How to Search South Carolina Recorded Documents (Start Here)
Recorded documents in South Carolina — deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and other land records — are filed with the Register of Deeds in each county.
What this page covers: South Carolina recorded document searches — deeds, mortgages, assignments, liens, plats, and other instruments filed in the public land records. What it does not cover: Property valuations or tax data (those are on the Property Records page).
Where to start: Go to the Register of Deeds in the county where the property is located. Many county register of deedss offer online document search by grantor/grantee name, book/page, or instrument number.
Common mistake: Recorded documents show what was filed — they do not confirm current ownership or lien status without a full title search. A deed in the index does not mean it is the most recent transfer.
Recorder of deeds
UCC-1 filings
Statewide deed index?
Recording statute
Legal system
Number of counties
46 counties
Population
5,478,831
Households
2,122,600
Median Income
$67,804
Median Home Value
$230,400
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by Sam Rokni — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: South Carolina recorded documents URL verified against the official state publisher at sos.sc.gov on the review date. 6 primary .gov sources cited below.
South Carolina Recorded Documents — Key Facts (2026)
Deeds, mortgages, UCC filings, liens, military discharges in South Carolina — what gets recorded and where in 2026.
County
Where deeds live
Permanent record
SoS
Where UCC live
Secretary of State
Article 9
UCC governs
Secured transactions
Public
Most recorded docs
With redaction
Federal
DD-214 / IRS liens
National-level
Deeds
100
Mortgages
95
Liens (property)
70
UCC (business)
55
Powers of attorney
25
Military DD-214
10
Unit: relative volume (deeds=100).
What Changed in 2026 — South Carolina Recorded Documents
2026
South Carolina recorded documents portal active
The official South Carolina portal at sos.sc.gov continues to serve as the canonical entry point for recorded documents in 2026.
2026
Latest federal complement for recorded documents
The NASS UCC Filings overview at www.nass.org provides federal-level context that complements South Carolina state records.
2026
South Carolina access in 2026
For 2026, South Carolina continues to publish recorded documents information through state-authorized portals; check sos.sc.gov for current fees and processing times.
2026
Federal records framework refresh
Federal record types (federal liens, federal land, federal vital statistics) continue to live OUTSIDE South Carolina's state portal — see the Primary Sources below for the .gov complement.
The 5-Type South Carolina Recorded Documents Map
1
Type 1 — Real property (Deeds, Mortgages)
South Carolina County Recorder / Register of Deeds. Permanent record.
2
Type 2 — UCC (business collateral)
Most filed with South Carolina Secretary of State. Some real-estate UCCs are county.
3
Type 3 — Liens (tax, mechanic's, judgment)
Property liens at the county. IRS federal tax liens may file at county OR state.
4
Type 4 — Personal documents (POA, military DD-214)
Often optional county recording in South Carolina for safekeeping. Originals at federal NPRC.
5
Type 5 — Maps & subdivisions
South Carolina county recorder; some at state mapping office.
Five Things People Get Wrong About South Carolina Recorded Documents
❌ Myth: "All UCC filings are at the South Carolina county."
✓ Truth: False. Most UCC filings (Article 9) are at the South Carolina Secretary of State, not county.
❌ Myth: "All liens show up in a deed search."
✓ Truth: False. Federal tax liens may file at county OR state. Judgment liens vary. Always cross-check.
❌ Myth: "Recording a deed transfers title."
✓ Truth: False. The deed transfers title when delivered. Recording gives public notice — important but different.
❌ Myth: "DD-214 is only federal."
✓ Truth: Partially false. The original is federal (NPRC), but many veterans record a copy at their South Carolina county for easy access.
❌ Myth: "Old South Carolina recorded docs are fully digitized."
✓ Truth: False. Most South Carolina counties only digitized records back to ~1990-2000. Older docs are paper at the courthouse.
Primary Sources (All .gov / Official)
- sos.sc.gov — Official South Carolina Recorded Documents — State portal for South Carolina recorded documents
- NASS UCC Filings overview — National Association of Secretaries of State
- National Archives — Military Records (DD-214) — National Personnel Records Center
- IRS Federal Tax Liens — Federal lien procedures
- HUD Recording Basics — Federal property recording basics
- USA.gov — Government Records — Federal record retrieval portal
- data.gov — Assessor datasets — Federal-cataloged county data
Related Recorded Documents Resources
📍 Other South Carolina records:
- South Carolina Court Records →
- South Carolina Criminal Records →
- South Carolina Property Records →
- South Carolina Vital Records →
- South Carolina Voter Records →
- South Carolina Wants & Warrants →
- South Carolina Licenses →
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National: U.S. Recorded Documents hub →
Related Public Records
More South Carolina records: Court records · Criminal records · Wants & warrants · Property records · Vital records · Voter records · Licenses
National view of this topic: All states: Recorded docs
Recorded Documents Databases
20 official South Carolina recorded documents sources.
Recorded Documents
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Beaufort County Register of Deeds
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Property Tax Records - Clerk of Court - Florence County
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Greenville
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Greenwood County Public Index - Court Records
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Horry County Records Search
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Register of Deeds - Lexington County - South Carolina
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Pickens County, SC County Records
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Treasurer – Richland County, North Dakota
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Darlington County, South Carolina Public Records Lookup | DarlingtonRecords.us
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Ontario
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Titlesearcher.com - The Leader in Online Land Record Retrieval
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VanBuren County Document images that are retrieved will be $4.00 each. The search by name option will require a 0.25 cent charge to open each name retrieved. As a Gap Control customer, you can monitor recorded documents in any of the counties available on TitleSearcher.
South Carolina Counties
46 South Carolina counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who records deeds and mortgages in South Carolina?▼
In South Carolina, deeds, mortgages, liens, and other real-property documents are recorded at the county level by the county Recorder (or Clerk-Recorder). The Official South Carolina Recorded Documents at sos.sc.gov handles statewide filings such as UCC-1 financing statements and corporate documents.
Where do I file a UCC-1 financing statement in South Carolina?▼
UCC-1 financing statements covering personal property and business collateral are filed centrally with the Official South Carolina Recorded Documents at sos.sc.gov. Fixture filings on real estate are an exception — those go to the county where the property is located.
Are South Carolina recorded documents available online?▼
Most South Carolina countys publish a free online index of recorded documents (by name, document type, or date). Image access (the actual deed image) is often available either free or for a small per-page fee. Statewide UCC and corporate filings are searchable through the Official South Carolina Recorded Documents at sos.sc.gov.
How do I obtain a certified copy of a South Carolina recorded deed?▼
Certified copies of deeds, mortgages, and other recorded documents are issued by the county Recorder where the document was originally recorded. Fees and ID requirements vary; see your specific county page below. The Official South Carolina Recorded Documents (sos.sc.gov) handles certified copies of statewide filings such as UCCs and articles of incorporation.
What's the difference between a deed and a title in South Carolina?▼
A deed is the recorded instrument that conveys ownership; the title is the legal concept of ownership itself. Deeds in South Carolina are recorded with the county Recorder; title insurance and title searches are private-sector services that examine the chain of recorded deeds. The Official South Carolina Recorded Documents at sos.sc.gov publishes the statewide rules.