Vital Records Birth, Marriage & Death

02 Jun 2008

HOW TO OBTAIN A CERTIFIED COPY OF A BIRTH CERTIFICATE

You are entitled to obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate if you are the person named on the certificate (if eighteen (18) years of age), the parent(s) named on the birth certificate, the guardian, or a legal representative of one of these.

Immediate family members and/or their respective legal representatives may obtain a certified copy with the submission of a certified copy of the corresponding death record.

The State Office of Vital Records located at DHEC, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, South Carolina issues two types of birth certifications: (1) a short form certification (birth card) and (2) a long form photocopy. The birth card is a wallet-size certification that contains the birth certificate number, the name of the person whose certificate is being issued, the date of birth, sex, the county of birth, and the date the birth was filed.  The long form (photocopy) is a copy of the birth certificate contained in the active files of the Division of Vital Records. Certified photocopies can ONLY be issued at the State Office location – DHEC, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201.

Each of South Carolina’s forty-six (46) counties has a vital records office in the county health department. The Division of Vital Records has put into place a project to allow all forty-six (46) county vital records’ offices to issue short form certifications (birth cards) for any South Carolina birth, regardless of the county. This project is referred to as the Statewide Birth Certification Project. The completion date for this project was April 03, 2000. Statewide Birth Certification allows a customer to obtain a short form birth card from any county health department regardless of where in South Carolina the birth occurred.

The usual turnaround time for birth certificates is more than six (6) weeks. For expedited service, please visit VitalChek . For more information, please click on ‘Additional Information’ bar.

REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR A BIRTH RECORD

• Full name of the person whose birth certificate is being requested
• Full date of birth (month, day, year)
• County of Birth
• Mother’s full name before she married
• Full name of father
• Signature of the person requesting the birth certificate and their current mailing address
• Relationship between the person named on the birth certificate and the person requesting the certified copy
• The full name and complete mailing address of the person to whom the certificate is to be mailed.
• Area code and daytime telephone number of the person requesting the
• Other information you consider helpful in the search for the birth certificate (Example: full names and dates of birth of brothers and sisters, nicknames, etc.)

• Application Forms 

HOW TO OBTAIN A CERTIFIED COPY OF A DEATH CERTIFICATE

You are entitled to a certified copy of a death certificate if you are a member of the decedent's family or if you are their legal representative. Others who demonstrate a direct and tangible interest may be issued copies when information is needed to determine a personal or a property right. Other applicants may be provided a statement that the death occurred, including the date and county of death. For additional information contact the state office of the Division of Vital Records in Columbia, South Carolina at (803) 898 3630.

Certified copies of death certificates may be obtained from the state vital records office located at DHEC, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Certified copies of death certificates may also be issued from the health department in the county of death. The county vital records office can only certify deaths that occurred during the last five years in their county.

The usual turnaround time for death certificates is more than six (6) weeks. For expedited service, please visit VitalChek . For more information, please click on ‘Additional Information’ bar.

REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR A DEATH SEARCH

• Full name of the person whose death certificate is being requested
• Full date of death (month, day, year)
• County where the person was pronounced dead
• The names of the decedent's parents
• Signature of the person requesting the death certificate and their current mailing address
• Relationship between the person name on the death certificate and the person requesting the certified copy
• The full name and complete mailing address of the person to whom the certificate is to be mailed
• Area code and daytime telephone number of the person requesting the death certificate
• Other information you consider helpful in the search for the death certificate (Example: nicknames, alias, place of burial, etc.)

Death records become public records after fifty (50) years and then any person may obtain certified copies. Deaths for 1915-1952 are available for public reviewing at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29223. Access to a microfiche index and microfilm of these deaths is available at the Archives' Reference Room. No appointment is needed and there is no charge for viewing the records. If copies are needed, a work order provided at the Reference Room must be completed. The Reference Room staff will provide information about charges for copies and schedule for receiving copies. Self-service copying is available. Inquiries must be made in person or by telephone. The Reference Room is open Monday - Friday, 8:45 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. daily.  For additional information, telephone (803) 896-6104.  Application Forms

Notes:

• A law mandating registration of all births and deaths in South Carolina was signed into law on 1 September 1914. Actual registration began in 1915, and South Carolina achieved 90-percent compliance within a few years. South Carolina had no law requiring marriage licenses or registration until 1911, though many earlier records were recorded on the county level. For birth and death records in the last fifty years and marriage records from 1 July 1950, write: South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control, Bureau of Vital Statistics, J. Marion Sims Building, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201-1797
• For birth and death records from 1915 to "50 years ago," write: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 1430 Senate Street, P.O. Box 11669, Capitol Station, Columbia, SC 29211-1669
• For marriage records prior to 1950, write to the probate judge of the county in question.

Cyndi's List - Births

Cyndi's List - Deaths

Cyndi's List - Marriages

SC GenWeb Archives - Marriage Records

SC Health Department

SC Health Department - 1915-1953 Death Index

Anderson County Court System, Box 8002,  Anderson, SC 29622, 864-260-4049

Newspaper Marriage Notices: