Beaufort County Public Records
Beaufort County public records include court filings, property documents, criminal records, arrest logs, and other information maintained by county government. The county has separate offices for the Clerk of Court and Register of Deeds, both operating as distinct functions. Beaufort County is part of the 14th Judicial Circuit, with court facilities serving both Beaufort and Hilton Head. Many records are available online through state portals, while some require visiting county offices on Ribaut Road in Beaufort. This guide explains the full range of public records available in Beaufort County.
Beaufort County Quick Facts
Beaufort County Court Records
The Beaufort County Clerk of Court office is at 102 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902. The phone number is 843-255-5050. The office maintains records for General Sessions criminal cases, Common Pleas civil matters, and Family Court proceedings, all as part of the 14th Judicial Circuit. Circuit Court sessions are held in Beaufort and on Hilton Head Island. The Clerk's office handles passport applications, notary public services, and records judgments and liens. Copy fees follow standard state rates. Public access terminals are available during business hours for in-person research.
Court records are searchable through the Beaufort County Public Index. This free tool covers Circuit Court, Family Court, and Magistrate Court filings. You can search by party name or case number. Results include case status, charges, court dates, and dispositions. Home addresses were removed from all Public Index results effective January 2026. The system is maintained and updated by the SC Judicial Branch.
Appellate decisions involving Beaufort County cases can be found on the SC Appellate Court C-Track. This covers Supreme Court and Court of Appeals records from May 2012 forward. You can search by party name, attorney, or case number to find relevant decisions.
The Beaufort County Public Index provides free access to civil, criminal, and family court case records. It is the primary online tool for searching active and closed court matters in Beaufort County.
Beaufort County Property Records
The Beaufort County Register of Deeds is an appointed position, appointed by County Council. The office is at 102 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902, with a phone number of 843-255-2550. Property records are maintained from 1868 forward, following the post-Civil War reorganization of the county. The office records deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, survey records, and UCC financing statements. Historical plat books are available for older parcels. E-recording is available for qualified submitters through approved vendors.
The Beaufort County website provides access to the Register of Deeds, GIS mapping tools, and property record search resources. The county GIS portal at gis.beaufortcountysc.gov includes satellite imagery and parcel information searchable by address or TMS number.
An online property search portal is available through the county website for deed research. The Beaufort County GIS mapping system at gis.beaufortcountysc.gov provides public mapping with parcel data and property boundaries. Statutory recording fees apply for document submissions. Certified copies of recorded instruments are available for a fee. Staff assistance is provided during regular business hours.
Note: Marriage licenses in Beaufort County are handled through the Probate Court, not the Register of Deeds or Clerk of Court.
Beaufort County Arrest Records and Criminal History
The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office maintains a Detention Center at 2001 Duke Street, Beaufort, SC 29902. The Detention Center can be reached at (843) 255-5200. The Sheriff's Office publishes a daily arrest log and makes mugshots available for public viewing. Current inmate information, bond amounts, and booking details are available online through the county website. Multiple police departments operate within Beaufort County, including agencies in Beaufort, Bluffton, and Port Royal, each maintaining their own records.
Arrest records for Beaufort County are retained permanently under SC Department of Archives and History schedules per § 30-1-90 of the SC Code of Laws. Fingerprint records are maintained permanently in SLED databases. Mugshot photographs are retained permanently unless a court orders expungement. Incident reports are kept for at least 10 years, with many agencies maintaining them permanently. Investigation files are kept 30 years for solved cases and permanently for unsolved ones.
Statewide criminal history checks covering Beaufort County are available through the SLED CATCH system. Submit requests online or by mail to receive a name-based criminal record report from South Carolina law enforcement databases.
Statewide criminal background checks are processed through the SLED CATCH system. Online checks cost $25. You need the subject's full name and date of birth. Mail requests go to SLED Records, PO Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221-1398. The SLED Sex Offender Registry is searchable by name, address, zip code, or county and includes Beaufort County entries with email alert options.
How to Request Beaufort County Public Records
South Carolina's FOIA governs all public records in Beaufort County. The full statute is at SC Code Title 30, Chapter 4. Written requests are required. You can submit them to the specific department or to the FOIA Coordinator through Beaufort County Administration. Online request forms may be available through the county website.
Agencies must respond to requests for recent records within 10 business days. Records older than 24 months allow a 20-business-day response window. Once an agency decides to produce documents, it has 30 calendar days to deliver them. The statutory copy fee is $0.25 per page. No charge applies to electronic transmissions. A deposit of up to 25% of estimated costs may be required for large requests. Failing to respond within required timeframes is treated as approval under state law.
Under § 30-4-50, public records include names, titles, and employment dates of public employees; final agency opinions; public fund expenditures; meeting minutes; and crime reports. These are public by default. Exceptions exist for medical records, ongoing investigations, juvenile records, and certain personal data protected under the SC Privacy Protection Act.
Beaufort County Online Records Resources
The SC Judicial Branch Case Records Search covers all 46 South Carolina counties including Beaufort. It is free and requires no account. Business entity filings are searchable through the Secretary of State Business Filing portal. State prison inmates can be searched through the SC Department of Corrections inmate database. Voter registration and election records for Beaufort County are at SC Votes.
For historical property research, the SC Department of Archives and History holds extensive collections at 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia. Beaufort County has a rich history from the colonial and Civil War eras, and the Archives holds relevant documents not available through county-level portals. Accident and Highway Patrol reports are handled through the SC Department of Public Safety.
Cities in Beaufort County
Beaufort County includes two cities from our directory. Municipal records may be held separately from county offices at the city level.
Nearby Counties
Beaufort County is bordered by Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper counties in South Carolina. Search records in these neighboring areas below.