South Carolina Criminal Records Search

Decide between a SLED report and a court file

For a South Carolina criminal-history report by name, use SLED CATCH. For the judgment or events in an identified prosecution, use the Judicial Branch’s county Public Index and the filing court. A history search and a copy of a judgment answer different questions. Establish the required scope and certification before purchasing either, particularly if a recipient has specified a background-check product.

CATCH covers South Carolina records only. It does not provide a wanted-person check or search the sex-offender registry; SLED links that registry separately. Fingerprint matching is more reliable than name matching, but SLED says it conducts fingerprint-based checks only when statute requires them. A public name report should not be described as fingerprint-confirmed or nationwide.

Prepare the name and birth date before searching

CATCH requires first name, last name and date of birth; it also searches a Social Security number if supplied. Its matching rules and aliases can produce either a missed record or a possible match to someone else. The mail form asks for the full name, including middle name, and AKA or maiden names. Use accurate known information rather than guessing a birth date to force a result.

When several possible subjects match, CATCH may return a Special Processing Required message. Follow that instruction rather than treating all returned possibilities as one person. For inquiry results or erroneous information, call SLED Public Dissemination at 803-896-1443, weekdays 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m., or use [email protected]. Identify the disputed entry and search submitted.

Use the dated fee notice when budgeting

The standard search is $25 and nonrefundable. The notice effective July 1, 2026 adds $1.43 for an online $25 report, making the stated standard total $26.43. An older paragraph on the same page still says $1. That inconsistency remains visible, so review the actual payment total before authorizing the search; the dated notice is the more specific current announcement.

SLED also lists an $8 base rate for qualifying charitable organizations, with a $1.14 online service fee under the dated notice. This is an eligibility-based rate, not a general discount. The mail form requires the approved organization’s name and User ID. Statutory checks for prospective teachers and substitute teachers are provided to local school districts without charge.

Mail a request when that format fits the purpose

Print the Criminal Record Check form and include the proper fee plus a self-addressed stamped envelope. Address it to SLED Records Department, P.O. Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221-1398. Accepted mail payment is a business check, certified check, cashier’s check or money order payable to SLED. Do not send cash or a personal check. Mail requests do not incur the online convenience fee.

If the recipient requires notarization or certification, expressly request that treatment rather than assuming an ordinary printed online result includes it. Review the recipient’s requirement before paying the nonrefundable charge. The form’s Social Security number note distinguishes government requests from private entities, which may obtain that number only voluntarily.

Follow the county Public Index to the disposition

The November 2025 Public Index guide directs users from the Judicial Branch homepage to Resources, then Court Records – Trial Courts. Select the filing county on the map or through the search bar and read its disclaimer. Search for the relevant case and retain the case number, court, parties and event dates. Some municipal records are included; an empty county index is not proof that every municipal court has been searched.

The court FAQ distinguishes pending cases from ended cases. Ended can reflect a trial, plea agreement or dropped charges; it is not itself a conviction label. Inspect the disposition for each relevant count, and request the judgment or certified order from the filing court if an index description leaves the result uncertain. This is often the direct next step when a SLED entry omits the outcome you need.

If the case-detail window will not open, the current guide calls for a browser supporting cookies and JavaScript and notes that a pop-up exception may be needed. If the record still cannot be located, contact the court identified by the charging papers with the name, approximate year and any known case number. Ask about the underlying file rather than repeatedly paying for a statewide name search.