South Carolina ranks 12th out of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.) for how easy, fast and affordable it is to get certified birth, marriage, divorce and death records.
Cost#5of 51
Speed#19 (tie)of 51
Ease of ordering#11 (tie)of 51
Birth certificates #6 of 51
Cost
$12 first copy by mail ($17 in person or online), $3 each extra copy
Processing time
Online: 5–7 business days; mail: about 4 weeks; in person: same day, about 30–45 minutes
Time until the copy is in hand
About 5 weeks by mail (estimate)
Where to order
State office or any DPH Vital Records office
Order online
Yes, through the state’s approved vendor, for an extra fee
Records available
State records from 1915
Marriage records #20 of 51
Cost
$12 first copy by mail ($17 online), $3 each extra copy
Processing time
Online: 5–7 business days; mail: about 4 weeks; in person: not available
Time until the copy is in hand
About 5 weeks by mail (estimate)
Where to order
State office or the county Probate Court
Order online
Yes, through the state’s approved vendor, for an extra fee
Records available
State records from July 1950; earlier records from the county Probate Judge
Divorce records #13 of 51
Cost
$12 first copy by mail ($17 online), $3 each extra copy
Processing time
Online: 5–7 business days; mail: about 4 weeks; in person: not available
Time until the copy is in hand
About 5 weeks by mail (estimate)
Where to order
State office (report of divorce) or the county Clerk of Court (full decree)
Order online
Yes, through the state’s approved vendor, for an extra fee
Records available
State divorce reports (not the decree) from July 1962; full decrees from the county Clerk of Court
Death certificates #5 of 51
Cost
$12 first copy by mail ($17 in person or online), $3 each extra copy
Processing time
Online: 5–7 business days; mail: about 4 weeks; in person: same day, about 30–45 minutes
Time until the copy is in hand
About 5 weeks by mail (estimate)
Where to order
State office or any DPH Vital Records office
Order online
Yes, through the state’s approved vendor, for an extra fee
Records available
State records from 1915
Note: These rankings were done on . Prices, processing times and ordering rules may have changed since then, so check with the issuing office before you order. Times marked “estimate” add typical mail delivery to the office’s posted processing time. “Not published” means the office does not post that detail.
How to order South Carolina birth, death, marriage and divorce records
How do I get a South Carolina birth certificate?
A certified South Carolina birth certificate costs $12 by mail or $17 in person, by phone or online (plus a vendor fee online), with extra copies at $3. Any DPH Vital Records office can issue a birth certificate from any county, usually the same day. Mail orders take about 4 weeks.
South Carolina birth records: ordering details
Who can order
The person named (18 or older), a parent named on the certificate, a legal guardian, or a legal representative of one of them. If the person named has died, immediate family members can order with an original certified copy of the death certificate. Only the person named can order online or by phone.
Fee
Mail: $12 non-refundable search fee, which includes one certified copy; $3 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. In person, phone, online, or expedited drop-off: $17 (the $12 search fee plus a $5 expedite fee); extra copies $3. Online/phone vendor fee: VitalChek adds $8.75 online ($12.85 by phone); GoCertificates adds $8.70. Faster shipping costs extra.
How to order
Online: DPH’s approved vendors VitalChek or GoCertificates. By phone: VitalChek, 1-877-284-1008 (24/7). In person: the State Vital Records Office, 2600 Bull St., Columbia, SC 29201, or any regional Vital Records office. Bring the application form (D-2595), your photo ID and exact cash, a money order or a cashier’s check. By mail: the same application with an ID copy to S.C. Department of Public Health, Vital Records Section, P.O. Box 2046, West Columbia, SC 29171, with a money order or cashier’s check payable to “S.C. DPH”. Drop-off: at the Columbia state office only.
ID needed
A valid, current government-, school- or employer-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or state ID, school or work ID, unexpired military ID, or U.S. or foreign passport. Mail applications without a photocopy of ID are returned unprocessed. See ID requirements.
