How to Look Up Eviction Records in South Carolina 2026
Court portal, certified copy fees, and expungement laws for South Carolina
Where to Search South Carolina Eviction Records
Online portal: County-level (search your county court clerk's website)
Certified copy fee: $0.25/page
In South Carolina, an eviction case (the state calls it "ejectment") is filed and decided in Magistrate Court, the county-level court that handles landlord-tenant disputes. Each county runs its own docket, and there is no statewide online portal that lets you search every eviction at once. To pull a record you go to the county clerk, specifically the magistrate's office in the county where the rental sits, and search by tenant name or case number. Some counties post limited case data online; most still require an in-person or phone request at the courthouse.
The other half of the picture is permanence. South Carolina has no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction record, so a filing can follow a tenant for years on tenant-screening reports. That makes it essential to read each record carefully before acting on it. Certified copies cost $0.25 per page. Below we walk through how to find a South Carolina eviction record, how to read what you find, and what the missing expungement law means for both landlords and tenants.
How to look up a South Carolina eviction record
Start with the county. Because South Carolina routes evictions through Magistrate Court and offers no statewide portal, you search where the property is located. Identify the county, then contact that county's magistrate's office (often listed under the county clerk or clerk of court). You can search by the tenant's name or, if you have it, the case number.
A handful of counties expose basic case lookups on their own websites; many do not, so be prepared to call or visit the courthouse in person. Ask the magistrate's staff for the case file or docket sheet. If you need a court-stamped version for a screening file or a court proceeding, request a certified copy, which runs $0.25 per page. Keep in mind that coverage and online availability vary widely from one county to the next, so a clean result in one county does not mean a tenant has no record elsewhere in the state.
How to read the result: a filing is not a judgment
The single most important thing to check on any South Carolina eviction record is the disposition, the outcome of the case. A landlord filing an ejectment action creates a record the moment it is filed, but a filing is not a judgment. The case may have been dismissed, settled, decided for the tenant, or the tenant may have paid and stayed. Treating a mere filing as proof the tenant lost is both inaccurate and risky.
On the docket sheet, look for who prevailed, whether a writ of ejectment was actually issued, and any notation of dismissal or satisfaction. Match the name and address carefully, since name-only searches can surface a different person. If the record is ambiguous, ask the magistrate's office to clarify the disposition or request the full file. Reading the outcome, not just the existence of a case, is what separates a defensible screening decision from a careless one.
Expungement and sealing: the South Carolina reality
Here is the verdict landlords and tenants both need: South Carolina has no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction record. Unlike states that let a tenant petition to clear a dismissed or old case, South Carolina's Magistrate Court records generally stay on the public docket and can keep appearing on tenant-screening reports for years.
That permanence raises the stakes under federal law. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) governs the tenant-screening companies that resell court data, requiring reasonable accuracy and limiting how long certain information is reported. Because there is no state sealing mechanism to fall back on, landlords should rely on the court record's actual disposition rather than a screening vendor's summary, and should give applicants a chance to explain or dispute an entry. Acting on an inaccurate or misread record can create FCRA exposure, even where no state expungement law exists.
What tenants can do without an expungement law
Because South Carolina offers no expungement or sealing path for eviction records, tenants cannot simply petition the Magistrate Court to erase a case. That does not leave them powerless. The most effective step is accuracy: pull your own record from the county magistrate's office and confirm the disposition is correct, that a dismissal reads as a dismissal and a case you won is not reported as a loss.
If a tenant-screening company is reporting wrong, outdated, or mismatched information, the federal FCRA gives you the right to dispute it directly with that company, which must investigate and correct or remove inaccurate entries. Keep copies of any dismissal order or payment record. When applying for a new rental, a short written explanation attached to the application, backed by the court's own paperwork, often does more than the docket entry itself to put a past filing in context.
Step-by-Step: How to Search South Carolina Eviction Records
- Identify the county court. Find the Magistrate Court website for the county where the property is located.
- Search by party name. Enter the prospective tenant's full legal name (last name, first name) as a defendant/respondent. Try name variations including maiden names.
- Filter by case type. Select eviction, forcible detainer, unlawful detainer, or summary possession as the case type depending on the court's terminology.
- Review the disposition. Identify whether the case resulted in a judgment for the landlord (eviction), dismissal (tenant won or case settled), or is still pending. A filing alone does not mean the tenant was evicted.
- Check the filing date. Consider how old the record is, most tenant-screening best practices recommend discounting records older than 5-7 years.
- Request certified copies if needed. For a certified copy of the court record, contact the Magistrate Court clerk's office directly. Fees are typically $0.25/page.
This guide was prepared by the Eviction Risk Map research team using public information from South Carolina's Magistrate Court system, administered under South Carolina Court Administration (the South Carolina Judicial Branch). As of this writing, South Carolina has no statutory eviction-record expungement provision. Last reviewed June 2026. This is general information, not legal advice; for guidance on a specific record or screening decision, consult a licensed South Carolina attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up an eviction record in South Carolina?
Search at the county level. South Carolina hears evictions in Magistrate Court and has no statewide portal, so you contact the magistrate's office (county clerk) in the county where the property is located and search by tenant name or case number. Some counties offer limited online lookups; many require a phone call or an in-person visit to the courthouse.
Are South Carolina eviction records public?
Yes. Eviction (ejectment) cases filed in Magistrate Court are public court records, accessible through the county where the case was filed. There is no single statewide search, so availability depends on each county's office. Remember that a record being public does not mean every filing ended in a judgment against the tenant, always check the disposition.
Can a tenant expunge an eviction record in South Carolina?
No. South Carolina has no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction record, so a Magistrate Court filing generally remains on the public docket. A tenant's best options are to confirm the recorded disposition is accurate and, under the federal FCRA, to dispute any wrong or outdated entry a tenant-screening company is reporting.
How much does a certified copy of a South Carolina eviction record cost?
Certified copies run $0.25 per page at the county magistrate's office. The total depends on the length of the file. If you only need to review the record rather than file it somewhere official, ask whether the office allows you to view or photograph the docket at no certified-copy charge.
Related South Carolina Landlord Guides
Court portal information sourced from the South Carolina court administrative office official website. Expungement laws from published South Carolina statutes (see citations above). Last updated August 28, 2026. For informational purposes only, not legal advice.