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How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in South Carolina

South Carolina calls it the Certificate of Existence and charges $10. Here is how to order it and what must be current first.

At a glance

Document name
Certificate of Existence
State fee
$10
Online ordering
Yes
Typical turnaround
Online: immediate through Business Entities Online. Mail: 5-7 business days
Issuing office
South Carolina SOS ↗

How to order it

  1. Clear any past-due filings first. The South Carolina SOS will not issue a certificate while you have unpaid tax or an unfiled report. The state-specific requirements are in the points below.
  2. Order it online. Search your LLC in the South Carolina portal, request the certificate, and download it. Link in the table above.
  3. Pay the $10 fee. Pay by card at checkout. A small card surcharge usually applies.
  4. Use it inside the recipient's window. The certificate has no state expiration, but banks and other states usually want one dated within the last 30 to 90 days. Order it close to when you need it.
Full ordering details for South Carolina

South Carolina uses Certificate of Existence (for domestic) and Certificate of Authorization (for foreign). The Secretary of State publishes a single $10 fee, described as set by statute, and states no separate price for ordering online rather than by mail. Order online through Business Entities Online for instant delivery.

Processing and expedited tiers: Online: immediate through Business Entities Online. Mail: 5-7 business days

Important to know about South Carolina

  • South Carolina LLCs do NOT file annual reports at all (unlike SC corporations, which do through their annual C-Corp or S-Corp tax filings). SC is one of a handful of states that requires no recurring LLC filing.
  • A Certificate of Compliance from the SC Department of Revenue ($60) is a separate document covering state tax compliance. SOS Certificate of Existence does not certify tax status.
  • The Secretary of State warns that third-party services charge more than the $10 statutory fee for this certificate. Ordering direct through Business Entities Online is both the cheapest route and the instant one.

Ordering this to register in another state?

A certificate of good standing from South Carolina is what the new state asks for when your South Carolina LLC registers to do business there. Pick the state you are expanding into to see its exact filing, fee, and process.

Find your state-to-state guide · Registering an out-of-state LLC into South Carolina instead?

Related guides

This page provides general information based on publicly available South Carolina Secretary of State requirements. It is not legal advice. Names, fees, and procedures can change. Verify with the South Carolina SOS before ordering.