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South Carolina Public Records

Technology today has made it easier for citizens to search public records.

Whether you need a background check on an employee, or you need a copy of a birth certificate so you can get a passport, South Carolina makes public records accessible.

While access isn’t restricted, finding and requesting records can be a bit challenging. Records are kept by different branches of government and by various state agencies, so it can be challenging to know where to start looking.

Those needing to access records have a right to submit a request through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Every state has different processes, so it’s essential to know the state’s law before requesting any documents.

Table of Contents

What does the South Carolina public records law say?

The South Carolina Public Record Law says that records must be released within 15 days. Both residents and non-residents can request documents.

If the agency does not respond to you within that 15 time period, it represents a grant of the request.

In South Carolina, any person can request records, and the record holders have a 15-day time limit to complete their request.

The fees for records may not exceed the cost of copying and the time spent searching for documents.

South Carolina Public Records Law excludes the working documents of the legislature, but you can request the minutes of the meetings.

Records with personal information such as medical, adoption, and scholastic records are exempt. Income tax returns and library patron information will not be released. If a section or lines are redacted, the agency must tell you why they were withheld.

If your request is rejected, you must go to the court, where you have one year to file your case.

A requester can learn more by visiting SouthCarolina.gov.

How can I access public records in South Carolina?

Some records are available online. Others are only available through a formal records request. If a request is necessary, it can be sent by email, mail, or phone to the record-holding department.

Every department is different, so expect some variation to the rules if you’re accessing records from multiple places.

In general, a public records request should include:

  • Your name
  • Contact information
  • The name of the document
  • Details about the document
  • A time frame that you would like to receive the materials by
  • Document delivery method, mail or email

South Carolina Criminal Records

You are allowed access to criminal records in South Carolina, but only the conviction information and arrest information.

Law enforcement agencies and the subject of the records are the only ones allowed access to the total records as needed for an investigation.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division maintains criminal records in the state.

What’s on a South Carolina criminal record?

The main information you will find on the criminal records is:

  • Date of birth
  • Driver license number
  • Photograph/mugshot
  • Fingerprints
  • Current and past addresses
  • Former arrest records
  • Current and past warrants
  • Sex offender status

Some misdemeanors and traffic violations will not appear on a criminal record. However, you can contact your county sheriff or police department for local criminal history.

Where can I find South Carolina criminal records?

You will visit the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Department (SLED) website to access the criminal record.

To use the SLED online form, you must enter an exact last name, first initial, and the correct date of birth to get results.

Social Security numbers can also be searched. If you do not have an exact name match, a fingerprint search can be completed if required by statute.

If you opt for mail, you need to send a business check, money order, or cashier’s check to SLED Records Department in Columbia, South Carolina.

You will be charged a non-refundable fee of $25.00 for mail-in and online searches. There is a $1.00 convenience fee added to the online background checks.

South Carolina Inmate Records

South Carolina has twenty-one facilities, so it is helpful to have an online search option.

The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) features information on inmates currently housed in the facilities as of midnight the previous day.

There isn’t information on the county detentions. It does not provide information on released offenders. You can search by the website or the toll-free inmate information line.

You can confirm that an inmate is in jail, and you can register with them to get status updates on the offender.

What’s on a South Carolina inmate record?

South Carolina inmate records are usually a combination of inmates’ prison situations, including the prisoner’s sentence and a physical description.

Citizens who initiate a search for Inmate records can receive the following information:

  • Name and aliases
  • Date of Birth
  • Height and weight
  • DOC ID
  • Booking photo
  • Assigned location
  • Sentence summary

Where can I find South Carolina inmate records?

You will visit the South Carolina Department of Corrections to access the inmate record.

You will need the inmate’s last name and first name or offender number.

You can complete an advanced search if you know the inmate’s birthday, facility, and age range.

South Carolina Court Records

South Carolina courts are composed of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, and Family, Circuit, Municipal, Probate, and Magistrate Courts.

South Carolina has a small claims court for $7,500 or fewer cases in South Carolina, and claimants will not have legal counsel.

You have access to these court records through the Freedom of Information Act.

Any personal information such as social security, passport, financial accounts, passwords, or driver’s licenses is not included or redacted.

What’s on a South Carolina court record?

Court records provide documentation of court proceedings and can include allegations, proceedings, sworn statements, and affidavits taken under oath.

To find the detailed court records you require, you need to look specifically at which court had the case.

  • Circuit Court has several branches, such as the civil court, criminal cases, the Court of Common Pleas, and the Court of General Sessions. Therefore, it is advantageous to know which circuit court will hold the records you are seeking.
  • Family Court holds records that pertain to custody and visitation rights, marriage, divorce, child support, separation, court orders, alimony, marital property division, and name changes.
  • Probate Court records include estates of deceased persons, guardianships, marriage licenses, or commitments to institutions for mentally ill or chemically dependent persons.
  • The Supreme Court’s records include appeals to circuit courts, such as death sentences, public utility rates, a challenge to a state statute, court rosters, indebtedness, and elections.

Where can I find South Carolina court records?

You will visit the South Carolina Judicial Branch database to access the court record.

You must know the county where the court proceedings occurred.

On the web page, you click on the county to be taken to a page with basic information. More in-depth information can be found by entering a case number, court name, or court agency. You can also search by the name of a person or the name of a business.

