Richland County Deed Records and Property Documents

Richland County deed records are maintained by the appointed Register of Deeds in Columbia, South Carolina. Columbia is the state capital, and Richland County is one of the most active recording jurisdictions in the state, processing a high volume of real property instruments each year. The Register of Deeds records deeds, mortgages, plats, liens, UCC filings, and other instruments affecting real property in the county. Online access is available through a subscription system. Records are open to the public under South Carolina law.

Where Richland County Deed Records Are Kept

Richland County deed records are held by the appointed Register of Deeds, located at 1701 Main Street, Room 101, Columbia, SC 29201. The mailing address is P.O. Box 192, Columbia, SC 29202. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Register of Deeds records all instruments affecting real property in Richland County, including warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, mortgages, plats, tax liens, UCC filings, and satisfactions. Phone contact is available at 803-576-1910.

The Richland County Register of Deeds page on the county website provides direct information about the office, including its services and how to access recorded documents. As the county seat of the state capital, Columbia, the Richland County Register of Deeds handles one of the largest recording volumes in South Carolina. The office records deeds, mortgages, plats, property liens, tax liens, satisfactions, UCC filings, affidavits, and powers of attorney. All recorded instruments are part of the permanent public record.

The Richland County Register of Deeds page shown below is the official source for office information, recording fees, and guidance on accessing property records in Columbia and throughout the county.

The Register of Deeds page includes information about subscription access, the types of documents recorded, and how to request certified copies.

The Richland County Mapping and Records division provides additional property data and is linked from the county's main property resources section.

The Mapping and Records section supports deed research by providing spatial and parcel data alongside the instrument index maintained by the Register of Deeds.

How to Search Richland County Deed Records Online

Online access to Richland County deed records is available through a subscription system offered by the county. The Richland County Subscription Data Services page allows users to purchase access by the day, week, month, or year. Once subscribed, you can search by Tax Map number (which the county recommends for most reliable results), Instrument Book and Page, Name or Firm, Address, or Legal Description. The subscription portal provides access to the full index of recorded documents maintained by the Register of Deeds.

The SC Land Records portal also provides access to Richland County instruments as part of its statewide coverage. For users who need only occasional lookups without a subscription, this free portal may be sufficient for basic name and instrument searches. The SC Property Checker for Richland County aggregates property and deed data into a searchable interface useful for ownership lookups and transfer history reviews. Property owners can also opt out of having their records displayed online by visiting the Richland County property opt-out page.

Shown below is the SC Property Checker view for Richland County, which compiles deed record data and property information from the Register of Deeds into a searchable format.

For searches requiring certified document copies, the subscription portal or a direct visit to the Register of Deeds office at 1701 Main Street is the appropriate next step.

What Richland County Deed Records Contain

Richland County deed records include all elements required under South Carolina law. The grantor (seller) and grantee (buyer) are identified by name and address. A legal description of the property, typically referencing a recorded plat or providing a metes-and-bounds description, is required. The consideration, or stated value of the transaction, appears on most instruments. The Register of Deeds assigns an instrument number, book, and page at filing, which serve as the permanent reference for the document in the public index.

Under Section 30-5-35 of the South Carolina Code, any deed executed after July 1, 1976 must contain a derivation clause identifying the instrument or proceeding through which the grantor received title. This requirement creates a continuous chain of ownership from one transaction to the next. The grantee's mailing address is also required. Together these elements allow any future researcher, lender, or attorney to trace the ownership history of a Richland County parcel from the current deed back through prior transactions.

Additional content commonly appearing in Richland County deed records includes easements, subdivision covenants, deed restrictions, and access rights. Tax map numbers are routinely cited to link the deed to the county assessor's parcel data. Given the urban character of much of Richland County, lot-and-block references to recorded subdivision plats are frequently used for residential properties in Columbia and its surrounding communities.

