How to Get South Carolina Vital Records (Start Here)

Vital records in South Carolina, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, and divorce records, are handled at the state level by SC DHEC Division of Vital Records. Marriage licenses are issued locally by the Probate Court Judge.

What this page covers: South Carolina vital record ordering, eligibility requirements, and related databases. What it does not cover: Genealogy records older than the state vital records system (check the Genealogy Resources page for historical records).

Where to start: For certified copies of birth or death certificates, contact SC DHEC Division of Vital Records. For marriage licenses, contact the Probate Court Judge in the county where the ceremony will occur. For divorce records, contact the court that granted the decree.

Common mistake: Birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees come from different offices. Do not assume one office handles all vital records.

Statewide vital-records agency
Vital Records
Parent agency
Birth Certificates
Records back to
1915, South Carolina Department of Public Health
Online ordering
Birth Certificates | South Carolina Department of Public Health
Marriage license issued by
South Carolina Code of Laws - Marriage Licenses
Local intake
South Carolina: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide
Population
5,478,831
Households
2,122,600
Median Income
$67,804
Median Home Value
$230,400
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by , Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: South Carolina vital records URL verified against the official state publisher at scdhec.gov on the review date. 7 primary .gov sources cited below.

South Carolina Vital Records, Key Facts (2026)

Birth, death, marriage, and divorce records for South Carolina, who can request, how to order, and what 2026 changed.
State-only
Issuing authority
Not federal
Restricted
Birth/death access
Usually self + family
75-125 yr
When records become public
Genealogy threshold
VitalChek
3rd-party portal
Used by many states
CDC NVSS
National statistics
Data only, no certificates
Who can request a South Carolina vital record
The person named
100%
Parent of subject
100%
Spouse of subject
90%
Adult child
90%
Legal representative
80%
General public (recent)
10%
General public (historical 75+yr)
95%
Unit: % likely to receive a certified copy.

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What Changed in 2026, South Carolina Vital Records

2026
South Carolina vital records portal active
The official South Carolina portal at scdhec.gov continues to serve as the canonical entry point for vital records in 2026.
2026
Latest federal complement for vital records
The CDC National Vital Statistics System at www.cdc.gov provides federal-level context that complements South Carolina state records.
2026
South Carolina access in 2026
For 2026, South Carolina continues to publish vital records information through state-authorized portals; check scdhec.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 additional official portals.

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The 4-Step South Carolina Vital Records Pathway

1
Step 1, Confirm state of event
Vital records are issued by the state where the event happened. For events in South Carolina, start with the South Carolina health department.
2
Step 2, Verify eligibility
Most states restrict birth/death to self, parents, spouse, child, or legal rep.
3
Step 3, Choose ordering method
South Carolina typically allows mail, in-person, or online (often via VitalChek).
4
Step 4, Genealogy fallback
South Carolina records older than 75-125 years are usually public, try FamilySearch or NARA.

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Five Things People Get Wrong About South Carolina Vital Records

MYTH"Every birth was registered on time."
FACTHome births and older rural births often went unrecorded for years. Delayed registration files exist precisely because of this, ask the state archives.
MYTH"A death index entry and a death certificate are the same."
FACTThe index proves a death was recorded; the certified certificate carries the legal details. Banks and courts want the certificate, not a screenshot of the index.
MYTH"Marriage licenses come from the state."
FACTIn most states, South Carolina included for most purposes, you get the license at the county level, and the state only registers the completed record.
MYTH"Vital records are federal records."
FACTThey're state records. The CDC compiles national statistics but has never issued a birth or death certificate, the state (and in South Carolina, its vital records office) does.
MYTH"The court divorce file and the divorce record are one document."
FACTTwo systems: the court keeps the case file, the vital records office keeps the divorce record/certificate. Which one you need depends on who's asking for it.

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Primary Sources and Official Record Portals

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Related Public Records
National view of this topic: All states: Vital records
Sample South Carolina counties: Abbeville · Aiken · Allendale · Anderson · Bamberg

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Vital Records Databases

17 official South Carolina vital records sources.