Not all counties provide online records, but the following countries do:

Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Florence, Georgetown, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, Marion, Marlboro, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, Williamsburg, York.

To access court dockets and records that aren’t available online, speak with the Clerk of Court or visit the Clerk’s Office to make a formal request.

South Carolina Vital Records

The Office of Vital Records and Public Health Statistics, at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, maintains vital records in the state.

South Carolina’s vital records include:

  • Birth Certificates
  • Death Certificates
  • Marriage Licenses
  • Divorce Decrees

Public record requests for vital records in South Carolina will vary depending on the document you are requesting.

Office of Vital Records and Public Health Statistics
Mailing Address
Office of Vital Records
SC DHEC
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201

Phone number: 803-898-3630

What information do I need to request a South Carolina birth certificate?

The Vital Records Birth Application will ask for specific information when ordering a birth record.

  • Full name on the birth record
  • Date of birth
  • Gender
  • City of birth
  • County of birth
  • Parents’ full name before marriage

Where can I find a South Carolina birth certificate?

You can order a South Carolina birth certificate online by e-filing using VitalCheck.

Or, you can request a certified copy of a South Carolina birth record by completing the Vital Records Birth Application and submitting it by mail or in person.

The cost of a certified birth certificate in South Carolina is $12, and $3 for every additional copy.

What information do I need for a death certificate in South Carolina?

The Vital Records Death Application will ask for specific information when ordering a death record.

  • Full name of the deceased
  • Date of death
  • Gender
  • Age at death
  • County the death occurred

Where can I find a South Carolina death certificate?

You can order a South Carolina death certificate online by e-filing using VitalCheck.

Or, you can request a certified copy of a South Carolina death record by completing the Vital Records Death Application and submitting it by mail or in person.

The cost of a certified death certificate in South Carolina is $12, and $3 for every additional copy.

What information do I need for a marriage certificate in South Carolina?

The Vital Records Marriage/Divorce Application will ask for specific information when ordering a marriage record.

  • Full names of both spouses before marriage
  • Date of marriage
  • The county that issued the marriage license

Where can I find a South Carolina marriage certificate?

You can order a South Carolina marriage certificate online using VitalCheck.

You can request a certified copy of a South Carolina marriage record by completing the Vital Records Marriage/Divorce Application and submitting it by mail or in person.

The cost of a certified marriage certificate in South Carolina is $12, and $3 for every additional copy.

What information do I need for a divorce certificate in South Carolina?

The Vital Records Marriage/Divorce Application will ask for specific information when ordering a marriage record.

  • Full names of both spouses before marriage
  • Date of divorce or annulment
  • The county that issued the divorce was granted

Where can I find a South Carolina divorce certificate?

You can order a South Carolina divorce record online using VitalCheck.

You can request a certified copy of a South Carolina divorce decree by completing the Vital Records Marriage/Divorce Application and submitting it by mail or in person.

The cost of a certified divorce decree in South Carolina is $12, and $3 for every additional copy.

South Carolina Property Records

The Register of Deeds maintains all property transaction maintains property records in South Carolina.

The property records you can access include:

  • Liens
  • Land records
  • Titles
  • Property deeds
  • Real estate information
  • Mortgages
  • Property tax assessment records
  • Zoning information
  • Probate

For data, parcel, and tax maps, you will need to contact the Geographic Information System(GIS) to ask about public access.

What information do I need to request property records in South Carolina?

You will need basic information to access a public property record in South Carolina.

Request forms, fees, and office hours will vary depending on the Register of Deeds office.

Where can I find a South Carolina property record?

You will need to contact the County Registers of Deeds Office where the property record is maintained.

Example – Lexington County Register of Deeds
The South Carolina County of Lexington Register of Deeds website
County of Lexington
212 South Lake Drive
Lexington, SC 29072

Phone number: 803-359-8000

FAQs

Can a request be submitted by non-residents of South Carolina?

There is no requirement of citizenship to place a public records request in South Carolina.

Is there a records custodian in South Carolina?

South Carolina does not have a records custodian for the state.

Records should be requested from the head of the division or the individual agency that stores the documents where you inquire.

What exemptions exist for public records requests in South Carolina?

The General Assembly’s records are exempted except for the minutes.

Public defenders are not allowed to release legal advice given to their clients.

Personal information withheld fits into categories such as medical records, library patron records, academic records, tax returns, and adoption files.

How long does South Carolina have to respond?

The Public Records Law of South Carolina has a 15-day time limit for requests.

If they cannot get you the records within 15 days, they’re required to submit an extension in writing.

If this notification is not delivered within the specified time, the request is considered approved.

Is there an appeal process in place for public records requests in South Carolina?

South Carolina does not have an appeals process. You must file an appeal within one year of the violation.

The request can be taken to the circuit court, and lawyer fees may be paid to the challengers.

Violators can be fined and awarded jail time, but there have been no guilty verdicts awarded to date.

What fees are associated with requesting public records in South Carolina?

The law requires that the lowest possible cost be charged to the person requesting the public records.

The fees can be waived or reduced when the agency decides the records will benefit the general public.

Nothing prevents the holder of the documents from charging an hourly rate for making records available to be viewed.

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