The South Carolina State Vital Records Office in Columbia maintains:
Birth certificates were required by the state after January 1, 1915 but there is no guarantee that records of every birth after that date exist. Many children were delivered at home by midwives and country doctors during the early part of the 20th century and their births were not recorded, even though mandated by the state. If a birth certificate is not available, use the 1920 census to help you with proof of birth and the names of parents. Make a copy of the page your ancestor's name and data are on in addition to a copy of the documentation page (usually the first page) of the roll of the microfilm. Have your local genealogy society or library stamp the pages with their name and address. Birth records in South Carlina are not open to the public. If a person is alive, he or she has to request their own birth certificate. An immediate family member may request the birth certificate of a deceased person.
Death Certificates
Death certificates were required by the state after January 1, 1915. They were more likely to be recorded in the early years of requirement than were birth certificates, but it's also possible that a death was not recorded in the early years if a funeral home was not used and the deceased was buried from the home. Death records in South Carlina are held restricted from the public for 50 years. The Vital Statistics Office releases death certificates of those who died more than 50 years ago to the South Carolina Deparment of Archives and History. Getting a copy of a death certificate from the archives is much cheaper than getting one from the vital statistic office. Indexes, by year of death and alphabatized, are on microfiche at the archives in Columbia. If the death was less than 50 years ago, the certificate can only be obtained from the Vital Statistics Office by an immediate family member.
Marriage Licenses
The state required marriage licenses to be issued beginning on July 1, 1911. Each county maintains records of marriages in the office of the probate court judge. For marriages occurring between July 1911 and June 1950, the record can only be obtained from the local county. A phone call to the local probate judge's office to ask about charges for mailing a copy of a grandparent's marriage certificate will get you started. Charges range from $3 to $5. Once you know the fee involved in obtaining the marriage certificate, write a letter to the probate judge's office with as much detail about names and dates as possible, stating that you are doing genealogical research and need the marriage license of your deceased grandparents. If a party to a marriage is still alive, they must be the one to write to obtain the copy of the marriage liscense. Both the local probate judge's office and the State Bureau of Vital Statistics hold copies of licenses issued after July 1, 1950. It is less expensive to obtain a copy of a marriage record from the county courthouse than from the vital statistics office in Columbia.
Divorce Records
Even though prior to 1868, divorce in South Carolina was not legal, a legislative act or the local district court of equity could grant divorce or separate maintenance. This was very, very rare. Between 1868 and 1878, divorce was again outlawed by a legislative statute, but could be obtained in the courts of common pleas. Divorce was legalized in the state of South Carolina in 1950. The office of the clerk of court in the county where the divorce was granted holds the records. Duplicate divorce records have been recorded with the Vital Statisics office since July of 1962.
Old Local Records
The City of Charleston maintained records of births from 1877 and deaths from 1821. These are on file at the Charleston County Health Department.
The City of Florence maintained ledger entries of births and deaths from 1895 to 1914. These are on file at the Florence County Health Department.
The City of Newberry City maintained ledger entries of births and deaths from the late 1800s. These are on file at the Newberry County Health Department.
The County of Barnwell has an index to births from 1915-1958 on microfilm and a book of delayed certificates for births recorded prior to 1915 on microfilm. These may be seen in Columbia at the State Archives.
The City of Spartanburg maintained a register of births from 1895-1914.
The County of Greenville has a record of delayed certificates of births prior to 1915 which were recorded from 1940-1955.
Horry County has a record of delayed certificates of birth prior to 1915 which were recorded from 1939-1960.
In Spartanburg County in the Court of Common Pleas, Equity Side there are 14 items in a divorce proceedings file, 1869-1871 and 1877-1878.
Information in the public records may seem scarce but there are others areas of birth, marriage, and death records available to the genealogical researcher. Many of South Carolina's newspapers marriage and death notices have been astracted and published. Other records of birth and death may be found in cemeteries on tombstones. There is a wealth of private sources such as copies or transcripts of old Bible records to be found in local genealogical societies or in contact with other reseachers.
