Change LLC Name in South Carolina

Can I change the name of my LLC in South Carolina?

Absolutely! You can easily change your South Carolina LLC name.

The first step is to file a form called the Amended Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State and wait for it to be approved. This is how you officially change your LLC name in South Carolina.

The filing fee for the Amended Articles of Organization in South Carolina is $125.

After the state approves your LLC name change, you should then notify the following 3 places:

• the IRS
• state tax department
• your business bank account

And finally, you can update your LLC name in other places like your website and marketing materials.

This page will guide you through the process and include helpful tips along the way.

Note: We’ve changed the names of our own LLCs over the years. So we have first-hand experience with filing the paperwork as well as dealing with the IRS and financial institutions.

What are the steps for changing an LLC name in South Carolina?

1. Check if your new LLC name is available
2. File the South Carolina LLC Amendment form (and wait for approval)
3. Update the IRS
4. Update the South Carolina Department of Revenue
5. Update financial institutions (credit card companies, banks)
6. Update business licenses
7. Update other places (branding materials, business accounts, etc.)

How much does it cost to change an LLC name in South Carolina?

It costs $125 to change your LLC name in South Carolina. This is the online filing fee for the Amended Articles of Organization form.

(If you file by mail instead, the fee is only $110. But the approval time is much slower.)

How do I change my South Carolina LLC name?

In order to change your LLC name, you must file the Amended Articles of Organization with the South Carolina Secretary of State. This officially updates your legal entity (your Limited Liability Company) on the state records.

Note: The South Carolina Secretary of State is responsible for LLC formation and administration, including name changes.

We provide step-by-step instructions on how to file the Amended Articles of Organization online. (Technically, you can also file by mail. However, it’s slower and the state prefers online filings.)

Our instructions only describe how to change the LLC name. If you want to make other changes (like the business address or designated office, or the South Carolina Registered Agent) you may need to use a different South Carolina Amendment process.

Can I change my LLC name myself?

You can file the Amended Articles of Organization yourself or you can hire a company to do this for you.

Because the Amendment online filing in South Carolina can be confusing and time consuming, many people choose to hire a company for help.

Step 1: Make sure your new South Carolina LLC name is available

Before filing your amendment form (the Amended Articles of Organization), you should check that your new LLC name is available in South Carolina.

This is important because two businesses in the state can’t have the same name, or be too similar. This is called LLC name distinguishability.

If you file an amendment for a name that’s already taken, the state will reject your filing. And if that happens, you’ll need to re-file with a different name.

To avoid that, look up your desired South Carolina LLC name ahead of time using the state’s business entity search.

Step 2: File the South Carolina LLC name change form

The South Carolina LLC name change form is called the Amended Articles of Organization.

(It’s called this because you’re amending your South Carolina Articles of Organization. The South Carolina LLC Articles of Organization are the original business filings that create the Limited Liability Company.)

How to file the Amended Articles of Organization in South Carolina

Get started

Go to the South Carolina Business Entities Online filing system

Login or register for an account, if you don’t have one.

From your dashboard, look for the heading Existing Business, and click the button to Search for Existing Entities

Business Name Search

Enter the first word or two of your LLC’s name in the box and click Search.

Click on your LLC in the search results.

On the Business Record Page for your LLC, click the + Add Filing button.

Form Selection

Look for the form name Amended Articles of Organization. Click the Start Filing button.

Contact Information

Enter your contact information. Don’t worry, this information doesn’t go on public record. If the Secretary of State has questions about your filing, they’ll use this to contact you.

Click Save & Continue to proceed.

Amendment Options

Name of Corporation

This shows your current LLC name. Click the Edit button next to the LLC name.

A New Entity Name field will appear. Enter the new name you want to use. Include an appropriate designator (ending).

In South Carolina, you can use these designators:

• LC
• L.C.
• LLC (most common)
• L.L.C.
• Ltd. Co.
• Limited Co.
• Ltd. Company
• Ltd. Liability Co.
• Limited Company
• Ltd. Liability Company
• Limited Liability Company

If you only need to change your LLC name, you can skip to the Signature section below. You don’t need to enter anything in the Amendment Information box.

Signature

Name
Enter your name.

Capacity/ Position
Select your title (capacity/position) from the drop down menu:

• If you are an LLC Member (owner) and your LLC is Member-managed, select Member
• If you are an LLC Manager and the LLC is Manager-managed, select Manager
• If you aren’t an LLC Member or Manager, but are authorized to file the Amendment on the LLC’s behalf, select Organizer

If you’re not sure, or these terms are confusing, check out LLC Organizer vs LLC Member and LLC Officer Titles for more information.

Who is signing this form?
Select Authorized Signature.

Note: If you select Filer instead, you will need to upload a Signature Page.

