South Carolina Secretary of State office — contact & fees
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 ↗This site is an independent, non-government business entity search directory and isn't affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any state government or Secretary of State office. Always verify details directly with the official agency before filing or paying any fee.
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.