Abbeville County
P.O. Box 70
Abbeville, SC 29620
(803) 459-4626
Aiken County
P.O. Box 1576
Aiken, SC 29802
(803) 642-2002
Allendale County
P.O. Box 737
Allendale, SC 29810
(803) 584-3157
Anderson County
P.O. Box 8002
Anderson, SC 29622
(864) 260-4049
Bamberg County
P.O. Box 180
Bamberg, SC 29003
(803) 245-3008
Barnwell County
P.O. Box 723
Barnwell, SC 29812
(803) 541-1021
Beaufort County
P.O. Box 1083
Beaufort, SC 29901
(843) 525-7440
Berkeley County
300 B California Ave.
Moncks Corner, SC 29461
(843) 761-8210
Calhoun County
302 S. FR. Huff Dr.
Saint Matthews, SC 29135
(803) 874-3514
Charleston County
2144 Melbourne Ave.
Charleston, SC 29405
(843) 740-5890
Cherokee County
P.O. Box 22
Gaffney, SC 29342
(864) 487-2583
Chester County
Drawer 580
Chester, SC 29706-0580
(803) 385-2604
Chesterfield County
200 W. Main St.
Chesterfield, SC 29709
(803) 623-2376
Clarendon County
P.O. Box 307
Manning, SC 29102
(803) 435-8774
Colleton County
P.O. Box 1036
Walterboro, SC 29488
(843) 549-7216
Darlington County
One Public Square, Room 208
Darlington, SC 29532
(803) 398-4310
Dillon County
P.O. Box 189
Dillon, SC 29536
(803) 774-1423
Dorchester County
101 Ridge St.
Saint George, SC 29477
(843) 563-0105
Edgefield County
124 Courthouse Square
Edgefield, SC 29824
(803) 637-4076
Fairfield County
P.O. Drawer 299
Winnsboro, SC 29180
(803) 635-1411
Florence County
180 N. Irby St. MSC-L
Florence, SC 29501
(843) 665-3085
Georgetown County
715 Prince St. Box 1270
Georgetown, SC 29442
(843) 527-6325
Greenville County
301 University Ridge, Room 1200
Greenville, SC 29601
(864) 467-7170
Greenwood County
P.O. Box 1210
Greenwood, SC 29648
(864) 942-8625
Hampton County
P.O. Box 601
Hampton, SC 29924-0601
(803) 943-7512
Horry County
P.O. Box 288
Conway, SC 29528
(843) 248-1294
Jasper County
P.O. Box 1028
Ridgeland, SC 29936
(843) 726-7718
Kershaw County
1121 Broad St., Room 302
Camden, SC 29020
(803) 425-1500
Lancaster County
P.O. Box 1809
Lancaster, SC 29721
(803) 283-3379
Laurens County
P.O. Box 194
Laurens, SC 29360
(803) 984-5484
Lee County
P.O. Box 387
Bishopville, SC 29010-0387
(803) 484-5341
Lexington County
139 E. Main St., Room 110
Lexington, SC 29072-3488
(803) 359-8324
Marion County
P.O. Box 183
Marion, SC 29571
(843) 423-3904
Marlboro County
P.O. Drawer 996
Bennettsville, SC 29512
(843) 479-5613
McCormick County
133 S. Mine St.
McCormick, SC 29835
(803) 465-2195
Newberry County
P.O. Box 442
Newberry, SC 29108
(803) 321-2118
Oconee County
P.O. Box 471
Walhalla, SC 29691-0471
(864) 638-4275
Orangeburg County
P.O. Drawer 9000
Orangeburg, SC 29116
(803) 533-1000
Pickins County
222 McDaniel Ave. B-16
Pickins, SC 29671
(864) 898-5903
Richland County
P.O. Box 192
Columbia, SC 29202-0192
(803) 748-4684
Saluda County
Courthouse Square
Saluda, SC 29138
(803) 445-3303
Spartanburg County
180 Magnolia St.
Spartanburg, SC 29306-2392
(864) 596-2556
Sumter County
141 N. Main St.
Sumter, SC 29150
(803) 436-2100
(803) 436-2166 (Probate Judge's Office)
(803) 436-2177 (Registrar of Mesne
Conveyances)
Union County
P.O. Box 447
Union, SC 29379
(864) 429-1625
Williamsburg County
P.O. Box 1005
Kingstree, SC 29556
(803) 354-6655
York County
P.O. Box 219
York, SC 29745
(803) 684-8513
Vital Statistics Records Office Addresses and Phone Numbers
South Carolina State Vital Records Office
Office of Vital Records
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 734-4830
Abbeville County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 99
Abbeville, SC 29620-0099
(803) 459-5074
Aiken County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 583
Aiken, SC 29802-0583
(803) 642-2001
Allendale County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 126
Allendale, SC 29810-0126
(803) 584-2737
Anderson County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 1656
Anderson, SC 29622-1656
(864) 260-4053
Bamberg County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 150
Bamberg, SC 29003-0150
(803) 245-2025
Barnwell County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 723
Barnwell, SC 29812-0723
(803) 541-1031 marriages & estates
(803) 541-1061 death certificates
Beaufort County, SC
Vital Records Office
Courthouse
