Horry County Public Records
Horry County public records cover one of the fastest-growing counties in South Carolina. From court filings in Conway to property deeds along the Grand Strand, Horry County maintains a large volume of public documents. Residents, real estate professionals, and legal researchers can search court records, property records, and criminal history through official Horry County and state sources. This guide explains where to find Horry County public records and how to request them.
Horry County Quick Facts
Horry County Court Records
The Horry County Clerk of Court is located at 1301 Second Avenue, Conway, SC 29526. The office phone is (843) 915-5080. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Clerk of Court maintains records for Circuit Court and Family Court cases. General Sessions handles criminal matters. Common Pleas handles civil disputes. Family Court handles cases involving divorce, child custody, and support. Court dockets and case files are maintained at this Conway location.
The SC Judicial Branch Public Index covers Horry County court records at no cost. You can search by party name or case number. The system shows filing dates, case type, hearing schedules, judge assignments, and case status. Marriage licenses and notary services are also available at the Clerk of Court office. Passport applications are processed there as well. Copy fees follow state standards at approximately $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost more than uncertified ones.
Note: Juvenile records and sealed cases are not accessible through the public Horry County court index.
Horry County Property Records
The Horry County Register of Deeds is located at 1301 Second Avenue, Conway, SC 29526. Phone: (843) 915-5430. Fax: (843) 915-6430. Email: hcg.RegisterOfDeeds@horrycountysc.gov. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This office records deeds, mortgages, plats, liens, powers of attorney, and UCC financing statements. Death certificates are also recorded here. The office provides free public access terminals and self-service printing for a nominal per-page charge.
Online property records for Horry County are available at horrycounty.org/RegisterOfDeeds. You can search by owner name, document type, or date range. Records date back to county formation. The marriage license division is co-located with the Register of Deeds. Certified copies of recorded documents are available in person or by mail. GIS mapping tools link parcel information with satellite imagery for easy property identification.
The Horry County Assessor's Office at 1301 Second Avenue, Suite 1C01, Conway, SC 29526 handles property appraisals and ownership records. Phone: (843) 915-5040. Fax: (843) 915-6040. Email: hcg.Assessor@horrycountysc.gov. The Assessor maintains online property search tools at horrycounty.org/Assessor. You can search by owner, parcel number, address, or tax map. Assessment appeals and exemption information are also handled here. The free Horry County Land Records search tool at horrycounty.org/OnlineServices/LandRecords lets you search by owner name, PIN, TMS number, address, or subdivision.
Horry County Criminal Records
The Horry County Sheriff's Office operates the county detention center. The Sheriff's Office website at horrycounty.org/Sheriff provides access to the current inmate list. You can search by inmate name to find booking records, charges, and bond amounts. Visitation procedures and inmate mail policies are also described on the site. The Sheriff handles records requests, incident reports, accident reports, and CCW permit applications.
For a certified criminal history check covering Horry County, use the SLED CATCH system at catch.sled.sc.gov. A name and date of birth are needed. The online fee is $25 per search. Charities pay $8. Mail requests go to SLED Records Dept., PO Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221-1398. The SLED office line is 803-896-1443. SLED maintains the statewide criminal history database and processes all formal background checks.
The South Carolina sex offender registry at sled.sc.gov lets you search for registered sex offenders in Horry County by name or address. The SC Department of Corrections at doc.sc.gov has an inmate locator for state prison inmates from Horry County. The SLED main site at sled.sc.gov provides access to all statewide law enforcement record tools.
How to Request Horry County Public Records
Horry County public records requests follow the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act at Title 30, Chapter 4. All requests must be in writing. Submit your request to the specific Horry County office that holds the records. You can deliver the request in person, by mail, or by email. You are not required to state a reason for your request.
For records under 24 months old, the Horry County agency has 10 business days to respond. For older records, the window extends to 20 business days. Once the agency confirms availability, it must produce the records within 30 calendar days, or 35 days for older records. Paper copies cost about $0.25 per page. Electronic copies have no transmission fee. A deposit of up to 25% of estimated cost may be required before work starts. Agencies that arbitrarily deny valid requests face a $500 civil penalty under state law.
Some Horry County records are exempt from disclosure. These include active law enforcement investigations, personal home addresses of public employees, juvenile records, attorney-client communications, trade secrets, and medical records. When a request involves both exempt and non-exempt content, the agency must provide the non-exempt portions.
Horry County Records Online
A number of online portals make Horry County public records easy to access. The SC Public Index at sccourts.org allows free searches of Horry County Circuit, Family, and Magistrate Court records. Search by party name or case number. The C-Track public portal at sccourts.org/c-track-public-access gives additional access to case information. These tools cover all 46 South Carolina counties and require no account to search.
The Horry County Land Records system at horrycounty.org/LandRecords is a free tool built and maintained by the county. It displays owner information, property descriptions, taxable values, deed details, and mortgage data. State-level searches for business entities use the SC Secretary of State site at businessfilings.sc.gov. Voter registration records are available at scvotes.gov.
Cities in Horry County
Horry County includes several cities and communities along the Grand Strand and inland areas. Public records for all residents are filed with the Horry County offices in Conway.
Nearby Counties
Horry County borders several other South Carolina counties and one North Carolina county to the north. Each maintains its own public records offices.