How to search and claim an LLC name in South Carolina
- Search South Carolina's official entity records at no cost, leaving “LLC” off the name.
- Make sure the name ends with one of South Carolina's accepted endings, such as “Limited Liability Company” or “Limited Company”.
- Hold the name with a $25 reservation for 120 days (not renewable) if you need time before filing.
- File the Articles of Organization with the South Carolina Secretary of State for $110.
- Note the recurring report so the LLC stays in good standing: none for most LLCs (LLCs taxed as corporations report to the Department of Revenue).
What a South Carolina LLC name must include
South Carolina accepts these endings for a limited liability company:
- Limited Liability Company
- Limited Company
- L.L.C.
- LLC
- L.C.
- LC
South Carolina's LLC Act doesn't publish a general list of restricted words, and none turned up on the Secretary of State's archived business pages. The endings it accepts are “limited liability company”, “limited company”, “L.L.C.”, “LLC”, “L.C.” and “LC”, and “Ltd.” and “Co.” can replace “Limited” and “company”.
How South Carolina decides two names are the same
Your LLC's name has to stand apart on the Secretary of State's records from every corporation, limited partnership and LLC organized or authorized in the state, every reserved or registered name, and every fictitious name a foreign LLC has adopted (§ 33-44-105(b)). An identical name is always refused. For one that's merely too close, the holder's written consent plus its promise to change its own name, a court judgment in your favour, or succession through a merger, reorganization or asset purchase can make it usable.
Where the rules are written. S.C. Code § 33-44-105 (LLC name); § 33-44-106 (reserved name); § 33-44-1204 (fees); § 33-4-101 (corporate name).
Searching for an LLC name in South Carolina
Business Entities Online is free to search. Keep its blind spot in mind: sole proprietors, general partnerships and trade names aren't registered with the Secretary of State, so a business can use a name locally without appearing there.
Open the official South Carolina entity search
Leave the ending off when you search, so every version of the name shows up, then compare each result word by word. If one matches apart from spacing, punctuation or a plural, change a real word in your name.
Holding the name: South Carolina LLC name reservation
A South Carolina reservation is a single 120-day hold for $25 that can't be renewed (§ 33-44-106); moving it to someone else costs $10. You don't need one to form the LLC.
File a South Carolina name reservation
Forming the LLC in South Carolina
Filing Articles of Organization costs $110 under S.C. Code § 33-44-1204(a)(1), online through Business Entities Online or on paper.
File the Articles of Organization online
For most LLCs, South Carolina has no recurring filing: there's no annual report under the LLC Act, and an LLC taxed as a partnership or disregarded entity owes the Department of Revenue neither an annual report nor a license fee. An LLC that elects to be taxed as a corporation files the CL-1 within 60 days of starting business ($25 one-time license fee) and then reports yearly with its corporate return, paying the corporate license fee of 0.1% of capital and paid-in surplus plus $15, at least $25. No newspaper notice is required. A Certificate of Existence costs $10 (§ 33-44-1204(a)(13)).
When the LLC trades under another name
There's no state DBA filing for an LLC to make, because DBAs and trade names aren't on the Secretary of State's register at all. Counties and cities issue business licenses separately.
Sources
- scstatehouse.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- scstatehouse.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Faqs about business entities, sos.sc.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Business entities, sos.sc.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Corporate faqs, dor.sc.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- C corporation, dor.sc.gov, checked 2026-10-07
These are the official pages behind every fact above. If one of them now says something different, it's right and this page is out of date.
Common questions
Can two LLCs in South Carolina have the same name?
No. South Carolina accepts a new LLC name only if it can be told apart from every name on its record.
How long can I hold an LLC name in South Carolina?
120 days (not renewable), for $25.
Does a new South Carolina LLC have to publish a notice?
No. South Carolina has no newspaper publication requirement for LLCs.
How much is the South Carolina LLC filing fee?
$110, paid when you file the Articles of Organization.