Horry County Divorce Case Filings
Horry County divorce records are maintained by the Clerk of Court at the Horry County Courthouse in Conway. As one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States, Horry sees a high volume of Family Court filings each year. The county sits in the northeastern coastal area of South Carolina and includes Myrtle Beach, Conway, Carolina Forest, and Socastee. All divorce cases for residents of these communities, and for the entire county, are filed at the courthouse in Conway. The South Carolina Department of Public Health also holds certified statewide divorce reports from 1962 onward. This page explains how to find, search, and obtain divorce case filings in Horry County.
Horry County Quick Facts
Horry County Family Court
Horry County is part of the 15th Judicial Circuit of South Carolina. The Family Court has handled all divorce and domestic relations filings in the county since the court division was established statewide in 1976. Before that year, these matters moved through the Court of Common Pleas. The Family Court now holds exclusive authority over all divorce filings, child custody orders, support determinations, and alimony awards for all residents of Horry County. No other court can issue a divorce decree here.
The Clerk of Court maintains the full case file for every divorce proceeding from the initial complaint through the Final Order of Divorce. South Carolina's standard form for the final divorce order is SCCA299. Case files typically contain the summons and complaint, proof of service, financial declarations from both parties, any temporary orders entered during the case, a property settlement agreement if applicable, the final decree, and any post-decree modifications. The Clerk's office is open Monday through Friday. Staff can assist you with locating files and ordering copies but cannot provide legal advice.
Visit the Horry County Clerk of Court page for current hours, fees, and contact details. The Horry County website also links to related departments and county resources.
| Court | Horry County Family Court 1301 2nd Avenue, Conway, SC 29526 Phone: (843) 915-5080 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | horrycounty.org |
The SC Courts Clerks of Court directory lists contact information for all 46 county clerks in South Carolina.
The Horry County government portal provides direct access to the Clerk of Court and details on where to file or request divorce records in the county.
The county portal confirms the courthouse address in Conway where all Horry County Family Court divorce case filings are stored and accessible to the public.
How to Search Horry County Divorce Records
The South Carolina Judicial Branch provides a free Public Index at sccourts.org. This tool covers Family Court cases across all 46 counties, including Horry. You can search by party name, case number, or date range. The index shows case information and docket entries, but it does not display images of the actual documents. For copies of specific filings, you need to contact the Horry County Clerk of Court in Conway directly or visit the courthouse in person.
Horry County is a large and growing county, and the Family Court processes a significant volume of cases each year. Searching online first helps you confirm a case exists and identify the case number before traveling to Conway. When visiting in person, bring the full legal names of both parties as they appeared at the time of filing, plus an approximate year. A case number will speed things up considerably. As of January 1, 2026, home addresses are no longer shown in the public index statewide, but all other basic case data remains accessible.
Myrtle Beach residents and those in Carolina Forest, Socastee, and other parts of the county should note that there is only one Family Court location. All divorce filings and records for Horry County are held at the Conway courthouse on 2nd Avenue.
Divorce Filing Fees and Copy Costs
The base fee for filing a divorce petition in Horry County is approximately $150. This covers the initial case opening and the summons. Fees for serving documents on the other party, filing motions, and ordering certified copies are separate charges. The Clerk's office provides the current fee schedule at the counter or by phone. Confirm the amounts before you submit payment since fee schedules are subject to change by court order.
Certified copies of the Final Order of Divorce cost a per-page rate plus a certification charge. Standard South Carolina Family Court copy fees run a few dollars per page. If you need multiple certified copies for real estate transactions, name change filings, or legal proceedings in another state, order them all at once to save time. Parties who cannot pay may ask the court for a fee waiver through an affidavit of indigency. The court reviews these requests on an individual basis and may waive some or all fees for qualifying parties.
Filing for Divorce in Horry County
South Carolina law controls both the grounds and the requirements that must be met before a divorce case can be filed. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 20-3-10, the recognized grounds for divorce are adultery, desertion for at least one year, physical cruelty, habitual drunkenness or drug use, and one continuous year of living separate and apart. The separation ground is a no-fault option and is the most commonly used basis for divorce in Horry County and throughout the state.
Residency requirements under § 20-3-30 must be satisfied before filing. If only one party is a South Carolina resident, that person must have lived in the state for at least one year before filing. If both parties reside in South Carolina at the time the petition is filed, the residency requirement drops to three months. Horry County residents who meet either condition may file at the courthouse in Conway.
Venue follows § 20-3-60, which provides that a divorce case should be filed in the county where the defendant lives. If the defendant is not a South Carolina resident, the plaintiff may file in their own county of residence. South Carolina law also imposes a waiting period. No case can be referred before two months after filing, and the final decree cannot be issued until at least three months have passed from the filing date. The SC Courts forms page offers self-help packet forms for uncontested divorce cases in the state.
