Does South Carolina Require an LLC Annual Report?
No. South Carolina does not require LLCs to file an annual report. There is no recurring state filing fee for a standard LLC. LLCs taxed as corporations pay the annual corporate license fee ($15 plus 0.1% of capital and paid-in surplus, $25 minimum) with their income tax return; other LLCs file SC1065 or SC1040 income tax returns as applicable.
What a South Carolina LLC still has to do each year
South Carolina is one of the few states where an ordinary LLC files no annual report with the Secretary of State and pays no yearly state filing fee. That holds for LLCs taxed as partnerships or disregarded entities. The exception surprises owners who later elect corporate tax treatment: an LLC taxed as a C or S corporation must file the CL-1 Initial Annual Report with the Department of Revenue within 60 days of starting business, then file an annual report as Schedule D of its SC1120 or SC1120S and pay a license fee of $15 plus 0.1% of capital and paid-in surplus, with a $25 minimum. Without an annual report, the Secretary of State's main enforcement tool is nonpayment. An LLC that leaves a fee, tax, or penalty unpaid for 60 days can be served with notice and dissolved 60 days later. Keeping a registered agent and filing state tax returns are the real ongoing duties.
No Secretary of State filing. Department of Revenue returns and the CL-1 are filed with SCDOR, including through its MyDORWAY portal.
If the LLC is dissolved for another reason, such as losing its registered agent, see the South Carolina reinstatement guide.
What South Carolina charges over five years
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Formation filing fee | $110 |
| Recurring state payments, years 1-5 | $0 |
| State filing fees, five years | $110 |
Counts only the formation fee and the recurring state payment. LLCs taxed as corporations pay the annual corporate license fee ($15 plus 0.1% of capital and paid-in surplus, $25 minimum) with their income tax return; other LLCs file SC1065 or SC1040 income tax returns as applicable. Registered agent service, if you use one, typically adds $100 to $300 a year.
South Carolina compared with nearby states
| State | Filing | Fee | Due | Late fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | None | $0 | - | - |
| North Carolina | Annual Report | $200 | April 15 each year | None |
| Georgia | Annual Registration | $60 | April 1 each year | $25 |
Mistakes South Carolina owners make
- Paying a third party to file a South Carolina LLC annual report, when a standard LLC has no such filing with the Secretary of State.
- Electing S corporation status and not realizing the LLC must then file the CL-1 and an annual license fee with the Department of Revenue.
- Ignoring state tax filings because there is no annual report, when unpaid taxes or fees are exactly what triggers administrative dissolution.
- Letting the registered agent lapse, which removes the address where dissolution notices would be served.
South Carolina LLC annual requirements: questions
Does a South Carolina LLC have to file an annual report?
Not with the Secretary of State. A South Carolina LLC taxed as a partnership or disregarded entity has no recurring report or annual fee. Only LLCs that elect to be taxed as corporations file an annual report, and that report goes to the Department of Revenue as part of the corporate income tax return.
What does an LLC taxed as an S corporation owe in South Carolina?
It files the CL-1 Initial Annual Report with the Department of Revenue within 60 days of starting business, with a $25 fee. Each year after that, it files an annual report as Schedule D of its SC1120S and pays a license fee of $15 plus 0.1% of capital and paid-in surplus, with a $25 minimum.
Can a South Carolina LLC be dissolved if there is no annual report?
Yes. The Secretary of State can begin administrative dissolution if the LLC fails to pay a fee, tax, or penalty within 60 days after it is due. The LLC then has 60 days after notice is served to fix the problem or show it does not exist before it is dissolved.
- scstatehouse.gov/code/t33c044.php
- dor.sc.gov/business-income-taxes/corporate/corporate-faqs
- dor.sc.gov/sites/dor/files/forms/CL1.pdf
- dor.sc.gov/notices-compliance/request-certificate-compliance
- dor.sc.gov/forms-site/Forms/C268.pdf
- businessfilings.sc.gov/BusinessFiling/Entity/DownloadForm?entityType=2&filingTyp
- businessfilings.sc.gov/BusinessFiling/Home/DownloadForms?pdfCategoryId=6&categor
Related: How to start an LLC in South Carolina · Reinstating a South Carolina LLC · Annual report fees in every state · LLC costs compared
Behind on a South Carolina filing, or not sure what you owe?
Tell us where your LLC stands and get a free call to sort out the next step. No obligation.
Request a free callLaunch.llc is free. If a formation or compliance partner fits and you choose to move forward, the partner may pay us a referral fee. We are not a law firm or a government agency.
Last reviewed October 30, 2026 against the sources listed above. Figures marked † could not be confirmed on an official page; check them with the state before relying on them. General information, not legal or tax advice.