Court Records Criminal Records Wants & Warrants Vital Records Voter Records Licenses Recorded Documents Property Records

Vital Records

Anderson County Public Access: Disclaimer
Official Free
Neither the County of Anderson, South Carolina nor any agency, officer, elected official or employee of the County of Anderson, South Carolina (collectively known as "the County") warrants the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of any information on this web site and shall not be liable for.
🌐 acpass.andersoncountysc.org
Online Obituary Index | Beaufort County Library
Official Free
The Online Obituary Index includes the names of more than 24,000 people whose deaths were noted in Beaufort County, SC, local newspapers from 1862 to approximately 1992. The list of names is often updated.
🌐 beaufortcountylibrary.org
General Information | Clerk Of Court's Office
Official Free
Family Court The Family Court has exclusive jurisdiction over all matters involving domestic or family relationships. The Family Court is the sole forum for the hearing of all cases concerning marital disputes, divorce, legal separation, custody, visitation rights, termination of parental rights, adoption, support, alimony, division of marital property, and change of name.
🌐 charlestoncounty.org
Marriage License Division: Probate Court
Official Free
We are unable to process your request at this time. For additional information: Please copy this error message screen and email to Charleston County at webmaster@charlestoncounty.org with Subject line as - Unable to access Incident_ID - 7444898936442073521
🌐 charlestoncounty.gov
vital records | South Carolina Department of Public Health
Official Free
South Carolina Death Indexes 1915-1967 · This page contains links to all of the Death Index log files from the SC Department of Public Health - Division of Vital Records. The images are compressed in a format that requires a specialized Plugin for Internet Explorer.
🌐 dph.sc.gov
County of Greenville, SC
Official Free
Birth, death, and marriage record requests for South Carolina route through this office. It sits outside government; official offices remain the record of authority.
🌐 greenvillecounty.org
Death Certificates | South Carolina Department of Public Health
Official Free
Immediate family members of the decedent's family or the legal representative of an immediate family member may obtain a certified copy of a death certificate. Other applicants may be provided a statement that the death occurred, including the date and county of death, but not an actual certified.
🌐 dph.sc.gov
Marriage License Application
Official Free
You may search for a Marriage License that was applied for in Richland County. Licenses applied for before 1993 may not show a date of marriage. A name search is available below. If you find the license you are searching for, you can order it online only by following the instructions below.
🌐 www7.richlandcountysc.gov
Spartanburg County Public Libraries
Official Free
This searchable database of obituaries and death notices has been generated from local sources such as the Spartanburg Herald, Spartanburg Journal, Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Carolina Spartan, City Register of Deaths and other miscellaneous publications. It has been created by staff of the.
🌐 infodepot.org
Kennedy Room of Local and South Carolina History
Official Free
One of the most important and unique offerings of the Kennedy Room is its index of deaths from Spartanburg newspapers. This index begins with the earliest Spartanburg newspaper available, the July 17, 1844 edition of the Carolina Spartan, to the current issue of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. This comprehensive, ongoing project has yet to complete indexing 1923-1929. Indexes Available. In addition, the Kennedy Room offers the index to South Carolina death certificates from 1915 through 1959, and death certificates on microfilm from 1915 through 1966.
🌐 spartanburglibraries.org
Media Contact
Official Free
This is the request channel for South Carolina vital records, births, deaths, and marriages. Confirm details with the official vital record office before relying on them.
🌐 sumtercountysc.gov
Real Property Official Records Search
Official Free
Recorder of Deeds Overview. South Carolina is divided into 46 recorder districts with an elected or appointed Recorder or Clerk responsible for each office. Documents related to the ownership of real estate within the county are recorded at either the Recorder of Deeds Office, or the Clerk.
🌐 sclandrecords.com

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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.

Greenville Richland Charleston Horry Spartanburg Lexington York Berkeley Anderson Abbeville Aiken Allendale Bamberg Barnwell

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Which South Carolina counties publish vital records information online

4 of South Carolina's 46 counties run their own online source for vital records information, based on what this directory indexes. Every other county is covered by the statewide systems listed above, click a county for its full records page.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Certified birth certificates for events in South Carolina are issued by the Official South Carolina Vital Records at scdhec.gov. Requests can be made by mail, in person, or (in most cases) online through the state's authorized vendor. The county of registration may also be able to issue certified copies for recent local events.

South Carolina death certificates are issued by the Official South Carolina Vital Records; eligibility (next of kin, executor, legal representative) and ID documentation requirements are listed at scdhec.gov. For deaths within the last year, the county clerk or local registrar where the death occurred can often issue a copy more quickly.

South Carolina marriage and divorce records are not generally available in a free, name-searchable online index. The Official South Carolina Vital Records (scdhec.gov) handles certified copies; the underlying license/decree is filed with the county clerk or court that issued it, which is also a primary search point.

Standard South Carolina vital-record processing times vary from a few business days (in-person same-day at some county clerks) to several weeks for mailed requests. The Official South Carolina Vital Records publishes current turnaround times at scdhec.gov. Expedited processing is usually available for an additional fee.

The Official South Carolina Vital Records requires government-issued photo identification (driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID) and proof of your relationship to the record holder, if applicable. The full list of acceptable ID and supporting documents is published at scdhec.gov.