Beaufort, SC 29901
(843) 525-7300
Berkeley County, SC
Vital Records Office
223 North Live Oak Drive
Moncks Corner, SC 29461-2331
(843) 761-6900
Calhoun County, SC
Vital Records Office
302 South Railroad Avenue
St. Matthews, SC 29135-1452
(803) 874-3524
Charleston County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 293
Charleston, SC 29402-0293
(843) 740-0801
Cherokee County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 866
Gaffney, SC 26342
(803) 487-2562
Chester County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 580
Chester, SC 29706-0580
(803) 385-2605
Chesterfield County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 529
Chesterfield, SC 29709-0529
(803) 623-2574
Clarendon County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box E
Manning, SC 29102-0136
(803) 435-4444
Colleton County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 620
Walterboro, SC 29488-0620
(843) 549-5791
Darlington County, SC
Vital Records Office
Courthouse
Darlington, SC 29532-3213
(803) 393-3836
Dillon County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 1220
Dillon, SC 29536-1220
(803) 774-5611
Dorchester County, SC
Vital Records Office
101 Ridge Street
St. George, SC 29477-2443
(843) 563-5100
Edgefield County, SC
Vital Records Office
215 Jeter Street
Edgefield, SC 29824-1133
(803) 637-5781
Fairfield County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 236
Winnsboro, SC 29180-0236
(803) 635-1411
Florence County, SC
Vital Records Office
180 North Irby Street
Florence, SC 29501-3456
(843) 665-3031
Georgetown County, SC
Vital Records Office
715 Prince Street
Georgetown, SC 29440-3631
(843) 546-5011
Greenville County, SC
Vital Records Office
Courthouse
Greenville, SC 29601-2121
(864) 298-8487
Greenwood County, SC
Vital Records Office
528 Monument
Greenwood, SC 29646-2643
(864) 229-6622
Hampton County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 7
Hampton, SC 29924-0007
(843) 943-3668
Horry County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 677
Conway, SC 29526-0677
(843) 248-6247
Jasper County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 248
Ridgeland, SC 29936-0248
(843) 726-8832
Kershaw County, SC
Vital Records Office
Courthouse
Camden, SC 29020
(803) 425-1527
Lancaster County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 1809
Lancaster, SC 29720
(803) 285-1581
Laurens County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 287
Laurens, SC 29360-0287
(803) 984-3538
Lee County, SC
Vital Records Office
Courthouse Square
Bishopville, SC 29010
(803) 484-5341
Lexington County, SC
Vital Records Office
Courthouse
Lexington, SC 29072
(803) 359-8212
Marion County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 295
Marion, SC 29571-0295
(803) 423-6500
Marlboro County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 996
Bennettsville, SC 29512-0996
(803) 479-8391
McCormick County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 86
McCormick, SC 28735
(803) 465-2195
Newberry County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 278
Newberry, SC 29108-0278
(803) 276-3494
Oconee County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 158
Walhalla, SC 29691-0158
(864) 638-4280
Orangeburg County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 100
Orangeburg, SC 29116-0100
(803) 533-1000
Pickens County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 215
Pickens, SC 29671-0215
(864) 878-7809
Richland County, SC
Vital Records Office
1701 Main Street
Columbia, SC 29201-2833
(803) 748-4684
Saluda County, SC
Vital Records Office
Courthouse Square
Saluda, SC 29138-1444
(803) 445-3303
Spartanburg County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 4217
Spartanburg, SC 29305
(864) 596-3352
Sumter County, SC
Vital Records Office
141 North Main Street
Sumter, SC 29150-4965
(803) 773-1581
Union County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box G
Union, SC 29379-0200
(803) 427-0391
Williamsburg County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 86
Kingstree, SC 29556-0086
(803) 354-6855
York County, SC
Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 649
York, SC 29745-0649
(803) 684-8505
