5 Best LLC Formation Services in South Carolina

Starting a business involves many critical decisions, one of which is selecting the right legal structure. Among the popular choices is forming a Limited Liability Company (LLC).

 

In South Carolina, the process involves specific guidelines and regulations, typically overseen by the Secretary of State. Navigating these requirements can be complex, making it beneficial to seek assistance from professional LLC formation services. These services streamline the process, ensuring compliance and providing peace of mind. 

Here, we highlight the five best LLC formation services, each offering unique features and benefits to help you start your business in South Carolina, with confidence.

Disclaimer: the rates and offerings below are subjected to changes made by the service providers.

Basics of an LLC

There are several options for structuring your business, and one of those options is a Limited Liability Company, or LLC. Among the main goals of choosing this kind of structure is protecting business owners from any debts the business incurs. Small business owners can protect their assets from lawsuits and creditors that are directly related to the business when they create an LLC. If you’re thinking about forming a business, considering an LLC is a good idea.

If you take this path you’ll be developing a business that’s essentially a mix of a sole proprietorship (or partnership) and a corporation. The way you form and regulate your LLC will vary depending on the state you’re in, so you’ll want to make sure you’re complying with the guidelines where you live. In South Carolina, you can get information on LLC formation through the Secretary of State.

Along with getting legal information from the state, you should find the best LLC services and registered agent services for your specific needs, too. That can increase your confidence and peace of mind as you move through the process. 

Here’s what to know about the 5 best LLC formation services in South Carolina.

Tailor Brands

Tailor Brands is one company you can choose to help you form and manage an LLC. The company offers a range of support and information that will talk you through the process, along with other legal service options for your new business. That can mean forming your business fast and learning more about growth and management. This company makes the top of the list because it offers you everything from setting up articles of incorporation to getting help with your annual report.

Services and offerings

Helping people form LLCs is one of the main focus areas for Tailor Brands, but the company also has other offerings and services that can help, as well. It offers plenty of complementary legal services to go along with forming a business, including operating agreements, registered agents, tax consultancy, insurance, licenses & permits, and more. You can also get assistance and guidance from Tailor Brands when it comes to advertising and branding, through help with design and marketing options such as creating a logo or website.

Pricing 

It doesn’t have to be expensive to get started on forming your LLC with Tailor Brands. In fact, you can form an LLC for $0 plus filing and licensing fees ($125 in South Carolina). If any company tells you that it’s possible to form an LLC that’s truly free, make sure to be aware that “free” generally just means the cost the company asks for. You still have to pay for licensing and filing, and there could be additional costs based on the kind of company you start. Getting started for a low cost is still highly important, though, because it can save you a lot of money and make setting up your LLC easier.

Overall

Overall, people love working with Tailor brands to form their South Carolina LLC. Customer reviews show a 4.5 rating out of 5 on the Trustpilot website, with over 8,000 reviews. Customers like that the company is efficient and consistent, and that they can work with professionals to get questions answered. The business is also fast at forming LLCs, so you can move through the steps quickly and often start operating within just a few days.

ZenBusiness

Services and offerings

ZenBusiness is another option for forming an LLC in South Carolina. It can help you with getting en Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, along with creating an operating agreement and getting your business set up and off the ground. However, there won’t be as many ongoing support areas as you’ll get with Tailor Brands. Still, you can use ZenBusiness for help getting a logo or opening a bank account for your business, if you just need to get something started.

Pricing

You can expect to pay $0 plus required state fees and costs to launch your LLC through this business. The fees can vary from one state to the next, so you’ll want to make sure you’re in the right place for a South Carolina LLC creation before you look into pricing. That’s the case with most of the formation companies you can use, since they need to stay competitive and will often have a $0 fee offer for their part of your LLC formation.

