Most free public records in South Carolina are already sitting in online databases you can search without paying anything or filing a formal request. Court cases, property deeds, business registrations, tax liens, inmate locations, the sex offender registry, and professional license status are all searchable at no charge through state and county websites. Certified copies, criminal history reports, and vital records like birth and marriage certificates carry set fees and, in some cases, eligibility rules about who can request them. Anything not posted online can be requested in writing under the state’s Freedom of Information Act.
Where to Search for Free Online
Start with the agency that holds the type of record you want. South Carolina keeps its public records decentralized, so there is no single portal, but the free tools below cover most common searches.
Court Cases
The South Carolina Judicial Branch runs a statewide Case Records Search at sccourts.org that returns summaries of criminal cases, civil judgments, and appellate filings.1The South Carolina Judicial Branch. The South Carolina Judicial Branch You can look up a case by name or case number without going to a courthouse. The summaries do not always include every document in a file. For the full text of motions, orders, or exhibits, contact the Clerk of Court in the county where the case was filed. Certified copies from the Clerk carry a fee.
Probate Cases
Wills, estate filings, guardianship, and conservatorship records are handled by the Probate Court in each county. Many counties have made probate case information searchable online, showing case numbers, party names, filing dates, and status. Pulling the actual documents usually means contacting the county probate office directly.
Property and Land Records
Deeds, mortgages, liens, and judgments tied to real or personal property are recorded at the county level by the Clerk of Court and Register of Deeds.2South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Section 30-9-30 – Filing of Written Instruments Concerning Real or Personal Property Most counties post free searchable indexes online, which is enough to verify ownership, check for liens, or trace a chain of title. State law requires each county to keep those indexes cross-referenced by both grantor and grantee names.3South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 30-9 – Indexing and Filing The County Assessor is a separate office that handles tax assessments; assessor sites typically let you look up assessed values and tax histories by address or parcel number. Viewing is free; a certified copy with an official seal costs extra and varies by county.
State Tax Liens
The South Carolina Department of Revenue’s State Tax Lien Registry is free and searchable by name and Social Security number, business name and federal employer ID, or lien ID number.4South Carolina Department of Revenue. Liens It shows the balance due on each lien and allows direct payment through the system.
Inmate Locator
The South Carolina Department of Corrections offers a free online inmate search with public information and photographs, updated as of midnight the previous day.5South Carolina Department of Corrections. Inmate Search It covers people currently in the state prison system only. Released inmates, people in county detention, those on parole or probation, and juvenile offenders are not included. A toll-free information line is available at 1-866-727-2846.
Sex Offender Registry
The South Carolina Public Sex Offender Registry at scor.sled.sc.gov is maintained by SLED and includes multiple photographs over time, a residence map, known aliases, and every sexually related conviction on file.6South Carolina Public Sex Offender Registry. South Carolina Public Sex Offender Registry No registration or fee is required.
Business Entities and Charities
The Secretary of State’s Business Entities Online portal lets you search LLCs, corporations, partnerships, and other registered entities by name, with results showing registration status and filing history.7South Carolina Secretary of State. Business Entities Online The same office maintains a searchable charity database with financial information from each charity’s most recent registration and annual report, plus downloadable lists of suspended charities.8South Carolina Secretary of State. Search Charities
Professional Licenses
The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation runs a free License Lookup covering contractors, nurses, real estate agents, and other licensed professions.9South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation The tool confirms whether a license is active and whether disciplinary actions are on record.
Records That Cost Money (And Who Can Get Them)
Vital Records
As of July 1, 2024, vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates) are managed by the South Carolina Department of Public Health, the agency that took over that function from the former DHEC.10South Carolina Department of Public Health. DHEC Restructuring A standard records search costs $12 per record, expedited processing is $17 with a turnaround of 10 business days or less, and additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $3 each. The search fee is nonrefundable even if no record is found.11South Carolina Department of Public Health. Fees – Vital Records (Birth, Death, etc)
Certified birth certificates are restricted to the person named on the certificate (if of legal age), a parent or guardian, or a legal representative such as an attorney or court-appointed custodian.12South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Section 44-63-80 – Certified Copies of Birth Certificates The definition of “legal representative” is broader than it sounds and includes kinship caregivers with a court order, the Department of Social Services, and McKinney-Vento liaisons working with homeless children.
