How to Change Your Registered Agent in South Carolina (2026)
South Carolina's Notice of Change form is what you need. File it with the Secretary of State online through Business Entities Online, or mail it to Columbia. Either way, the fee is $10.
This is a separate filing from anything else on your LLC's record. South Carolina doesn't require most LLCs to file a periodic report with the Secretary of State at all. There's no annual filing to fold this change into. The Quick Facts below cover the exact statute, the form number and the mailing address.
Here's what's ahead: both filing routes, what to do if your agent resigns and who actually qualifies to serve as your agent.
Quick Summary
- File the Notice of Change form online or by mail. The new agent signs consent right on the form, at the flat fee shown below.
- South Carolina LLCs taxed the default way file no annual report with the Secretary of State.
- If your agent resigns instead, name a replacement fast. Wait too long and the Secretary of State can step in as your default agent.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Form | Notice of Change of Designated Office, Agent, or Address of Agent (F0080 domestic / F0086 foreign) |
| Statute | S.C. Code § 33-44-109 |
| Filing fee | $10 flat |
| Agent requirement | SC resident individual, domestic entity, or authorized foreign entity, with a SC street address |
| Filing channel | Online (Business Entities Online) or mail |
| Filing agency | South Carolina Secretary of State, Business Filings Division |
| Mailing address | 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 525, Columbia, SC 29201 |
| Office hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. |
| Recurring SOS report | None for standard LLCs (only corp-taxed LLCs file with the Dept. of Revenue) |
How to Change Your South Carolina Registered Agent
South Carolina LLCs change agents through a statement of change filed with the Secretary of State [1]. The form lists your company's name, its current designated office, and whatever is changing: the office address, the agent, or both.
The consent piece is built into the paperwork itself. When you name a new agent, that person signs the form to accept the appointment. There's no separate consent document to track down or attach.
An authorized person has to sign for the company. A manager signs if the LLC is manager-managed, and a member signs if it's member-managed. Before the LLC has formed, the organizer signs instead, or a court-appointed fiduciary if one is running the company [2].
Mail filings go to the Secretary of State, Attn: Corporate Filings, 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 525, Columbia, SC 29201. The office is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
1. Changing Your Registered Agent Using a Professional Service
If you'd rather skip the paperwork, a registered agent service can file the change for you. Sign up for an account with the provider you pick, request the agent swap, and follow their on-screen steps. You still pay South Carolina's $10 state fee on top of whatever the service charges.
Our best registered agent services in South Carolina ranking compares pricing and coverage side by side. Running a business registered outside South Carolina too? Our national registered agent service roundup covers providers licensed in multiple states. Or skip the service fee and use the change-of-agent overview to compare the DIY route in other states.
2. Filing Directly With the Secretary of State
To file it yourself online:
- Go to Business Entities Online and search for your existing entity.
- Open your business record and select "Add Filing."
- Choose the agent-change filing from the list of available forms.
- Enter the new office and agent details, then have the new agent complete the consent step.
- Pay the $10 fee by card. The change is effective once the Secretary of State endorses it.
Prefer paper? Download the Notice of Change form and fill it out. Mail two copies, the original plus a duplicate or conformed copy, with a $10 check to the Columbia address above.
Nothing on the form or the Secretary of State's own site currently lists a fax option. Online or mail are the only two channels.
3. What Happens If Your Registered Agent Resigns or You Don't Have One
Your current agent can step away first instead of waiting for you to name a replacement. They resign by filing a statement of resignation. The Secretary of State then mails a copy to your designated office and to the LLC's principal address [3]. That resignation takes effect on the thirty-first day after filing, so you have a window to name a replacement before it lapses.
Skip naming an agent, or lose one that can't be found with reasonable diligence. Then the Secretary of State becomes your default agent [4]. Service gets delivered to the Secretary of State's office in duplicate, and a copy goes out to your designated office by certified mail. That's not a status you want to rely on, since it adds mailing delays right when you need to respond to something.
4. Skip the Articles of Amendment for This
Some guides suggest amending your Articles of Organization to swap agents. Don't. It costs more and takes longer to accomplish the same thing.
The Amended Articles of Organization form covers general changes, like renaming your LLC, for $110 [5]. The dedicated Notice of Change form above covers an agent swap for a tenth of that price.
Who Can Be a South Carolina Registered Agent
Your registered agent can be an individual South Carolina resident. It can also be a domestic corporation, another LLC, or a foreign corporation or LLC authorized to do business in the state [6]. Either way, the agent needs a real South Carolina street address where it can be found. That's where service of process gets delivered.
You can act as your own registered agent if you meet those same requirements. Plenty of LLC owners do, especially in the first year before they decide whether outside help is worth paying for.
FAQs
How Much Does a Registered Agent Change Cost in South Carolina?
A registered agent change in South Carolina costs a flat $10, whether you file online or by mail.
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in South Carolina?
Yes, you can be your own registered agent in South Carolina if you're a resident with a real street address there where you can accept service of process.
Do South Carolina LLCs File an Annual Report With the Secretary of State?
No, standard South Carolina LLCs file no periodic report with the Secretary of State. Only an LLC that elects corporate tax treatment owes anything recurring, starting with an initial CL-1 report and then yearly returns filed with the Department of Revenue.
What Happens If My South Carolina Registered Agent Resigns?
If your South Carolina registered agent resigns, that resignation takes effect thirty-one days after they file it. Use that window to line up a replacement before service of process starts routing through the state instead.
References:
- https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t33c044.php#33-44-109
- https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t33c044.php#33-44-205
- https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t33c044.php#33-44-110
- https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t33c044.php#33-44-111
- https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t33c044.php#33-44-204
- https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t33c044.php#33-44-108
