Divorce Records for South Carolina Cities
South Carolina divorce records are filed at the county level, not the city level. No matter which South Carolina city you live in, your divorce case is filed at the Family Court in the county where you reside. The city pages below explain which county court serves each city, where the courthouse is located, how to search records online and in person, and what to bring when requesting copies. Select any city to get started with your search for divorce records.
Major South Carolina Cities
The cities below represent the largest and most populated communities in South Carolina. Each page covers the county court that serves that city, local courthouse information, and how to access divorce records for residents of that area.
Cities and County Family Courts
South Carolina does not have city-level divorce courts. Every city in the state is located within a county, and that county's Family Court handles all divorce cases for residents of that city. The Family Court has exclusive jurisdiction over divorce, meaning no other court can grant a divorce in South Carolina. This has been true since the Family Court was established as a separate court division in 1976.
Most county Family Courts are located at the county courthouse in the county seat. If you live in a city that is not the county seat, you will need to travel to the courthouse in the county seat to file a case or pick up copies of records. The city pages on this site tell you exactly where to go and what to bring.
Some cities, like Summerville and Greer, span more than one county. For those cities, the right county court depends on which side of the county line you live on. The city pages for those communities explain how to determine which court applies to your address.
Searching Divorce Records from Any South Carolina City
The South Carolina Judicial Branch runs a free statewide Public Index at sccourts.org. You can search by party name or case number and the results cover all 46 counties. This means you can search for a divorce record without knowing which county court to check. The index shows case details like filing dates, party names, and case status. It does not show full document images, but it tells you which county holds the case.
Once you find the county from the Public Index, you can contact that county's Clerk of Court to request copies. Each city page on this site includes direct contact details for the relevant county Clerk of Court. Most clerks are open Monday through Friday and can take record requests by phone, in person, or by mail.
The SC Judicial Branch Public Index lets you search for divorce records from any South Carolina city in one place.
Note: As of January 1, 2026, home addresses no longer appear in the statewide Public Index to protect personal privacy statewide.
What to Know Before You Search
Searching for divorce records in South Carolina is straightforward when you know the basics. Divorce records are public under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10. Any person can request copies from the Clerk of Court. You do not have to be a party to the case.
Before contacting the Clerk, gather what you know about the case. The more information you have, the faster the search will go. Useful items include the full legal names of both spouses at the time of divorce, the approximate year the divorce was filed, and the county where the case was filed if you know it. A case number is the fastest way to pull a file if you have one.
The main items to have ready are:
- Full name of one or both parties
- Approximate year of the divorce
- County where the case was likely filed
- Case number if available
- Valid photo ID for certified copy requests
Divorce Reports from the South Carolina Department of Public Health
The South Carolina Department of Public Health holds divorce reports from July 1962 through December 2023. These are different from the court decrees kept by each county clerk. A DPH report is a shorter document that confirms a divorce took place and identifies the parties, but it does not contain the full terms of the court order.
Many people who need a simple confirmation that a divorce occurred use the DPH report. The DPH divorce reports page explains how to order one. The fee is $12 per certified copy. You can also order through VitalChek online for an additional service charge. For divorces before July 1962, only the county Clerk of Court has a record.
The SC Department of Public Health holds divorce reports for South Carolina going back to July 1962.
For most legal purposes, including name changes, remarriage, and property transactions, you will need the actual divorce decree from the county Clerk of Court. The DPH report is a supplement, not a replacement for the full court file.
Filing for Divorce as a South Carolina City Resident
The divorce process is the same across all South Carolina cities and counties. State law governs residency requirements, grounds, and venue. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 20-3-30, you must have lived in South Carolina for at least one year before filing if only one spouse is a resident. If both spouses are South Carolina residents, the waiting period drops to three months.
South Carolina recognizes five grounds for divorce under § 20-3-10: adultery, desertion for at least one year, physical cruelty, habitual drunkenness or narcotics use, and one year of continuous separation without cohabitation. The separation ground is the no-fault option and the most widely used. Residents of any South Carolina city can use any of these grounds if they meet the legal requirements.
The filing fee is approximately $150 at most county courts. Forms needed to start a case are available free on the SC Courts forms page. The city pages on this site link to the relevant county courthouse and fee information for each area.
Legal Help by City
SC Legal Services offers free civil legal assistance to income-qualifying residents across South Carolina, including divorce cases. Services are available in all cities and counties. Visit their website to find intake information and check eligibility. The SC Bar Lawyer Referral Service at (803) 799-6653 can connect you with a family law attorney who practices near your city.
Every city page on this site includes local legal resources and contact details for the county court that serves that community. For self-represented litigants, the SC Judicial Branch provides free self-help divorce packets on its forms page that walk through each required step for an uncontested divorce. These packets are useful for straightforward cases where both parties agree on all terms.
Browse by County
South Carolina divorce records are maintained at the county level. If you know which county your case was filed in, go directly to that county page for full details on the local court, fees, and record access.