South Carolina public records laws and regulations provide access to government records like budget reports and meeting minutes. They also allow public access to records on individuals, such as vital records and criminal records.

SC public records laws can be classified by the type of public records that they affect. These include the three following categories:

1. Laws on public records of South Carolina that address the way in which these records can be accessed. These laws control issues such as the requirement for providing a reason for the information, specifying fees that an agency may charge and stating the length of time that the state is allowed to respond to a request for information.
2. Laws that specify an individual's information that may be considered public. These laws affect the way in which an individual may access their own information and how they may allow access by another party.
3. Laws that control the government records that the public may access. These laws may be intended to keep individuals informed on government decisions or allow journalists to report on government activity.
   

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Examine the laws that control access to public records of SC

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for South Carolina is a law that typically guides access to South Carolina court records and is usually handled by the attorney general's office. South Carolina criminal records may also be obtained from municipal and county courts.

I recommend: The State of South Carolina Department of Archives and History Pages provides an introduction to the South Carolina Public Records Act. The South Carolina Legislature has the complete text of its Freedom of Information Act.

Study the laws that affect South Carolina access to public records on individuals

Public records laws for individuals control access to South Carolina bankruptcy records, criminal records in South Carolina and South Carolina vital records. Some of these records may only be accessible to a designated individual or a party.

I recommend: The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division provides its regulations for obtaining background checks on individuals in South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control describes its procedures for obtaining vital records on individuals under South Carolina law.

Review the South Carolina public records laws that affect government records

Government records laws allow access to records such as real estate sales, budget reports and meeting minutes. Some government entities may specialize in one particular type of record, while others may provide access to many different types of government records.

I recommend: The South Carolina State Ports Authority provides its procedures for complying with public records requests under the Freedom of Information Act. The Charleston Water System offers a summary of its regulations for supplying government records, such as meeting minutes.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  South Carolina public records law is generally guided by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This federal legislation was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966. The FOIA was amended by the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments in 1996, which controls the electronic access the public has to these records.

Whether you're looking for information about a potential employee or researching facts on a property, you need to access South Carolina public records. Public records are documents that have been filed or recorded by either public agencies or private individuals. Such records include birth and death records, marriage and divorce papers, criminal records, real estate documents, licenses, and so on.

Public records are held by federal, state and local government, who in turn determine their availability. Although the state of public records in South Carolina are accessible to the public, you may be expected to pay for some information; the fees will vary depending on the department and state. You can always visit state departments and offices for public records, though there's a breadth of information online.

When researching public records, remember the following:

1. When doing a background check on an individual, you may want to consider a nationwide search. This will cover information, not just in your state, but in the country as a whole.

2. Make sure that the SC public records you get are up to date.

3. Get information from a credible source when searching South Carolina public records online. You may be liable for turning someone down if you base a hiring decision on incorrect facts.

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Search public records in SC to get information on real estate

Information on real estate is always available to the public. If you're looking for specific data on a particular property, such as zoning information, assessments or building requirements, you can find those on government sites, such as county offices. Additionally, you can research title and deed information, find out who owns a property and get tax information.

I recommend: Real Marketing is an online resource that provides links to South Carolina county assessor's offices, county recorder's offices and county treasurer's offices. You can find comprehensive property information by visiting these online government resources.

Consider checking criminal records in South Carolina before you hire an employee

As a business owner, it's smart to run background checks on potential employees, especially if you're hiring childcare providers and teachers. Background checks can range from verifying a person's Social Security number, to a detailed account of the person's history and acquaintances. Before doing a background check, you must get permission from the individual.

I recommend: South Carolina's Law Enforcement Division can help you obtain criminal records. Additionally, public access to court records is available from the South Carolina Judicial Department.

Track down anyone with a South Carolina vital records search

With the assistance of the Internet and the right data, you can track down any individual, living or deceased. If you already know the person's Social Security number, date of birth, or last known address, you can use these to research vital records. Less information than that makes your search a little more difficult, but still possible.

I recommend: You can find records of marriage, divorce, birth and death at the South Carolina Department of Health. Intelius can help you track someone down using a variety of information.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act regulates how consumer credit information, such as bankruptcy records, are collected and used by outside companies-- not employers. The act also restricts reporting South Carolina criminal records and other negative information after seven years, with the exception of criminal convictions.

