How to Order a Birth Certificate Online in South Carolina

To order a birth certificate online in South Carolina, use one of two vendors approved by the state Department of Public Health: Go Certificates or VitalChek. Both process orders in five to seven business days and charge roughly $25.70 to $25.75 for a single copy before shipping. One important limit: online ordering is available only to the person named on the certificate. If you’re a parent requesting a copy for your child, a guardian, or a legal representative, you’ll need to order by mail or visit a DPH office in person.¹

Who Can Order Online

South Carolina keeps birth records confidential for 100 years after the date of birth, and during that window certified copies are restricted by law. Several categories of people are entitled to a copy overall, including parents and guardians named on the record, attorneys, court-ordered custodians, and the Department of Social Services for children in foster care.²

Both approved vendors, however, limit online purchases to the person named on the certificate, who must be at least 18.¹ If that’s not you, skip ahead to the in-person or mail options.

What You Need Before You Start

Have these details ready for the person on the certificate:

Full name at birth
Date of birth
County where the birth occurred
Full names of both parents as they appeared before their first marriages

Getting any of these wrong is the most common reason orders stall, and the state search fee is not refundable if DPH can’t locate your record.³⁴ Double-check the details against any documents you already have.

Photo ID

You’ll upload a copy of a valid photo ID in JPEG or PDF format. DPH accepts a broader range than most state agencies:

Driver’s license or U.S. passport
Any state DMV-issued photo card, including an unexpired learner’s permit
Current school or employer photo ID
Unexpired military ID, active duty or retired
U.S. Citizen Identification Card (Form I-197)
Unexpired Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551)
Unexpired weapons permit issued by a federal, state, or local government

VitalChek also offers an online identity-verification step that can replace uploading an ID entirely if you pass it, which helps if you don’t currently have a photo ID on hand.⁵¹

The Two Approved Vendors

DPH warns against any other website claiming to process South Carolina vital records, and says it cannot guarantee orders placed through unauthorized vendors will be processed.¹

Go Certificates

Charges a $17 non-refundable expedited search fee for the first copy, $3 for each additional copy ordered at the same time, and an $8.70 processing fee. Processing runs five to seven business days.¹

VitalChek

Charges the same $17 search fee and $3 per additional copy, with an $8.75 online processing fee. Ordering by phone through VitalChek raises the processing fee to $12.85. Processing time is the same five to seven business days.¹

Both accept standard credit and debit cards. Save the confirmation number the system generates at checkout, because that’s how you track the order later.

What You’ll Actually Pay

The $17 charge is set by South Carolina law and combines a $12 base record search with a $5 expedite surcharge that applies to any request processed within 10 business days, which covers every online order.⁴ The vendor’s processing fee sits on top, and shipping sits on top of that.

A single certificate ordered online runs about $25.70 through Go Certificates and $25.75 through VitalChek, plus shipping. Additional copies ordered at the same time add $3 each.

Processing and Delivery

Once you submit, DPH staff verify your identity, match the record in the state database, and print the certified copy on security paper with an embossed seal. Expect five to seven business days for that step.⁶ Both vendors offer standard USPS delivery or expedited UPS shipping for an added cost. UPS gets the envelope to you faster once it leaves DPH but doesn’t shorten the processing itself.

VitalChek recommends express delivery because it includes tracking and delivery confirmation, protections regular mail doesn’t offer. If the certificate is time-sensitive, that tracking is worth the upgrade. You can check status with your confirmation number through the vendor’s tracking tool.

If You Can’t Use Online Ordering

Parents, guardians, and legal representatives who can’t use the online vendors have two alternatives. Mail-in requests go directly to DPH. In-person visits are usually the fastest option overall: DPH aims for same-day service, with most requests completed in 30 to 45 minutes.¹ The main office is at 2600 Bull Street in Columbia, and regional offices around the state can issue certificates for births in any South Carolina county.

In-person fees are $17 for the expedited search and $3 for each additional copy, with no vendor processing charge added.⁴ Bring a completed application, a valid photo ID, and your payment. The Columbia office also accepts drop-off requests if you’d rather not wait; you can pick up the finished certificate later or have it mailed.¹

1
South Carolina Department of Public Health. Birth Certificates
2
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Title 44 Chapter 63 – Section 44-63-80
3
South Carolina Department of Public Health. Vital Records Birth Application
4
South Carolina Department of Public Health. Fees – Vital Records (Birth, Death, etc)
5
South Carolina Department of Public Health. ID Requirements for Vital Records
6
South Carolina Department of Public Health. Average Processing Times