (4) the corporation does not notify the Secretary of State that its registered agent or registered office has been changed, that its registered agent has resigned, or that its registered office has been discontinued...
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: S.C. Code Ann. § 33-14-200(a)(3)-(4)
And also
Effect of administrative dissolution: the corporation continues to exist but may only wind up and liquidate; it gets 60 days after SOS notice to cure before dissolution.
A corporation dissolved administratively continues its corporate existence but may not carry on any business except that necessary to wind up and liquidate its business and affairs under Section 33-14-105 and notify claimants under Sections 33-14-106 and 33-14-107.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: S.C. Code Ann. § 33-14-210(b), (d)
Revocation (foreign entities)
A foreign corporation's certificate of authority is revoked if it is without a registered agent or registered office in SC or fails to inform the SOS of agent/office changes.
The Secretary of State shall commence a proceeding under Section 33-15-310 to revoke the certificate of authority of a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this State if: ... (3) the foreign corporation is without a registered agent or registered office in this State; (4) the foreign corporation does not inform the Secretary of State under Section 33-15-108 or 33-15-109 that its registered agent or registered office has changed, that its registered agent has resigned, or that its registered office has been discontinued;
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: S.C. Code Ann. § 33-15-300(a)(3)-(4)
No access to the courts
A foreign corporation transacting business in SC without a certificate of authority (e.g., after revocation) may not maintain a proceeding in any SC court until it obtains one.
A foreign corporation transacting business in this State without a certificate of authority may not maintain a proceeding in any court in this State until it obtains a certificate of authority.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: S.C. Code Ann. § 33-15-102(a)
Civil penalty
Civil penalty of $10 per day (capped at $1,000 per year) for a foreign corporation transacting business in SC without a certificate of authority.
A foreign corporation is liable for a civil penalty of ten dollars for each day but not to exceed a total of one thousand dollars for each year it transacts business in this State without a certificate of authority. The Attorney General may collect all penalties due under this subsection.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: S.C. Code Ann. § 33-15-102(d)
The bill to come back
Reinstatement fee
Reinstatement after administrative dissolution costs $25 (corporation fee schedule; same $25 for LLCs under § 33-44-1204(a)(11)) and requires a Department of Revenue tax-clearance certificate.
Application for reinstatement following administrative dissolution $25.00. ... (4) contain a certificate from the South Carolina Department of Revenue reciting that all taxes, penalties, and interest owed by the corporation, whether assessed or not, have been paid.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: S.C. Code Ann. § 33-1-220(a)(16); § 33-14-220(a)(4)
What happens to the lawsuit you never saw
Substituted service
For LLCs, if the company fails to appoint or maintain an agent for service of process, or the agent cannot with reasonable diligence be found, the Secretary of State becomes the company's agent; the SOS forwards a copy by registered or certified mail to the company's designated office. For corporations the entity code defers to Title 15 (civil procedure): 'Service of process on a corporation must be in accord with the applicable provisions of Title 15' (§ 33-5-104). A revoked foreign corporation's revocation itself appoints the SOS as its agent for service (§ 33-15-310(e)).
If a limited liability company or foreign limited liability company fails to appoint or maintain an agent for service of process in this State or the agent for service of process cannot with reasonable diligence be found at the agent's address, the Secretary of State is an agent of the company upon whom process, notice, or demand may be served.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: S.C. Code Ann. § 33-44-111(b)
Statutory text as captured by incFACTS (retrieved 2026-08-01, verified word-for-word against the state code 2026-08-10). Laws change. The statute governs; this page does not.