Search Charleston County Public Records
Charleston County public records cover a vast range of documents held by the Clerk of Court, the Register Mesne Conveyance office, the Sheriff's Office, and multiple county departments. As South Carolina's most populous county, Charleston maintains one of the largest public records collections in the state, with property and court documents dating to the colonial era. Most court records are searchable free online. Property records go back to the 1700s. This guide covers each major record type, the office that holds it, and how to access Charleston County public records through official channels.
Charleston County Quick Facts
Charleston County Court Records
The Charleston County Clerk of Court office is at 100 Broad Street, Suite 106, Charleston, SC 29401. The main phone number is 843-958-5000. The Clerk's office can be reached by email at clerkofcourt@charlestoncounty.org. Technical issues may be reported to webmaster@charlestoncounty.org. The office handles General Sessions criminal cases, Common Pleas civil matters, and Family Court proceedings. It also maintains transcripts of judgment, manages civil jury and non-jury trial scheduling, and collects and disburses court-ordered money. Court rosters are available online, and the Family Court records search is integrated into the Public Index. Day book records covering judgments and lis pendens are searchable by party name. Court calendar access is organized by agency, judge, or roster type.
Court records for Charleston County are searchable through the Charleston County Public Index. This free system covers Circuit Court, Family Court, and Magistrate Court filings and is updated by court staff. You can search by name or case number. Case results show status, charges, hearing dates, and dispositions. As of January 2026, home addresses no longer appear in search results. Charleston County's high case volume means the index is one of the most actively used Public Index portals in the state.
The Charleston County Public Index is the official statewide portal for searching active and closed court matters in the county. It provides free access to civil, criminal, and family court records maintained by the Clerk of Court.
Appellate decisions involving Charleston County cases from May 2012 forward are available through the SC Appellate Court C-Track. This covers both Supreme Court and Court of Appeals records and is searchable by party name, attorney, or case number.
Charleston County Property Records
Charleston County retains the historical designation "Register Mesne Conveyance" (RMC) for what most South Carolina counties call the Register of Deeds. This pre-1998 name reflects the county's deep legal history. The RMC office is at 101 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401, with a phone number of 843-958-4800. An online deed search system is available. Historical records are among the most extensive in South Carolina, with documents dating to 1719 and records from 1719 to 1873 available through archives. The McCrady Plats Collection is a historical plat resource tied to Charleston's colonial-era land grants and development.
Current records are searchable through the county's online system. Deeds, mortgages, plats, survey records, liens, and UCC financing statements are all filed at the RMC. E-recording is available for qualified submitters. Certified copies of recorded documents are available for a fee. GIS mapping is integrated with property data for visual parcel searches. Staff assistance is available during business hours for research requiring older documents or complex title work.
The SC Privacy Protection Act applies to all recorded property documents statewide including those in Charleston County. Property owners can request free redaction of sensitive personal identifiers from recorded documents under this statute.
Charleston County's RMC holds records used heavily in title research, estate work, and genealogy. The county's historic importance means many property records are connected to nationally significant land transactions. The SC Department of Archives and History holds additional historical materials that complement the RMC's holdings.
Note: Marriage licenses in Charleston County are issued through the Probate Court, not the Register Mesne Conveyance or Clerk of Court.
Charleston County Criminal Records
Sheriff Kristin Graziano leads the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. The Al Cannon Detention Center is located at 3691 Leeds Avenue, North Charleston, SC 29405. The main number is (843) 202-1700. An online inmate search is available through the county website. Results show current inmates with booking information, charges, and bond amounts. Visitation schedules and commissary information are posted online. The Sheriff's Office handles incident reports, accident reports, background checks, warrant information, and concealed weapon permit applications. Multiple municipal police departments also operate within the county, each maintaining their own records.
The SLED CATCH system processes statewide criminal background checks for $25 per search online. The system requires the subject's full name and date of birth. Mail requests go to SLED Records Department, PO Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221-1398. Phone inquiries to SLED: 803-896-1443. For confirmed identity on common names, fingerprint-based checks through SLED provide more certainty than name-based CATCH searches.
The SLED Sex Offender Registry is searchable by name, address, zip code, or county, covering all of Charleston County. You can sign up for email alerts when a registered offender moves within a selected area. State inmates from Charleston County who have been transferred to state facilities are searchable through the SC Department of Corrections inmate database.
How to Request Charleston County Public Records
Charleston County follows South Carolina FOIA (Title 30, Chapter 4) for all public records requests. Written requests are required. Submit them to the relevant department or to the County Attorney's Office for general county records. An online request form is available through the county website at charlestoncounty.org. Many records are already accessible online through the Public Index, the RMC deed search, and the Sheriff's Office inmate portal without a formal FOIA request.
Agencies respond to requests for recent records within 10 business days. For records older than 24 months, the response window is 20 business days. Once the agency decides to produce the records, it has 30 calendar days to deliver them. Missing the response deadline means the request is deemed approved. Standard copy fees are $0.25 per page for paper copies. Electronic transmissions carry no copy charge. A deposit of up to 25% of estimated costs may be required for large requests.
Under § 30-4-50 of state law, certain records are always public: names and employment information of public employees, final agency decisions, public fund expenditures, meeting minutes, and crime reports. Charleston County's budget documents, meeting agendas, and GIS data are also typically accessible through the county's main website at charlestoncounty.org. Property tax information, building permits, voter registration, and environmental records are among the other publicly accessible datasets.
Charleston County Historical and Online Resources
The Charleston County Public Library maintains the Charleston Archive, a major historical records collection. It holds manuscript collections, historical newspapers, photographs, maps, and genealogy resources from the colonial period to the present. An online catalog is searchable at ccpl.org. Appointment is recommended for special collections access. Interlibrary loan services are available for researchers needing materials held elsewhere.
The Secretary of State Business Filing portal covers all SC entities including Charleston County businesses. Voter registration and election results are at SC Votes. Accident reports and Highway Patrol records from Charleston County roads are handled through the SC Department of Public Safety. The SC Department of Archives and History holds additional state-level records that complement the extensive Charleston County local collection.
State-level inmate records for individuals transferred from Charleston County jails to state correctional facilities are maintained by the SC Department of Corrections. The inmate lookup is name-based and available free online.
Cities in Charleston County
Charleston County includes three major cities in our directory. Municipal records and city-level documents may be held separately from county offices.
Nearby Counties
Charleston County neighbors Berkeley, Dorchester, and Colleton counties. Search records in adjacent areas using the links below.