Certified marriage certificates are limited to the married parties, their adult children, a present or former spouse, or a legal representative. Anyone outside that group can request a statement confirming a marriage occurred, along with the date and county of the license, but cannot get a certified copy. The Department of Public Health holds marriage records from July 1950 through December 2023; for marriages before or after that window, contact the Probate Court in the county where the license was issued.13South Carolina Department of Public Health. Marriage Certificates Death and divorce records follow the same restricted-access framework and the same fee schedule.14South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 44-63 – Vital Statistics
Criminal History Reports
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division runs CATCH (Citizens Access to Criminal Histories), a name-based search covering South Carolina records only. A report costs $25, plus a $1 convenience fee for online requests. Mail-in requests need a business check, certified check, cashier’s check, or money order sent to the SLED Records Department in Columbia; personal checks and cash are not accepted. Qualifying charitable organizations pay $8, and checks for prospective teachers and substitute teachers are free for school districts.15SLED CATCH. CATCH
A CATCH report does not include wanted persons, registered sex offenders, or out-of-state history. For those, use the separate SLED registry and out-of-state agencies directly.
How to File a Written Request When the Record Isn’t Online
South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act, codified at S.C. Code Section 30-4-10 through 30-4-165, gives every person the right to inspect, copy, or receive electronic copies of records held by any “public body” — state agencies, counties, cities, school districts, public universities, and any organization supported in whole or in part by public funds. The definition of “public record” is broad and includes books, papers, maps, photographs, emails, and electronic data. People currently serving a sentence in a state, county, or federal correctional facility do not have FOIA access rights, though their constitutional rights to call for evidence in a criminal case are unaffected.16South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Section 30-4-30 – Right to Inspect or Copy Public Records
A request must be in writing and sent to the specific agency that holds the records. Most agencies post a FOIA form or an email address online. Use a method that gives you a receipt, because the response clock starts on the date the agency receives the request. Describe what you want in enough detail that staff can find it: full names, date ranges, case numbers, document types. Broad or vague requests slow things down and drive up search fees. Ask for electronic delivery when you can, because electronic records transmitted digitally cannot carry copy charges under the statute.16South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Section 30-4-30 – Right to Inspect or Copy Public Records
The agency has 10 business days (excluding weekends and legal holidays) to notify you of its determination. If the records are more than 24 months old, it has 20 business days.17South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 30-4 – Freedom of Information Act That notification tells you whether the agency will produce, deny, or needs more time; it does not mean the records themselves will arrive that quickly.
Search, retrieval, and redaction fees cannot exceed the prorated hourly salary of the lowest-paid employee with the skills to fulfill the request. Each public body posts its own fee schedule. Copy charges must be uniform and cannot exceed the prevailing commercial rate. The Secretary of State’s Office, for example, charges $0.10 per paper page and nothing for electronic records.18South Carolina Secretary of State. Secretary of State’s Freedom of Information Act Policy and Fee Schedule An agency can require a deposit of up to 25 percent of the estimated total before it starts searching.16South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Section 30-4-30 – Right to Inspect or Copy Public Records Agencies also have discretion to waive or reduce fees when release primarily benefits the general public, so it’s worth asking.
What Agencies Can Withhold
Not everything a government agency holds is disclosable. Section 30-4-40 lists categories a public body may withhold. Most of these are discretionary, not mandatory. The main ones:
- Trade secrets, confidential commercial plans, formulas, marketing studies, and subscriber information obtained from a private party.
- Personal privacy information whose release would be an unreasonable invasion, including business license gross receipts and personal contact information of disabled individuals sought for commercial solicitation.
- Law enforcement investigative files, but only when release would interfere with an active investigation, compromise a fair trial, reveal a confidential source, disclose surveillance techniques, or endanger someone.
- Attorney-client correspondence and the work product of a public body’s legal counsel.
- Pending contracts and real estate deals still under negotiation.
Body-worn camera footage is categorically outside FOIA. State law declares it is not a public record, and the only ways to obtain it are through court rules of procedure, a subpoena, or a court order.19South Carolina Department of Public Safety. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) That catches many people off guard when they try to request footage of a traffic stop or arrest.
One more restriction worth naming: voter registration lists are not freely browsable. They can be purchased, but only by registered South Carolina voters, and using personal information from public records for commercial solicitation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine, up to one year in jail, or both.20SC Votes. Sale of Voter Registration Lists
If Your Request Is Denied
Ask for the specific legal basis of the denial first. The agency is required to explain its reasoning in the response. If you believe the denial is wrong, South Carolina law lets any citizen file a lawsuit in circuit court seeking an order to compel disclosure, and the filing must be made within one year of the alleged violation.21South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Section 30-4-100 – Injunctive Relief
Once filed, the chief administrative judge must schedule an initial hearing within 10 days of service. If the court cannot rule at that hearing, it must set a schedule to conclude the case within six months, with extensions available for good cause.21South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Section 30-4-100 – Injunctive Relief If you prevail, the court may award reasonable attorney’s fees and litigation costs, and even a partial victory can produce a proportional fee award.