Processing time
In person: about 30–45 minutes; most requests are done the same day. Online and phone: about 5–7 business days. Mail: about 4 weeks (DPH’s processing-times page says 2–4 weeks). Estimate: about 5 weeks to have it in hand by mail.
Older and local records
DPH issues birth certificates for births in South Carolina since 1915. All Vital Records offices can issue certificates for any county. Office hours from January 2026: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; Wednesday 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Tip: Go in person between 9 and 11 a.m., Tuesday to Thursday. Mondays, Fridays and lunch hours are busiest. Bring a completed form and exact payment.
A certified South Carolina death certificate costs $12 by mail or $17 in person, by phone or online (plus a vendor fee online), with extra copies at $3. Only immediate family members or their legal representative can get a certified copy. Any DPH Vital Records office can issue one, usually the same day.
South Carolina death records: ordering details
Who can order
Immediate family members of the person who died, or the legal representative of an immediate family member. Only immediate family can order online or by phone. Other applicants can get a statement that the death occurred, with the date and county of death, but not a certified copy.
Fee
Mail: $12 non-refundable search fee, which includes one certified copy; $3 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. In person, phone, online, or expedited drop-off: $17 (the $12 search fee plus a $5 expedite fee); extra copies $3. Online/phone vendor fee: VitalChek adds $8.75 online ($12.85 by phone); GoCertificates adds $8.70. Faster shipping costs extra.
How to order
Online:VitalChek or GoCertificates. By phone: VitalChek, 1-877-284-1008. In person: the State Vital Records Office, 2600 Bull St., Columbia, or any regional Vital Records office, with the application form (D-2594), photo ID and exact cash, money order or cashier’s check. By mail: the same application with an ID copy to S.C. Department of Public Health, Vital Records Section, P.O. Box 2046, West Columbia, SC 29171, with a money order or cashier’s check payable to “S.C. DPH”.
ID needed
A valid, current government-, school- or employer-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or state ID, school or work ID, unexpired military ID, or U.S. or foreign passport. Mail applications without a photocopy of ID are returned unprocessed. See ID requirements.
Processing time
In person: about 30–45 minutes; most requests are done the same day. Online and phone: about 5–7 business days. Mail: about 4 weeks (DPH’s processing-times page says 2–4 weeks). Estimate: about 5 weeks to have it in hand by mail.
Older and local records
DPH death indexes begin in 1915. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History also holds death records for 1915–1963, viewable in its Columbia reference room. Offices issue long- and short-form death certificates.
Tip: Order all the copies you need at once: each extra copy of the same record is only $3 when ordered together, versus a new search fee later.
How do I get a South Carolina marriage certificate?
DPH issues certified South Carolina marriage certificates for marriages from July 1950 on for $12 by mail or $17 online (plus VitalChek’s $12.85 fee). In-person requests are currently unavailable. For other years, contact the Probate Court in the county that issued the license.
South Carolina marriage records: ordering details
Who can order
DPH asks for your relationship to the couple. Only the people named, their adult children, or a present or former spouse can order online.
Fee
Mail: $12 non-refundable search fee, including one certified copy; $3 for each extra copy. Online (VitalChek): $17 expedited search fee, $3 per extra copy, plus $12.85 for VitalChek and any UPS shipping. Probate Court copies: fees set by the court; DPH fees don’t apply.
How to order
Online:VitalChek. By mail:application form with an ID copy to S.C. Department of Public Health, Vital Records Section, P.O. Box 2046, West Columbia, SC 29171, with a money order or cashier’s check payable to “S.C. DPH”. In person / drop-off: currently unavailable at DPH. County record: the Probate Court in the county where the license was issued.
ID needed
A valid, current government-, school- or employer-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or state ID, school or work ID, unexpired military ID, or U.S. or foreign passport. Mail applications without a photocopy of ID are returned unprocessed. See ID requirements.
Processing time
Mail: about 4 weeks. Online: not stated on DPH’s marriage page; DPH’s general figure for online orders is 5–7 business days. Probate Court: varies. Estimate: about 5 weeks by mail.
