Property Title Searches in South Carolina (SC)

With nearly 3,000 miles of coastal shoreline, South Carolina attracts the masses with its year-round breathtaking views. Known as the Palmetto State, it is home to over five million residents. Falling slightly less than the national average, the cost of living is a contributing factor for the state’s growth.

What Services are Included in a South Carolina Title Search?

A South Carolina title search will provide information such as ownership history via title deeds as well as property assessment. Mortgages and property specific liens such as HOA liens and utility liens are also provided. Judgments and liens against the property owner are included, as well as a comprehensive breakdown of the property taxes which includes the current year and any prior year delinquencies.

South Carolina Title Search Pricing

Unique Components to South Carolina Title Searches

While South Carolina is not the most complex state to search, don’t expect to find the title search property records all in one place. Key questions you should ask are:

• Did the search uncover separate city taxes?
• Was the state tax lien registry searched?
• Were the county’s judicial records reviewed?

It’s widely known that property taxes are one of the most critical items on a title report. Should the taxes be misreported, or not reported at all, you could be at risk of having your lien wiped off or losing the property. Almost all counties in South Carolina collect for all jurisdictions, but Aiken county is an exception. Aiken county does not collect taxes for the cities of Aiken or North Augusta. If the property is located in either of these cities, two searches for property taxes need to be conducted: one in Aiken county and one in the city’s tax records. 

It’s important to ensure that all judgments and liens are being included in a title search. Since federal tax liens and some HOA liens are recorded in county land records, you may assume that all judgments and liens would be, too. That is not the case in South Carolina. 

Let’s talk about state tax liens. They used to be recorded in each county’s land records and you may still see them there. But, in November 2019, South Carolina began filing them in their tax lien registry only. So, state tax liens prior to 2019 can still be found in land records, but if you’re looking for liens and releases after that, you’ll only find them in the registry. 

As for judgments, including foreclosure cases, these are filed in the county’s judicial records. They are not documents that are recorded in county records. Likewise, HOA liens may be filed here, as well. 

If you’re in need of a title search on South Carolina real estate, ProTitleUSA will make sure all of your bases are covered! Please contact Veronica Rudan at veronicas@protitleusa.com for additional information.

South Carolina counties served

Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Florence, Georgetown, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, Marion, Marlboro, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, Williamsburg and York.