Overall

ZenBusiness has strong Trustpilot ratings and over 15,000 reviews. There’s a ‘Pro’ package that includes a lot of the elements you’ll need to create and operate your company. That costs more than the basic option, but you can get things completed faster that way. This could be a good choice for some businesses, but it’s probably not necessary for all of them.

Northwest Registered Agent

Services and offerings

When you choose Northwest Registered Agent you can form an LLC, set up a domain and website, get a registered agent, and get legal documents. There are also options for privacy for your business and guides that will help you more clearly understand the options and opportunities you have. If you need EIN help, phone service, mail forwarding, or trademark services, these are also available.

Pricing

Northwest Registered Agent offers a free option for LLC creation just like its competitors. However, you can also get a package starting at $39 plus state fees that has LLC creation, a business address, mail forwarding, a year of registered agent service, a website and domain, and an operating agreement. This can be a great, low-cost way to get a lot of assistance and support as you start your business.

Overall

With an A+ rating on the BBB website and a 4.7 rating on Google, this company has reviews from almost 900 customers. It also shows a 4.9 rating on LLC University, but has only a 3.1 Trustpilot rating. Unhappy customers cite their biggest concerns as problems with responsiveness and customer service, but there are also plenty of customers who are impressed with how they’ve been treated and everything the company offers.

LegalZoom

Services and offerings

LegalZoom is a popular site for advice and information, but you may not know that it provides a lot more than just knowledge. It can also help you form your South Carolina LLC and get it ready to grow. Along with actual LLC formation you can get a registered agent, an EIN, and a website. Additionally, you can pay extra for services like eSignature options and customizable legal forms that don’t come with the basic package.

Pricing

As with the other formation services you can form an LLC on LegalZoom for $0 plus state fees. There is also a ‘Pro’ option, but it’s more expensive than similar options from other companies. That could keep you from using this particular site to create your LLC if budget is a big consideration. Of course, money isn’t always a concern, and there’s a ‘Premium’ option that will give you access to an experienced attorney for increased support.

Overall

LegalZoom generally has good ratings from its customers, with a 4.4 on Trustpilot and nearly 4,000 reviews. Customers enjoy getting everything in one place so they can start their business, and they feel like the company is trustworthy when there are problems or questions. Having three separate packages to choose from means you can get your LLC started, increase your support, or let a professional handle everything.

Bizee

Services and offerings

Bizee has been in business since 2004 and offers a wide range of support options to help people start their LLCs. They can help with the actual formation of your LLC, a registered agent, 24/7 customer service, articles of organization, tailored services, and much more. There are customizable templates for business contracts and even forms to have your LLC treated as an S Corp for tax purposes.

Pricing

With Bizee you can form an LLC for free, but that doesn’t include state fees. If you want more support than just the basics, though, you’ll need to choose a package that offers additional options. The premium package is the best value, but it may also provide more than a beginning business needs. If you only need to get your LLC off the ground and don’t want a lot of additional support, you can get started for less.

Overall

This company has helped more than 1,000,000 customers start their LLCs, so it’s a popular option for a lot of people wanting to go into business for themselves. It has nearly 19,000 Trustpilot reviews and an overall 4.7 rating. It also has a ShopperApproved rating of 4.8, with more than 99,000 reviews on that site. Customers like how quick and easy everything in, and how Bizee does so much of the work for them, so they have less to worry about.

Can You Form Your LLC in South Carolina by Yourself?

It’s definitely possible to create an LLC on your own, but it might not be a good choice. You don’t want to miss an important step or file something incorrectly, because that could come with fees and penalties, as well as other problems. When you choose an LLC formation service you can have less stress and worry, so you can focus on actually operating your business. From making sure you have the right permits to getting a business account, everything is easier when you work with professionals.

Conclusion

When forming your South Carolina LLC it’s important to get it right from the very beginning. That can keep you in compliance with laws and regulations, and make sure you have what you need to get your business up and running smoothly. The peace of mind that comes with that is extremely valuable, and can help you look forward to seeing your business grow.