South Carolina Divorce Records

In the state of South Carolina, you should know that divorce was not legal before the year 1868. Now, as in some other states, South Carolina divorce records are kept by the Office of Vital Records. In South Carolina, divorce records have been kept in the Vital Records office of the state since 1962. If you want a divorce record from an earlier time, you’ll need to make the request through the court clerk in the county where the divorce was filed. Requirements of the state of South Carolina are that you be one of the divorce petitioners, children, former spouses or a present spouse of one of the petitioners or a legal representative. If you’re not in this group you can request a statement that provides the divorce’s date and county. Make a request through the Vital Records division at:

South Carolina DHEC
Vital Records
2600 Bull St.
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 898-3630

You’ll need to fill out an application, providing the information of the names of the divorced parties, your relationship to one of them, your own contact information and the reason for the search. The application should be signed by you and before mailing, include a copy of a valid photo identification. Also include a $12 check or money order as fee for the search. Even though South Carolina adheres to the Freedom of Information Act of 1966, the state also recognizes that the divorced parties are entitled to some privacy, so if you choose a state-based search you may receive sketchy information.

SC Divorce Records

You can also use a professional, fee-based online service to search through a state’s divorce records. All you have to do is choose a reputable online site, pay a reasonable fee and enter as much information as you can about the divorced parties. You should receive the desired information about the divorce in a matter of moments and it will be compiled into a report that you can easily read and comprehend. Online services have the ability to search much farther than one state. Their databases and search engines are much more powerful than state-based ones and can pull up valuable information that you may not receive from a state search. Many legal professionals, archivists and others use online sites on a daily basis and maintain monthly memberships. They need data fast and need to be assured of its accuracy, rather than waiting a week to two weeks for the information to be delivered through the mail. You can search on a one-time basis and pay a one-time fee if you desire. Some of the information you might receive from an online search that you wouldn’t be able to access from a state search are issues about children, custody and visitation, settlements, liabilities and assets and whether or not there was alimony involved. You may also be able to see what the official reason for the divorce states.

Click on the link to get all the information you need about how to begin a search of South Carolina divorce records from an online search site.