‹ South Carolina Filing Guide
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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 $15. Here is how to order it and what must be current first.
At a glance
- Document name
- Certificate of Existence
- State fee
- $15
- Online ordering
- Yes
- Typical turnaround
- Online: immediate through Business Entities Online ($15). Mail: 5-7 business days ($10)
- Issuing office
- South Carolina SOS ↗
How to order it
- 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.
- Order it online. Search your LLC in the South Carolina portal, request the certificate, and download it. Link in the table above.
- Pay the $15 fee. Pay by card at checkout. A small card surcharge usually applies.
- 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). Curiously, online costs more ($15) than mail ($10), a rare reverse pricing structure. Order online through Business Entities Online for instant delivery.
Processing and expedited tiers: Online: immediate through Business Entities Online ($15). Mail: 5-7 business days ($10)
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.
- Mail is cheaper than online in SC, but online delivery is instant. For most use cases the $5 price difference is worth the immediate PDF.
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.