Documents Recorded in Richland County

The Richland County Register of Deeds records a comprehensive range of instruments affecting real property. The office handles the full scope of deed types, mortgage and lien instruments, plats, and supporting legal documents that form the public title and encumbrance record for every parcel in the county. The following document types are among those recorded and maintained by the office:

• Deeds and warranty deeds ($25 per instrument)
• Mortgages and deeds of trust ($25 per instrument)
• Plats and subdivision maps ($25 per instrument)
• Releases and satisfactions of mortgage ($10 per instrument)
• Property liens and tax liens ($10 per instrument)
• UCC financing statements ($10 per instrument)
• Affidavits and powers of attorney ($10 per instrument)

The per-instrument fees listed above are the county recording fees charged in addition to state deed stamp taxes calculated at $1.85 per $500 of property value. The SCIWAY directory at sciway.net provides additional context on recording fee structures across South Carolina's 46 counties.

Richland County Recording Requirements and State Law

All deed recordings in Richland County must comply with Title 30, Chapter 5 of the South Carolina Code. Section 30-5-30 requires that every deed be acknowledged before a notary public or other authorized officer before it can be accepted for recording. The notarized acknowledgment confirms that the grantor executed the document voluntarily and that the signature is genuine. Instruments lacking proper acknowledgment will be returned and not recorded.

The state deed stamp tax under Section 12-24-10 is $1.85 per $500 of the property's stated consideration. This is a grantor's responsibility by default. In addition to the deed stamp, the county charges per-instrument recording fees as outlined above. Once the Register of Deeds accepts a document, it must be recorded within 30 days under Section 30-5-90. Timely recording establishes the grantee's priority over any subsequent purchaser or encumbrancer who may not have notice of the earlier transfer.

Lien recording and priority in Richland County are governed in part by Section 30-7-70. Proper filing with the Register of Deeds gives constructive notice to future buyers and lenders searching the title to a Richland County parcel. The exact date and time stamped on the document at recording determines its position in the priority chain relative to other recorded instruments on the same property.

Historical Richland County Deed Records and Title Research

Richland County has a recording history tied closely to Columbia's role as South Carolina's state capital. Land records for the county date back to the late eighteenth century, and many older instruments reflect the early development of Columbia and the surrounding plantation and agricultural districts. Title researchers working on older urban parcels in Columbia will find a generally continuous record chain maintained at the Register of Deeds office. For very old rural tracts, records may need to be supplemented with materials from the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History maintains historical land grant records, colonial-era plats, and other early property instruments that predate the modern county recording system. These records are valuable for genealogical research and for title work involving older Richland County parcels. The SCDAH's online tools provide indexed access to many of these early instruments, making it possible to trace chains of title back to the original land grants.

Richland County's role as the center of state government has also generated a significant volume of deed records related to state and federal acquisitions, university and hospital campuses, and public infrastructure. These government-related instruments are part of the public record and are indexed alongside private deed transactions in the Register of Deeds office.

Certified Copies and Fees for Richland County Records

Certified copies of Richland County deed records can be obtained from the Register of Deeds at 1701 Main Street, Room 101, Columbia, during regular office hours. A certified copy bears the official seal and is accepted in legal proceedings and real estate transactions. The standard fee for a certified true copy is determined by the current fee schedule maintained by the office. Contacting the Register of Deeds at 803-576-1910 before visiting or submitting a mail request will confirm current rates and accepted payment forms.

When requesting a document, providing the instrument number, book and page reference, or Tax Map number along with grantor and grantee names will speed up the retrieval process. For subscription users, unofficial copies can be viewed and printed through the online portal at any time. Certified copies, however, require a direct request to the office, whether in person, by mail, or through an online submission process where available.

Public Access and FOIA for Richland County Property Records

Deed records at the Richland County Register of Deeds are public records. The South Carolina Freedom of Information Act at S.C. Code Section 30-4-10 guarantees that any person may inspect or receive copies of public documents filed with the Register. No reason is needed to request access to deed records, mortgage instruments, plats, or liens. This open-access right applies to all recorded instruments regardless of their age or subject matter.

Richland County property owners who wish to limit online visibility of their records may opt out of online display by visiting the county's designated opt-out tool. This is separate from the Social Security number redaction process. Under South Carolina law, any individual whose Social Security number appears on a recorded document can request that the number be removed from any publicly accessible online version. The physical file is unchanged, but the digital copy will be updated to remove the sensitive information. Both protections are available to Richland County property owners and recording parties.

Nearby Counties

Richland County is surrounded by Lexington, Fairfield, Kershaw, Sumter, and Calhoun counties, each with their own deed record systems and recording offices.

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