South Carolina Secretary of State office — contact & fees
Updated August 2026
Quick Answer
The South Carolina Secretary of State's Business Filings division handles entity formations, registered agent designations, amendments, and certificates of existence. Annual reports for for-profit corporations are a separate matter, filed with the South Carolina Department of Revenue — not this office. Online filing is available through businessfilings.sc.gov.
Open Official South Carolina Secretary of State Portal ↗Office contact
- Address
- 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 525, Columbia, SC 29201
- Phone
- (803) 734-2158
- Office hours
- Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Online filing portal
- businessfilings.sc.gov
Entity formation and filing fees
For-profit corporation formation requires both Articles of Incorporation ($110) and a CL-1 Initial Annual Report ($25) filed simultaneously — total $135. LLCs pay a flat $110 formation fee. Nonprofit formation is $25. Foreign (out-of-state) entities pay the same base fees as domestic ones for their entity type. Name reservation fees vary by entity type, not by filing channel — $25 for an LLC name, $10 for a corporation, nonprofit, or limited partnership name. Verify current amounts at businessfilings.sc.gov before filing.
Domestic LLC — Articles of Organization
- Fee
- $110
Foreign LLC — Application for Certificate of Authority
- Fee
- $110
Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation
- Fee
- $110
Foreign Corporation — Application for Certificate of Authority
- Fee
- $110
CL-1 Initial Annual Report (required with Corp formation, domestic or foreign)
- Fee
- $25
For-Profit Corporation formation total (Articles + CL-1)
- Fee
- $135
Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation
- Fee
- $25
Foreign Nonprofit Corporation — Application for Certificate of Authority
- Fee
- $10
Limited Partnership — Certificate of Limited Partnership (domestic)
- Fee
- $10
Limited Partnership — Application for Registration (foreign)
- Fee
- $10
LLP — Statement of Registration
- Fee
- $100
Name Reservation — LLC
- Fee
- $25
Name Reservation — Corporation, Nonprofit, or Limited Partnership
- Fee
- $10
Certificate of Existence or Authority
- Fee
- $10
Certificate of No Record / Certificate Under Seal
- Fee
- $20
Document copy — first page
- Fee
- $3
Document copy — each additional page
- Fee
- $0.50
The Secretary of State's office has issued a scam alert: several business filing customers have reported mailings from third parties demanding hundreds of dollars for documents the state provides directly for a fraction of the cost. A Certificate of Existence is $10 by statute — order it directly through businessfilings.sc.gov, not through a third-party mailing.
UCC filing, notary, and apostille services
The Secretary of State also handles UCC filings, notary commissions, and document authentication:
- UCC search and filing — available through the UCC Online system (ucconline.sc.gov); check the current fee schedule before filing.
- Notary public commissions — a $25 fee for a new or renewed 10-year commission, set by state law (S.C. Code §26-1-30).
- Apostilles and authentications — $5 per document.
Source: South Carolina Secretary of State notary and apostille pages (sos.sc.gov); S.C. Code §26-1-30.
Key South Carolina state licensing agencies
South Carolina Department of Revenue (SC DOR)
- What it covers
- Annual reports for for-profit corporations, sales tax registration, income tax withholding
- Website
- dor.sc.gov
South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW)
- What it covers
- Unemployment insurance registration, employer accounts, wage reporting
- Website
- dew.sc.gov
South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR)
- What it covers
- Contractor licensing, professional and occupational licenses — healthcare, real estate, cosmetology
- Website
- llr.sc.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in South Carolina?
$110 flat, the same base fee for domestic and foreign LLCs. For-profit corporations pay $110 for Articles of Incorporation plus a required $25 CL-1 report, for a $135 total; nonprofit formation is $25.
How much is a South Carolina name reservation?
It depends on entity type: $25 to reserve an LLC name, but only $10 to reserve a name for a corporation, nonprofit, or limited partnership.
Is a South Carolina Certificate of Existence really only $10?
Yes, by statute. The Secretary of State has warned that third parties send mailings demanding hundreds of dollars for documents the state provides directly for far less — order a Certificate of Existence through businessfilings.sc.gov for $10.