Older records
DPH has marriage records from July 1950. For marriages before July 1950, or more recent marriages DPH doesn’t yet have, contact the Probate Court in the county that issued the license. DPH’s page gives its latest year as December 2025 in one place and December 2018 in another.
Tip: If you know the county that issued the license, the Probate Court there holds the original record for every year, including marriages before 1950 that DPH doesn’t have.
DPH issues a certified Report of Divorce (not the decree) for divorces from July 1962 on for $12 by mail or $17 online (plus VitalChek’s $12.85 fee). The full divorce decree comes from the Clerk of Court in the county where the divorce was filed.
South Carolina divorce records: ordering details
Certified copy vs. verification
The DPH Report of Divorce is a certified record of the divorce’s basic facts. DPH does not hold divorce decrees; for the decree itself, contact the county Clerk of Court.
Who can order
DPH asks for your relationship to the couple. Only the people named, their adult children, or a present or former spouse can order online.
Fee
Mail: $12 non-refundable search fee, including one certified copy; $3 for each extra copy. Online (VitalChek): $17 expedited search fee, $3 per extra copy, plus $12.85 for VitalChek and any UPS shipping. Decree copies: set by the Clerk of Court.
How to order
Online:VitalChek. By mail:application form with an ID copy to S.C. Department of Public Health, Vital Records Section, P.O. Box 2046, West Columbia, SC 29171, with a money order or cashier’s check payable to “S.C. DPH”. In person / drop-off: currently unavailable at DPH. Decree: the Clerk of Court in the county where the divorce was filed.
ID needed
A valid, current government-, school- or employer-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or state ID, school or work ID, unexpired military ID, or U.S. or foreign passport. Mail applications without a photocopy of ID are returned unprocessed. See ID requirements.
Processing time
Mail: about 4 weeks. Online: DPH’s general figure is 5–7 business days. Clerk of Court: varies. Estimate: about 5 weeks by mail.
Older records
DPH has Reports of Divorce for divorces decreed from July 1962 through December 2025. DPH has no divorce decrees; for earlier divorces and for decrees, contact the Clerk of Court in the county where the divorce was filed.
Tip: Mailed a request and heard nothing in 30 days? Email vrrequeststatus@dph.sc.gov or call (803) 898-3630 with the names, date and mailing address on the request.
Note: Fees, processing times and rules are set by the issuing offices and can change. Times are estimates. Check with the office before you order. PublicLibraries.com is not a government agency.
Other records
Other South Carolina records people search for
Official South Carolina sites for other common lookups. Some records are kept by counties or carry fees; the note on each line says so.
Note: Links go to official state sites or services the state designates. Access rules, fees and coverage are set by each office and can change. PublicLibraries.com is not a government agency.
About South Carolina public records
Certificate Information
Vital Records service for South Carolina is handled by the Department of Health and Environmental Control. Records are available
either by going to the state office in Columbia, ordering by mail, online, over the phone, or by visiting one of the many local
branch offices.
Each $12 dollar search includes one certified copy of the record with a $3 dollar fee for each additional copy ordered at that time.
Expedited mail order service cost and additional $17 dollars. Expedited service reduces turn around time from 2-4 weeks to 3-5 business days.
Orders by phone and online are done by VitalChek which carries an additional $12.95 charge on top of other services.
Vital Records State Office
2600 Bull St
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 898-3630
Marriage records prior to 1950 and divorces prior to 1962 are not yet archived in the state database. There is also a delay period
in which new records do not show up on the state database and must be obtained from the probate court in which they were applied.
Usual processing time from local court to state database can take up to one year.
Non identifying information can be granted from the state or private adoption agency to either the birth family or the adoptee.
Adult age (21) adoptees and birth families can join a voluntary reunion registry to share identifying information or medical
history.
South Carolina Department of Social Services
Adoption Reunion Registry
PO Box 1520
Columbia, SC 29202
(803) 734-6095
(800) 922-2504
Property Records
The local county GIS department in conjunction with other local agencies that handle property records, parcel records, land use
and other public records manage the online mapping application and database. Search through maps, find detailed information
on parcel and property taxes.