Click the box to agree to the terms.

Type your name to electronically sign.

Click Save & Continue to proceed.

Summary of Forms

There’s nothing to do on this page.

Click Save & Continue to proceed.

Document Request Options (Optional)

You can skip this page and click Continue to proceed with your filing.

Or, if you want to order Certified Copies of your Articles of Amendment, you can do that here.

Certified Copies are unnecessary (you don’t need one to change your LLC’s name at the bank or anywhere else). But some people like to purchase them anyway.

If you want to order a Certified Copy, click the box next to Amended Articles of Organization and review the fees below.

Filing Summary

This page shows you the forms and fees you’ll pay. Click Save & Checkout to proceed.

Payment

Enter your credit card information and click Next to pay. Now submit your filing to the state and you’re all done.

Wait for approval from the Secretary of State

After submitting your Amended Articles of Organization to the state, please wait for approval.

Approval times vary, but on average, it takes 1-2 business days for your South Carolina business name change to be approved.

When you file online, you’ll receive your name change approval by email.

Step 3: Change your South Carolina LLC name with the IRS

After your new LLC name is approved, the next step is to update your South Carolina LLC name with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This updates the name connected to your LLC’s EIN number.

We have step-by-step instructions here:
How to change LLC name with IRS

Step 4: Update your LLC’s Account with the SC Department of Revenue

After your new LLC name is approved, you need to update your business’s account with the state’s tax department (the Department of Revenue).

Note: In most states, it’s called the Department of Revenue or Department of Taxation. In South Carolina it’s called the Department of Revenue, and this is who you’ll update with your new LLC name.

Typically, you can update your LLC name in one of three ways:

• online through MyDORWAY
• by mail
• by phone

But it differs from state to state, so we recommend you call the SC Department of Revenue. You can ask about the process to update your business name.

Step 5: Update financial institutions with your new LLC name

Besides updating your South Carolina LLC name with the IRS and South Carolina Department of Revenue business tax department, you’ll also want to contact the following places and let them know about the name change.

Financial institutions:

• LLC business bank account
• business checks
• business debit card
• business credit cards
• Paypal or other online banking solutions
• business loans or lines of credit
• brokerage accounts
• bookkeeping software, like Quickbooks

Pro Tip: You don’t have to rush to update these the same day or even the same week. Your existing checks and credit cards will still work, but it’s important to eventually get everything updated to your new LLC name.

Step 6: Update or Get a New Business License

If you have a state business license or a local business permit, you’ll need to change the name on that license.

Sometimes that means applying for a new license and canceling the old one. Or sometimes you can just change the name on your existing license.

South Carolina doesn’t have a general state business license requirement. But your LLC might have an industry- or occupation-specific license.

If that’s the case, contact your state licensing agency or licensing board for information on how to update the state business license: SC Labor & Licensing Regulation.

And contact your local government (like a city clerk or county clerk) for the process to update any local business permits. You can find your county clerk on the SC Association of Counties website, and you’ll need to look up your town or city, too.

Step 7: Update marketing materials and other places with your new LLC name

Below are some examples of places to update with your new LLC name.

Branding and online presence:

• online stores (like eBay, Shopify, Amazon)
• website, domain registrar, hosting company
• letterhead, logos, invoices, contracts, and important documents
• social media accounts

Professional services:

• Registered Agent Service (if you hired one)
• accountant
• attorney

Other government agencies:

• local tax office (ex: city, county, township)
• business licenses and permits
• sales tax permit
• utility companies
• Department of Labor (if you have employees)

Stay calm: Don’t stress out thinking you have to change your LLC name everywhere right away. That’s not the case. Take your time and do the important ones first. Give yourself a few days or a few weeks to get them all done. Technically, your old business name will still work for quite some time.

Update your South Carolina LLC Operating Agreement

It’s a good idea to update the name on your LLC’s Operating Agreement. Don’t worry, this is a simple process. You can either:

• You can make a new version of the Operating Agreement you already have. Update the document with your new LLC name, and have the LLC Member(s) sign.
• Or, you can use our free template on South Carolina LLC Operating Agreement to create a new Operating Agreement with the new LLC name.

Tip: This is a good opportunity to review the other sections in your Operating Agreement and make any needed updates there, too. Have the LLC Member(s) sign, and distribute copies like you did with your initial LLC Operating Agreement.

Change LLC Name in South Carolina FAQs

Matt Horwitz

Founder & Educator, LLC University®

Matt Horwitz has been the leading expert on LLC education for the past decade. He founded LLC University in 2010 after realizing people needed simple and actionable instructions to start an LLC that other companies weren't offering. He's cited by Entrepreneur Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the US Chamber of Commerce, and was featured by CNBC and InventRight.
 
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.