South Carolina

Foreign registration · Form F0008

Montana LLC Foreign Registration in South Carolina

South Carolina registers an LLC from Montana as a foreign LLC on Form F0008, with $110 in state fees. South Carolina also wants Montana's Certificate of Existence ($5), dated within 30 days. We file it with the Secretary of State using your Montana records and act as your agent for service of process there for the first year.

Montana and South Carolina side by side

	Montana formed here	South Carolina registering here
Document	Montana Certificate of Existence	Form F0008, Application for a Certificate of Authority by a Foreign Limited Liability Company
State fee	$5	$110 at order
How it is handled	Montana: online	Filed with South Carolina
Office	Montana Secretary of State, Business Services	South Carolina Secretary of State
Official page	biz.sosmt.gov	businessfilings.sc.gov
Age rule	Dated when issued	Accepted if dated within 30 days
Yearly filing	Annual Report, $20, every year	No annual report
Due	April 15
Agent	Your Montana registered agent	Our South Carolina agent for service of process

From Montana to South Carolina, step by step

Order the Montana certificate
The Certificate of Existence ($5) is ordered from Montana separately; it is not part of our South Carolina order. South Carolina accepts it within 30 days of Montana's issue date, so it is ordered shortly before filing.
We prepare and file Form F0008
It lists us as your South Carolina agent for service of process, next to your Montana name and formation date, with the certificate attached. Once Montana's certificate is in hand, South Carolina's filing goes in. After approval, your Montana LLC is registered with South Carolina.

First-year cost, Montana to South Carolina

Item	Amount
State fees, paid at order	$110
Certificate of Existence, paid to Montana	$5
Our service, with a year of South Carolina agent for service of process service	$199
First-year total, Montana certificate included	$314

Will your Montana name work for South Carolina?

South Carolina can hold a name for $25 before you file.

Your South Carolina agent and the Montana one

South Carolina calls it an agent for service of process; Montana says registered agent. South Carolina papers come to us; Montana's agent is unchanged.

Staying in good standing in Montana and South Carolina

Montana wants the Annual Report every year ($20); South Carolina has no annual report for LLCs. Both states' filings stay current side by side.

LLC or corporation, Montana to South Carolina

A corporation formed in Montana files Form F0002 with South Carolina ($110 in state fees, the same, plus the Certificate of Existence ($5)). After that come Montana's Annual Report (no fee) and South Carolina's Annual Report (Schedule D of Form SC1120 / SC1120S) filed with DOR. See the corporation filing.

The other way: South Carolina into Montana

An LLC formed in South Carolina that registers with Montana files Montana's registration (no form number) with $70 in state fees; no South Carolina certificate is needed. See that filing.

Common questions: Montana to South Carolina

Does my Montana company need to register in South Carolina?

Yes, once a Montana business operates there; South Carolina law lists 11 activities that do not count on their own.

How much does the South Carolina registration cost?

$309 at checkout plus $5 to Montana for the Certificate of Existence, $314 in all (checkout is $110 in state fees plus our $199).

Do I need Montana's certificate of good standing?

Yes: South Carolina wants Montana's Certificate of Existence ($5), no more than 30 days old at filing.

What are the yearly costs for Montana and South Carolina?

Our agent for service of process renewal ($149 a year), Montana's report ($20) and no South Carolina yearly report.

What if I don't register with South Carolina?

A Montana company cannot sue in court there until it registers.

Does South Carolina require a registered agent?

Yes: the Montana registered agent stays, and ours covers South Carolina for year one.

Can I form a new South Carolina LLC instead?

Yes, but Montana keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one has no South Carolina yearly report, and the original keeps Montana's Annual Report.

How do I withdraw from South Carolina later?

Montana companies leave by filing a Foreign Limited Liability Company Certificate of Cancellation of Authority to Transact Business; until then, both the South Carolina registration and Montana's filings stay in place.

Official sources

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