South Carolina public records pricing and costs from government agencies are generally set by law for each document in the case of recent records. Copies of older records may be available for a nominal fee if the required research is minimal. Government agencies generally charge an hourly rate when they must perform a substantial amount of research.

The cost of SC public records also depends on the specific type of records being sought. There are three general types of public records:

1. Vital public records of South Carolina. These records consist of SC birth certificates, SC death records, marriage records and divorce records. Vital records are generally accessible by the individual or immediate family members.
2. South Carolina public records for historical research. These records may include older vital records or other public records that are of historical, rather than personal, interest. The access of historical records is generally available to the public.
3. South Carolina public records on government activity. These records may include budget reports, meeting minutes and voting records. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for South Carolina specifies the government records that are available to the public.
   

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Get prices on South Carolina vital records directly from official sources

Vital records in South Carolina are available at centralized sources and the cost is generally set by state law. Counties and municipalities in South Carolina may establish access to their own vital records and set the fees independently of the state. Paper records are generally more expensive than electronic records.

I recommend: The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control charges a $12 non-refundable search fee and $3 for each additional copy. The Spartanburg County Public Libraries charge $5 for a copy of a death certificate.

Find pricing on older public records of SC in state archives

Older South Carolina public records may be kept in state libraries or other facilities that are dedicated to historical research. The cost of obtaining historical records in South Carolina is generally much less than that of accessing recent vital records. The cost may be limited to the photocopying fee in many cases.

I recommend: The South Carolina Department of Archives and History allows access to virtually all of its records and only charges for photocopies. The Charleston County Probate Court allows a free online search of marriage licenses from 1879 to the present.

Obtain prices on South Carolina public records for government activity

South Carolina government records are available under the FOIA and other sunshine laws. The cost of these records may vary greatly, depending on the specific records that are being sought. Many of these records may be found for free on public websites.

I recommend: The South Carolina State Ports Authority charges $.15 per page for photocopies in addition to an hourly rate, which may be waived if the research serves the public interest. The South Carolina Natural Resources Conservation Service may charge the direct costs of searching for public records and will notify the requestor in advance if fees will exceed $25.

A typical search through South Carolina public records will yield the standard births, deaths, marriages and divorces documents. You’ll also get access to documents prepared by county and local government offices. Although there are some exceptions, most of these documents are accessible to the public. Whether you’re a marketing professional conducting new research in a quickly populating town or an HR manager confirming the facts in a job applicant’s resume, learning these key terms can help you navigate through South Carolina public records.

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Vital records services

The state's vital records services maintains information on the births, deaths, marriages and divorces that took place in South Carolina. Since 1915, South Carolina law required that a certificate be filed for every birth and death. Of all public records searches done in the state, this one is most in demand.

I recommend: Find out where the vital records services is located at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s website. You’ll also learn about some of the standard searches done through these records.

Business filings

One thing to remember as you search public records in South Carolina for business filings is that the accuracy of information in the records can't be verified by the state. That's because the information comes from the business making the filing.

I recommend: Go to the Secretary of State’s website to find out how you can request a business filings search by mail. Bear in mind that the website gives the address for the registered agent rather than for the business.

Land records

A land records search will identify historical petitions for land dating back to the 1600's. Any land records pre-dating the 1800's are deposited in the offices of the South Carolina county clerks.

I recommend: If you’re searching through these historical land records sales, get details on the exact location of the documents and the procedures for viewing them at Land-Records.com.

South Carolina Public Records Association

The South Carolina Public Records Association strives to make the public aware of general principles for search through public documents. The Association accomplishes this by offering various educational and training opportunities.

I recommend: Go to the South Carolina Public Records Association homepage to learn more about how the group responds to citizens’ concerns about the retention of state public records and how it encourages public inspection of these records.

Freedom of Information Act

The South Carolina Freedom of Information Act provides public access to records relating to public policy and the decisions made by South Carolina's public officials. The Act is contained in South Carolina's General Assembly statutes.

I recommend: The fees set by the Freedom of Information Act for searching through state public records are noted on the South Carolina Legislature’s website.

Records management program

Because maintaining large amounts of records in an orderly fashion can be a challenge, South Carolina has instituted a records management program. The state archivist supervises this program and also helps to set standards and procedures for managing the thousands of new records being added to the system each year.

I recommend: Find out more about how the records management program in South Carolina is administered at the State of South Carolina website.