How to Get a Birth Certificate Copy in SC: Methods and Fees

To get a copy of a birth certificate in SC, order a certified copy from the South Carolina Department of Public Health (SC DPH). Mail is the cheapest route at $12 and takes two to four weeks. In-person, online, phone, and drop-off requests use the $17 expedited fee and return your copy in days rather than weeks. Additional copies ordered at the same time are $3 each.¹

Who Can Order a Copy

South Carolina restricts who can receive a certified birth certificate. You qualify if you are the person named on the record and of legal age, a parent listed on the certificate, or a legal guardian with a current court order. Attorneys and certain other legal representatives can also request copies on behalf of eligible people.²

If you’re requesting as a parent, guardian, or representative rather than as the person on the certificate, bring documentation of your relationship or authority — your own birth certificate, a marriage license, or the court order that names you. And note this restriction up front: only the person named on the certificate can order through the online or phone channels. Everyone else has to use mail, drop-off, or an in-person visit.¹

What to Have Ready

The SC DPH application asks for:

Full name at birth of the person on the record
Date of birth (month, day, year)
County of birth
Parents’ names, including the mother or parent’s name before marriage and the father or other parent’s name if listed
Your full name, mailing address, daytime phone, and your relationship to the person on the certificate
The name and address where the copy should be mailed

You’ll also need a valid photo ID for every method. SC DPH accepts an unexpired U.S. driver’s license or state ID, a current school or employer photo ID, an unexpired military ID, a U.S. or foreign passport, a permanent resident card, or an unexpired government-issued weapon permit. When you order online through VitalChek, an automated identity check may take the place of uploading an ID; if it fails, you’ll be asked to upload one.¹

The Five Ways to Order

By Mail

Mail is the only option at the $12 standard search fee, because there’s no expedited service for mailed requests. Send your completed application, a photocopy of your photo ID, and a money order or cashier’s check payable to “S.C. DPH” to:

S.C. Department of Public Health
Vital Records Section
P.O. Box 2046
West Columbia, SC 29171

Turnaround runs two to four weeks.³

In Person

Walk-in requests are handled at the SC DPH State Vital Records Office at 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201, and at regional vital records offices around the state. The fee is $17. You can pay with exact cash, a check, or a money order. Most in-person requests are finished within 30 to 45 minutes.³

Online

Only the person named on the certificate can order online, and SC DPH authorizes just two vendors: GoCertificates and VitalChek. Both charge the $17 expedited search fee plus $3 for each additional copy, plus their own processing fee — $8.70 through GoCertificates and $8.75 through VitalChek. You pay by credit or debit card. Average processing runs five to seven business days, with expedited shipping available for an additional charge.¹

Do not use other websites. SC DPH warns that orders placed through unauthorized vendors may not be processed, and you’d have no guarantee of receiving your certificate or a refund.

By Phone

The person on the certificate can also order by phone through VitalChek at 1-877-284-1008, available around the clock. Fees are the $17 search fee, $3 per additional copy, and a $12.85 service charge. Processing takes five to seven business days.¹

Drop-Off

The state office in Columbia accepts drop-off requests, where you leave your application, ID copy, and payment without waiting at the counter. You can pay the $12 standard fee or the $17 expedited fee with exact cash, a money order, or a cashier’s check payable to S.C. DPH. Drop-off is only available at the Columbia state office, not at regional locations.¹

Fees at a Glance

Search fees are nonrefundable even if your record can’t be found. When the record is located, the search fee covers one certified copy.⁴

Standard search, mail and drop-off only: $12
Expedited search for in-person, online, phone, and drop-off: $17
Each additional copy ordered at the same time: $3
GoCertificates online processing fee: $8.70
VitalChek online processing fee: $8.75
VitalChek phone service charge: $12.85

If Something on the Certificate Is Wrong

SC DPH can correct errors like a misspelled name or wrong date of birth, but you have to supply evidence of what the record should say. School records and other documents recommended by the vital records office may be accepted; the office can reject evidence it considers unreliable, and without adequate documentation, you’ll need a court order. Legal name changes and adoptions always require a certified court order with a raised or inked seal. The amendment fee is $15, and replacement copies of a certificate issued within the past year are $3 each.¹

If You Were Born Outside the United States

SC DPH cannot issue a birth record for a U.S. citizen born abroad. Your birth document is a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (form FS-240), and replacements come from the U.S. Department of State’s Passport Vital Records Section, not from any state agency.⁵

Send a notarized letter with your full name at birth, date and place of birth, parents’ names, and the FS-240 serial number if you have it, along with a copy of your valid photo ID and a $50 check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State, to:

U.S. Department of State
Passport Vital Records Section
44132 Mercure Cir.
P.O. Box 1213
Sterling, VA 20166-1213

Processing takes four to eight weeks. Standard USPS First Class shipping adds one to two weeks at no charge, or you can add $15.89 for one- to two-day delivery.⁵

Using the Certificate for a REAL ID

A certified birth certificate is one of the documents the South Carolina DMV accepts as proof of identity and date of birth for a REAL ID-compliant license or ID card. You’ll also need proof of your Social Security number, two documents proving your current South Carolina address, and proof of lawful status if applicable.⁶

If your name has changed since your birth certificate was issued, plan to bring documentation for each change, such as a marriage certificate or court order. Check the SC DMV’s current list of acceptable documents before you go, because requirements can vary and the DMV may ask for additional paperwork.

1
South Carolina Department of Public Health. Birth Certificates
2
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Title 44 Chapter 63 – Registration of Births, Deaths, and Certain Other Events
3
South Carolina Department of Public Health. Average Processing Times
4
South Carolina Department of Public Health. Fees – Vital Records (Birth, Death, etc)
5
U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic. Replace or Amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad
6
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions