Registration Requirements for Corporations in South Carolina

To form a corporation in South Carolina, you need to file your articles of incorporation with the South Carolina Secretary of State. You can do this on the South Carolina Business One Stop. The fee for filing the articles of incorporation is $110. On this same one stop site you can register your business with the South Carolina Department of Revenue, Department of Employment and Workforce, Department of Health and Environmental Control, and the Department of Consumer Affairs.

You can reserve a name for your corporation online, paying a $10 fee. If you are ready to file your articles of incorporation you do not need to register or reserve a name.

The information required for registering a domestic corporation includes the name of the corporation; federal employer identification number; name and address of the registered agent in South Carolina; industry classification code; the type and number of shares authorized; the incorporators' names, identification numbers and addresses; the attorney's name, phone number and address; the corporate officers' names, social security numbers and addresses; the trade names, phone numbers and addresses for each location doing business in South Carolina; and payment information.

Optional provisions can be uploaded with the registration. And a signature sheet, signed by the attorney and incorporators must be scanned and uploaded.

A foreign corporation that wants to conduct business in South Carolina must obtain a certificate of authority from the South Carolina Secretary of State. A foreign corporation is considered to be transacting business in South Carolina if it has a physical location or has inventory in South Carolina. The filing fee is $110. This registration can also be done online on the one stop website.

The information required for a certificate of authority is similar to the information required for registering a domestic corporation in South Carolina. A foreign corporation would also have to indicate the state or country in which it is incorporated, the date of incorporation, and the period of duration. In addition to the signature sheet, a foreign corporation also has to upload a certificate of existence from the state or country of incorporation not more than 30 days old.

Corporations in South Carolina are subject to a state income tax of 5%. The tax applies on South Carolina taxable income, which is federal taxable income with certain South Carolina modifications. The due dates for filing a South Carolina state income tax return and the estimated tax payments and due dates are based on the federal tax rules.

Corporations are also subject to an annual license tax in South Carolina. The tax is 0.001 times capital stock and paid-in surplus plus $15. The initial license tax of $25 is paid at the time of registering with the South Carolina Secretary of State.

Sources:

Business Filings, South Carolina Secretary of State

Corporate Tax Home, South Carolina Department of Revenue