What Horry County Divorce Records Contain
The size and content of a Horry County divorce case file varies based on the issues involved. A straightforward no-fault divorce where both parties agree on all terms will produce a compact file. A contested case involving property, retirement accounts, debts, children, or support can generate a much larger record.
Common documents in a Horry County divorce file include the summons and complaint for divorce, proof of service on the defendant, financial declarations from both parties, any temporary orders entered while the case was pending, a property settlement agreement if one was negotiated, the Final Order of Divorce on form SCCA299, and any modification orders filed after the divorce was final. Property division follows the equitable distribution standard at § 20-3-620, which means the court divides marital property and debts fairly, not necessarily in equal halves. Alimony under § 20-3-130 may also be reflected in the file if one party was awarded support.
Some materials within a file may be sealed by court order. The Clerk's office can tell you before you visit whether a specific file has sealed documents.
Certified Divorce Reports from SC DPH
The South Carolina Department of Public Health holds certified divorce reports for all South Carolina divorces from July 1962 through December 2023. A DPH divorce report is a summary document, not the full court record. It confirms a divorce occurred, names the parties, and states the date. It does not include the settlement agreement, custody terms, or property division details.
The DPH divorce reports page explains how to submit a request and what to expect. The fee is $12 for a certified report. Orders can also be placed through VitalChek online for an added service charge. Horry County divorces from before July 1962 are not in the DPH system. For those, only the Clerk of Court in Conway holds any record. Apostille certification of divorce records is available through the SC Secretary of State.
The SC Courts courthouse search tool provides location and contact information for the Horry County Family Court, useful for planning an in-person visit to the Conway courthouse.
Verify the courthouse address and available services through the SC Courts portal before traveling to Conway to request Horry County divorce case filings.
Legal Help for Horry County Residents
Horry County's rapid population growth has brought a wider range of legal services to the area. Residents who need help with a divorce case have several options. Uncontested divorces with no children and minimal property can sometimes be handled using the self-help forms at SC Courts. Cases with contested property, minor children, support disputes, or allegations of fault are generally better addressed with legal representation.
SC Legal Services provides free civil legal assistance to income-qualifying residents throughout the state, including Horry County. Their attorneys can help draft divorce documents and advise on rights under South Carolina law. The SC Bar Lawyer Referral Service at (803) 799-6653 can connect you with a private family law attorney in the Myrtle Beach and Conway area if you prefer to work with private counsel.
The Horry County courthouse also has counter staff who can explain the filing process to self-represented parties. They cannot give legal advice but can confirm which forms are required and how to submit them.
Public Access to Horry County Divorce Filings
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act at S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10 establishes the public right to access court records. Divorce case files in Horry County are generally open public records. Any member of the public can request copies from the Clerk of Court without stating a reason. The Clerk is required to provide copies for the established fee. Individual documents within a file may be sealed by court order, most often when the case involves minor children or sensitive financial information.
Home addresses were removed from the statewide public index effective January 1, 2026. This change protects personal address information from appearing in routine searches. Party names, case numbers, filing dates, and the contents of court orders remain accessible to the public. For historical Horry County divorce records from the period after April 1949 and before the Family Court was created in 1976, the older files may be in the Court of Common Pleas archive at the courthouse. The Library of Congress South Carolina vital records guide is a useful reference for genealogy research involving older records.
The SC DPH vital records portal provides a path to certified divorce reports for Horry County cases between July 1962 and December 2023 without visiting the courthouse.
A DPH divorce report and the court's Final Order of Divorce serve different legal purposes. Confirm which one you need before submitting a request.
Divorce History in South Carolina
South Carolina was the last state in the United States to permit divorce. The prohibition lasted until April 1949. Before that date, no South Carolina court could grant a divorce, and residents who wanted to end a marriage had to travel to another state or pursue an annulment. Because of this history, divorce records in South Carolina are among the newest in the country. Horry County holds no divorce records from before 1949.
The Family Court was established in 1976, creating a dedicated court for all domestic relations matters. Before 1976, these cases were heard in the Court of Common Pleas. The SC Family Court now has exclusive jurisdiction over divorce statewide. Horry County's Family Court is part of the 15th Judicial Circuit and processes a large and growing caseload driven by the county's rapid population expansion. The courthouse in Conway handles all divorce filings for Myrtle Beach, Conway, Carolina Forest, Socastee, and every other community in the county.
Cities in Horry County
Divorce cases for all Horry County residents, including those in Myrtle Beach, Conway, Carolina Forest, and Socastee, are filed at the Horry County Family Court at 1301 2nd Avenue in Conway, the county seat.
Nearby Counties
Divorce records for residents of counties adjacent to Horry are maintained by their respective Family Court Clerk of Court offices in each county seat.