Charleston Deed Records and Property Search
Charleston deed records are maintained by the Charleston County Register of Deeds, an elected office located at 101 Meeting Street in downtown Charleston. The Register of Deeds records all real property instruments for land within Charleston County, including the City of Charleston. Records at this office date back to 1719, making Charleston County one of the oldest continuous land record repositories in the United States. Whether you are searching for a current deed, tracing an ownership chain, or researching a historical plat, the Register of Deeds is the authoritative source for Charleston property records.
Charleston Quick Facts
Where Charleston Deed Records Are Filed
All deed records for property located within the City of Charleston are filed with the Charleston County Register of Deeds. This is an elected office, meaning the Register of Deeds answers directly to voters in Charleston County. The office is situated in the O.T. Wallace County Office Building at 101 Meeting Street, Suite 150, in downtown Charleston. The Register of Deeds handles recording for all of Charleston County, including the City of Charleston, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and every other municipality within county lines.
The Charleston County Register of Deeds accepts instruments for recording in person during regular business hours. Online access to recorded documents is available through the county's public index portal at jcmsweb.charlestoncounty.org, which covers documents recorded in recent decades. For even older records, Charleston County has made more than 800 archival maps and plats available online through a courtesy digitization program. Land records at the county ROD date back to 1719, spanning nearly 300 years of Charleston property history.
| Office | Charleston County Register of Deeds |
|---|---|
| Address | O.T. Wallace County Office Building, 101 Meeting Street, Suite 150, Charleston, SC 29401 |
| Phone | (843) 958-4800 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Website | charlestoncounty.org |
The City of Charleston Records Center maintains a separate collection of municipal records including building permits from 1932 to 2016, certificates of occupancy from 1978 to 2015, elevation certificates from the 1980s to the present, housing photographs from 1989, and maps and plats from 1698 to 1989. The City of Charleston Records Center is a complementary resource for city-specific historical research, but it does not replace the county ROD for deed recording and certified copies.
The City of Charleston Records Center maintains historic permits, plats, and certificates that supplement the deed records held at the Charleston County Register of Deeds.
How to Search Charleston Deed Records Online
The primary online tool for searching Charleston deed records is the SC Land Records portal. This state-supported system provides free public access to recorded documents from Charleston County and other participating counties. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, book and page number, or instrument type. The portal covers a substantial range of recording years and is updated as new documents are filed.
Charleston County also operates its own public index at jcmsweb.charlestoncounty.org, which allows users to look up instruments filed in Charleston County. For property ownership data and deed history compiled in a searchable format, SC Property Checker for Charleston County is a useful supplemental resource. The charlestonrecords.org portal provides additional access to Charleston County public records. For a full directory of South Carolina recording offices, the SCIWAY county directory lists contact information for all 46 counties.
The SC Land Records portal shown below is the recommended starting point for most Charleston deed record searches, offering free name-based and document-type searches without requiring registration.
The SC Land Records system covers Charleston County documents and provides a searchable index that can be accessed from any device at no cost.
What Charleston Deed Records Contain
Each deed recorded in Charleston contains specific information required by South Carolina law. The grantor, or the party transferring ownership, and the grantee, or the party receiving ownership, are both named with their addresses. A legal description of the property appears on every deed, either in metes and bounds form or by reference to a recorded plat in the Charleston County plat books. The consideration, which reflects the value exchanged, is stated on most deeds and is used to calculate the deed recording fee.
Deeds executed after July 1, 1976 must include a derivation clause as required by Section 30-5-35 of the South Carolina Code. The derivation clause identifies how the grantor acquired title, typically by referencing a prior deed with its book and page number. This requirement creates a traceable ownership chain within the Charleston County records. The grantee's mailing address is also required on all deeds. Additional elements often found in Charleston deed records include easements, restrictions on use, right-of-way reservations, and references to adjacent property owners.
Tax map numbers, plat book references, and instrument numbers assigned at the time of recording are all included in the public index. Once a deed is recorded at the Register of Deeds, it becomes part of the permanent public record for Charleston County and provides constructive notice to all subsequent buyers and lenders in the chain of title.
Recording Charleston Property Documents
Recording property documents in Charleston follows the requirements set out in Title 30, Chapter 5 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. Section 30-5-30 requires that all deeds and mortgages be acknowledged before a notary public or other authorized officer prior to recording. The grantor must sign the document in the presence of a notary, or the execution must be otherwise proved, before it will be accepted at the Register of Deeds.
The recording fee for deeds is set by Section 12-24-10 at $1.85 per $500 of the property's stated value. This deed stamp fee is paid by the grantor at the time of recording. In addition to the deed stamp, base recording fees apply: $15.00 for the first page and $5.00 for each additional page. Documents must be legible and suitable for scanning. The first page must have a three-inch top margin reserved for the recording information stamp. Original documents with original signatures are required. Under Section 30-5-90, recorded instruments must be processed within 30 days of submission.
Liens affecting Charleston properties are governed in part by Section 30-7-70, which addresses lien priority and filing requirements. Mechanics liens, federal tax liens, and judgment liens are all recorded at the Charleston County Register of Deeds. The recording date and time determine priority among competing claims on the same property.
- Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds
- Mortgages and deeds of trust
- Plats and subdivision maps
- Mechanics liens, tax liens, and judgment liens
- UCC financing statements
- Powers of attorney affecting real property
- Deeds of gift and deeds of distribution
Getting Copies of Charleston Deed Records
Certified copies of Charleston deed records can be obtained from the Charleston County Register of Deeds in person at 101 Meeting Street. Certified copies carry the official stamp and signature of the Register and are accepted in legal proceedings, title work, and financial transactions. Standard photocopies are also available at a lower per-page rate for those who only need a reference copy.
To request a specific document, provide the grantor and grantee names, the recording date, and ideally the book and page number or instrument number. Staff can use any of these identifiers to locate the correct record. For documents dating back to 1719, older records may be on microfilm or in archival storage, and some requests for very early documents may require additional processing time. Mail requests are accepted; include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check for the applicable copy fees. Contact the office at (843) 958-4800 to confirm current fee rates before submitting a written request.
Charleston Property Record Resources
Charleston deed records are public records under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, found at S.C. Code Section 30-4-10. Any person may inspect or receive copies of recorded instruments without stating a reason. This open-access policy covers all documents filed at the Register of Deeds regardless of age or instrument type.
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History is a key resource for researching very early Charleston land grants and colonial-era records that predate the county's formal recording system. The SC Archives has digitized a substantial number of older records that can be searched from home. For legal research related to real property law, Charleston School of Law's Sol Blatt Jr. Law Library internet resources page lists statutes and online tools applicable to South Carolina deed law. Researchers who need to add or remove a person from a deed should consult a qualified South Carolina real estate attorney, as the Register of Deeds staff cannot prepare legal documents or provide legal advice.
Charleston County Deed Records
Charleston County maintains all deed records for property within the city through the elected Register of Deeds office. The county ROD covers all municipalities in Charleston County and maintains a continuous record dating back to 1719. For a full overview of the Charleston County recording system, fee schedule, and online access options, visit the Charleston County deed records page.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
Residents of nearby cities file deed records at their county's recording office. Select a city to learn more.