Place1
Our top pick in South DakotaSD Registered Agent.org
1. SD Registered Agent.org: best for founders staying in South Dakota
$199 plus fees, then $99 yearly
Our mark9.3out of 10
Top of our list: SD Registered Agent.org, for $199 to form the LLC in South Dakota, with the agent at $99 a year from year two.
Its plan gives you an in-state street address for the registered office, and legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to you online.
The annual report is left to you every year.
Its edge over Mainstay Filing is cost, which carries the most weight in our scoring.
What you get
- South Dakota formation filed for you
- First year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- First year of registered agent service included
- Then $99 a year
- $199 + state fee
Less good
- Does not file the annual report
- EIN help is $99
Place2
Low renewalSouth Dakota Registered Agent.co
2. South Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for a second South Dakota option
$199 plus fees, then $99 yearly
Our mark8.9out of 10
In second place, South Dakota Registered Agent.co: $199 to form the LLC in South Dakota, with the agent at $99 a year from year two.
Its plan gives you an in-state street address for the registered office, and legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to you online.
The annual report is left to you every year.
Prices and features match SD Registered Agent.org exactly, so the two are close to interchangeable.
What you get
- South Dakota formation filed for you
- First year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- First year of registered agent service included
- $199 + state fee
- Then $99 a year
Less good
- Does not file the annual report
- EIN help is $99
Place3
Best bundleMainstay Filing
3. Mainstay Filing: best for formation, agent and annual report in one price
$199 yearly plus South Dakota's fee, $349 at checkout
Our mark8.6out of 10
Number 3 is Mainstay Filing: $199 a year buys the formation, a year of registered agent service and the annual report filed for you.
Annual report filing is part of the yearly price: the state fee of $55 passes through at cost; the report is due due during the entity's anniversary month.
It costs $200 more than SD Registered Agent.org over three years, which is why it sits below it on our cost score.
What you get
- Formation prepared and filed
- Your registered agent, all year
- Your annual report prepared and filed
- EIN application
Why pick it
- No renewal increase ($199)
- EIN application included
- No markup on the South Dakota fee
- One $199 yearly price with your annual report filed
Less good
- SD Registered Agent.org's agent renews for $100 less
Our top 3 at a glance
| Rank | Service | Our score | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | SD Registered Agent.org | 9.3 | $199 | $99/yr | A South Dakota-only LLC on a budget | Visit SD Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | South Dakota Registered Agent.co | 8.9 | $199 | $99/yr | A South Dakota-only LLC on a budget | Visit South Dakota Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 3 | Mainstay Filing | 8.6 | $199 | $199/yr | Formation, agent and annual report in one price | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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Editorial scores out of 10 from The Founders Review, using the criteria explained on How we rank. No customer ratings are involved.
Annual and renewal prices in South Dakota, 2026
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Annual report filed for you |
|---|
| SD Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
|---|
| South Dakota Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $199 | $199 | $597 | Yes |
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Read from each provider's pricing page on November 12, 2026. These totals leave out the $150 state filing fee, which every service passes through.
How the order was decided
Five criteria set the order; the two heaviest are three-year cost and what one price covers. Here three-year cost made the difference.
Three-year cost: $397 with SD Registered Agent.org, saving $200 against Mainstay Filing. The annual report filing Mainstay adds was not worth the extra cost on our method.
Read the full criteria on our How we rank page.
South Dakota LLC cost: the official fee
South Dakota charges $150 to file the Articles of Organization with the South Dakota Secretary of State under SDCL 47-34A-203 (articles of organization); fee set by SDCL 47-34A-212. Every service in this ranking passes that fee through on top of its own price.
Standard processing: Paper 1 to 3 business days; online processed immediately.
South Dakota LLC yearly requirements
You owe the annual report every year ($55 state fee), due due during the entity's anniversary month. The penalty for filing late is $50. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
South Dakota LLC service FAQ
How much does it cost to form an LLC in South Dakota?
State fee $150, service fee $199.
What form creates the LLC?
The Articles of Organization, filed with the South Dakota Secretary of State.
How long does South Dakota take to approve an LLC?
Standard processing: Paper 1 to 3 business days; online processed immediately.
Do I need a registered agent for a South Dakota LLC?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What yearly filings does a South Dakota LLC have?
The annual report, every year, due due during the entity's anniversary month, with a $55 state fee.
Is the EIN application included?
Mainstay Filing's yearly price includes it. SD Registered Agent.org and South Dakota Registered Agent.co charge $99 for it. The IRS itself charges no fee for an EIN.
Which LLC service is best in South Dakota?
SD Registered Agent.org, because a $199 formation fee over the state's own, then $99 a year for the agent.
Official sources and price pages
- South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services / Corporations Division (checked August 2026): sdsos.gov/docs/business/llc-domestic-annualreport.pdf
- South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services / Corporations Division (checked August 2026): sosenterprise.sd.gov/BusinessServices/Business/AnnualReportInstr.aspx
- South Dakota yearly filing: Annual report: fee and how, official source (checked October 2026): sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/59-11-24.html
- South Dakota report due date (checked August 2026): sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/47-34A-211
- SDCL 47-34A-203 (checked August 2026): sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/47-34A-212
- South Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source (checked October 2026): sdsos.gov/general-information/filing-fees.aspx
- South Dakota formation fee: Filing fee, official source (checked October 2026): sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/47-34A-212.html
- South Dakota registered agent statute (checked October 2026): sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/59-11-6
- Processing, official source (checked October 2026): sdsos.gov/business-services/corporations/contact.aspx
- Pricing and service pages of SD Registered Agent.org, read November 12, 2026
- Pricing and service pages of South Dakota Registered Agent.co, read November 12, 2026
- South Dakota service page of Mainstay Filing, read November 12, 2026