South Dakota Registered Agent Services: Top 8 Reviewed

Written by Michael Bradley – Consultant, updated on

If you want to locate the best registered agent services for South Dakota LLCs, you’re in the right spot. We’ve evaluated the leading providers so you can find one that fits your needs and budget.

Selecting your South Dakota registered agent is a vital task. This role serves as a lifeline between your business and crucial notices, receiving court documents and tax information. Knowing who to trust is key to your LLC’s compliance.

Let’s dive into our analysis of the top 8 registered agent services in South Dakota. Find your match and get on with your day.

State of South Dakota. Source: Wikipedia

Requirements for a South Dakota registered agent

South Dakota requirements for registered agents are straightforward. Every registered agent must:

  • Be a resident of South Dakota or an entity registered in South Dakota
  • Have a physical address (not a P.O. Box) and a mailing address in South Dakota
  • Be available during regular business hours

South Dakota registered agent services can register with the Secretary of State (SOS) to become a Commercial Registered Agent.

You will designate your registered agent as part of the LLC formation process. Or you can file a statement of change to choose a different South Dakota registered agent. There is a $10 fee to change your registered agent.

Top 8 Registered Agent Services in South Dakota

Let’s review the best registered agent services for South Dakota LLCs.

1. Northwest Registered Agent (Our Partner)

Known as one of the best registered agent services for South Dakota and many other states, Northwest Registered Agent is hard to beat.

It couldn’t be easier to hire the services of Northwest Registered Agent. Their online platforms are modern and easy to use. They’ll even file the registered agent change form and pay the Secretary of State fee on your behalf out of their pocket. You sit back and relax with the confidence of partnering with one of the best registered agent services.

Localized service in South Dakota is ready to make sure you get documents the same day they’re received. And they’ll reach out if they notice any essential notices go unread. They also promise to never sell your data.

Northwest Registered Agent is a Commercial Registered Agent in South Dakota. There’s no third party handling your documents.

2. Harbor Compliance

As a nationwide compliance specialist, Harbor Compliance can be the support your LLC needs. And when it comes to serving as a South Dakota registered agent, they hit it out of the park.

You’ll get same-day online access to any documents sent to your LLC. If they receive a notice of process (lawsuit notification), Harbor Compliance will also give you a call to make sure you’re aware.

As soon as you order the Harbor Compliance registered agent service, you get the name and address you need to file with the Secretary of State. The South Dakota online change process is easy. If you want help, Harbor Compliance can lend a hand for a flat fee.

Harbor Compliance can also help with other compliance needs, including registered agent services in any other state.

3. Bizee

Bizee helps with all aspects of business formation. And if you choose to form your LLC with Bizee, you’ll get a year of registered agent services thrown in for free. Or you can choose to hire Bizee as your registered agent for a South Dakota LLC that’s already in place.

The price of Bizee’s registered agent services is competitive. And it has a modern online system to view any documents sent to your South Dakota LLC. Bizee, formerly known as Incfile, also has an outstanding reputation for customer service.

The biggest downside to Bizee’s services is that physical mail forwarding is limited. Bizee also asks for you to pay the $10 South Dakota Secretary of State change fee, something other companies will pay without charging you extra.

4. BetterLegal

The main product that BetterLegal sells is a premium LLC formation package. It starts at $299. This includes some things other places charge extra for, like getting an EIN and creating an operating agreement.

To hire BetterLegal as your South Dakota registered agent, it costs another $90 per year. This makes the full startup package price rather expensive. Yet the per year fee for using BetterLegal as a registered agent is relatively low.

BetterLegal does not handle the South Dakota Secretary of State's registered agent change form as part of this $90 service. Instead, you can pay an extra fee for them to do so. The customer service leaves something to be desired as well. The first point of contact online is an AI bot that provided us with inaccurate information about BetterLegal’s services.

5. Swyft Filings

Another choice as one of the best registered agent services in South Dakota is Swyft Filings. This company charges $199 per year to serve as your registered agent. You might be able to get a promotional deal priced at $149 per year.

Since 2015, Swyft Filings has helped form more than 300,000 businesses. It comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee and an excellent overall reputation. The systems are streamlined and customer service is top-notch.

There are some areas where we see room for improvement. Swyft Filings’ registered agent services use a third-party provider. And they don’t provide any physical mail forwarding. This can be problematic when you want the original document for critical notices. At the more expensive end of the registered agent cost range, these are not ideal features.

6. LegalZoom

As one of the leading names in online legal help, LegalZoom brings a lot of experience to the table. It has been helping entrepreneurs and business owners since 2001. You can hire LegalZoom as your South Dakota registered agent. It can also lend a hand with business formation, taxes, and other compliance needs.

The well-established brand name comes with a higher price tag. The price of LegalZoom’s registered agent service is $249 per year.

LegalZoom makes it easy to switch registered agents. They’ll file the South Dakota change form for your LLC. And they’ll cover the $10 South Dakota registered agent change fee out of their pocket. You also have access to online chat, phone, and email support.

7. ZenBusiness

Many startups turn to ZenBusiness to get their business off the ground or for compliance needs. It can also serve as your LLC’s South Dakota registered agent.

The ZenBusiness registered agent service costs $199 per year. Some people choose to take their coverage up a notch. For $398 per year, you can get the ZenBusiness Worry-Free Compliance package. This covers annual reports, 2 free amendments, and premium customer support. ZenBusiness sometimes runs promotions with 50% off their costs.

ZenBusiness will notify you of any crucial documents through an online portal. And if needed, they’ll forward legal notices through physical mail. These South Dakota registered agent services have your needs well covered.

8. Inc Authority

If you haven’t started your South Dakota LLC yet, Inc Authority could be a great solution. It offers a free business formation package that includes a year of registered agent services. The only thing you pay are the South Dakota fees.

After that, your registered agent costs will jump up to $179 per year with Inc Authority. It’s not the cheapest around. But considering the savings from the free business formation services, it’s still competitive. The thing you’ll need to watch out for is the upselling. Some items might be worth the extra cost.

With 30 years of experience and many satisfied customers, Inc Authority can be a good option for getting your South Dakota LLC started with a year of free registered agent services.

Article by:

Michael Bradley

Consultant

Michael Bradley earned his J.D. before embarking on a diverse career with state regulatory bodies, private legal firms, and leading financial institutions. He delivers result-oriented strategies for a broad spectrum of clients, ranging from corporate entities to emerging entrepreneurs.

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