Introduction to South Carolina Divorce Certificates

This article is designed to help you get a South Carolina Divorce certificate.  Divorce Certificates are a bit more difficult to obtain than Divorce Certificates and Death Certificates.  The main difficulty in obtaining Divorce Certificates is that states have not been registering Divorces for as long as other vital records.  There are some states that still do not register Divorces.  Due to this lack of centralization it is common to contact the county in which the Divorce took place.

Counter to common belief, not everything is a few clicks away on the Internet.  Divorce Certificates are one of the items that you can’t just click some links and get a copy of your Divorce Certificate; this is probably a good thing.  You do not want your Divorce certificate in the public domain, where it can be seen by anyone.  However, this does not mean that you can’t easily get your Divorce certificate by following the correct procedure. 
 

South Carolina Divorce certificates have been maintained by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control for individuals divorced in the state of South Carolina since 1962.

South Carolina Divorce Certificate Authorized Persons

By South Carolina state law, you are entitled to obtain a certified copy of a Divorce certificate if you are:

• one of the married party (bride or groom),
• the married party's adult child(ren),
• a present or former spouse of either married party, or
• the married party's legal representative

Other applicants may be provided with a statement that the Divorce occurred, including the date and county the Divorce license was issued.

South Carolina Divorce Certificate for Genealogy Purpose

The statement that the Divorce occurred, including the date and county the Divorce license was issued usually used for genealogy reasons.

South Carolina Divorce Certificate Ordering

Options Option 1 – Order South Carolina Divorce Certificate Online

This option is the simplest and easiest way to get your South Carolina Divorce Certificate.  Order online and you will get your South Carolina Divorce Certificate usually in less than a week.  Many times you will have the option of receiving your vital record by next-day or second-day service.

Order Birth and Death Records Online!  

Option 2 – Order South Carolina Divorce Certificate through the Mail

Follow the instructions below, if you are not ordering your South Carolina Divorce certificate online.  It usually takes 2-4 weeks upon receipt of request to be sent to you:

Step 1: Download Mail-In Application

Step 2: Please provide as much of the following information as possible to locate the South Carolina Divorce certificate:

• Full name of husband on the South Carolina Divorce certificate
• Full maiden name of wife on the South Carolina Divorce certificate
• Date of Divorce on the South Carolina Divorce certificate
• County (or city) of Divorce on the South Carolina Divorce certificate
• Your name  
• Your signature  
• Your relationship to the person whose South Carolina Divorce certificate you are requesting  
• Address where the South Carolina Divorce certificate is to be mailed  
• Self addressed stamped envelope
• Your daytime phone number
• By Mail: Send the above information and the appropriate fee to:

South Carolina DHEC – Vital Records

2600 Bull Street

Columbia, SC 29201

Option 3 – In Person

In Person in South Carolina : You may go to any county health department in the State of South Carolina to obtain a certified copy of a South Carolina Divorce certificate. Most South Carolina Divorce certificates can be issued while you wait.

South Carolina Divorce Certificate Ordering Cost

The fee to search for a South Carolina Divorce certificate is $12.00, which includes one certified copy of the South Carolina Divorce certificate or a "Certificate of Failure to Find." For each additional copy of the South Carolina Divorce certificate ordered at the same time, the fee is $3.00. Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to "SC DHEC." Please do not send cash. Fees are not refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited service.