Your clerk’s-eye guide to South Carolina’s courts: who handles what, where to file, and what it costs

Standing at a courthouse counter wondering “Is this the right place?” is more common than you think. South Carolina’s system is unified statewide, but each court has a specific lane. If you know which door to walk through, what hours that office keeps, and what the first fees look like, you save yourself a second trip.

Which courthouse handles which problem in South Carolina

Start by matching your issue to the court with jurisdiction. The state’s trial-level courts are the Circuit Court, Family Court, Probate Court, and the summary courts (Magistrate and Municipal). Appeals rise to the Court of Appeals and, ultimately, the Supreme Court. Agency fights and many license or tax matters take a detour to the Administrative Law Court.

For ordinary civil disputes between private parties, the lane is either Magistrate Court or the Circuit Court’s Common Pleas side. Magistrate Court hears civil cases up to $7,500. Above that, you file in Common Pleas. Criminal trials start in the Circuit Court’s General Sessions, while lower-level criminal and traffic matters live in Magistrate or Municipal Court. Those two “summary” courts can impose up to $500 in fines or 30 days in jail on each charge in most situations.

Family Court has exclusive jurisdiction over divorce, child custody, support, and juvenile delinquency. Probate Court handles estates, guardianships and conservatorships, and issues marriage licenses. Masters‑in‑Equity operate within the Circuit Court to hear nonjury equity matters such as mortgage foreclosures by referral, without a jury.

Appeals from most Family and Circuit Court cases go to the South Carolina Court of Appeals. A small set of cases skip there and go straight to the Supreme Court of South Carolina. The Supreme Court sits in downtown Columbia at 1231 Gervais Street, and its Clerk’s Office operates Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Contesting a state agency’s decision, such as a tax determination, typically begins at the South Carolina Administrative Law Court, located at 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 224, Columbia. When you file a contested case request there after a Department of Revenue determination, expect a required $100 filing fee with the request.

Where and how cases get filed, day to day

Paper, not portals, is still the standard for self-represented filers in South Carolina. The statewide e-filing system is available to attorneys, but self‑represented litigants may not e‑file. If you are filing on your own, you submit paper pleadings to the correct office during its posted business hours.

Two anchors many residents use:

• Richland County Clerk of Court handles Circuit and Family Court filings for the Columbia area at 1701 Main Street, Columbia. The public counter is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
• Charleston County Clerk of Court receives Circuit and Family Court filings at the Hugo L. Black Judicial Center, 100 Broad Street, Suite 106 (Circuit/General Sessions) and Suite 143 (Family), with Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. hours.

If you are filing a small civil case without a lawyer and the dispute is $7,500 or less, you file at the appropriate Magistrate Court office for the county where venue is proper. Counties post their own filing windows and fee sheets. For example, Beaufort County lists a $70 Magistrate civil filing fee on its civil information page.

Summary courts and clerks will not give you legal advice, but they will point you to the right window, confirm the correct form number, and tell you whether you’ve paid the correct fee. Most clerk counters in larger counties close at or before 5:00 p.m., so same‑day service decisions often come down to whether you arrive before 4:30 p.m. with complete copies and your fee method in hand.

What it costs to start and serve a case

Fees are a combination of statewide amounts set by statute and county‑posted schedules.

To open a civil action in Circuit Court (Common Pleas), the filing fee is $150. If you qualify for and are granted a fee waiver, the clerk will accept your filing with an approved in forma pauperis order. In Family Court, standard divorce packets cite the same $150 filing fee to begin a divorce case, unless waived by order.

Magistrate Court fees vary by county within statutory rules. Where Beaufort posts $70 to file a civil claim, Charleston’s summary courts list an $80 combined amount that covers filing and service in small claims filings as published for their locations. Always check the county page for the specific counter you plan to use.

Serving your lawsuit on the defendant is a separate cost. South Carolina sheriffs collect civil process fees by statute. In Charleston County Sheriff’s Office Civil Process, examples include $15 to serve a Summons and Complaint, $10 for a Subpoena, and $25 for a Writ of Ejectment or Writ of Assistance. The Civil Process counter there operates at 100 Broad Street, Suite 384, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Richland County’s Civil Process Division publishes the same $15 Summons and Complaint and $10 Subpoena fees and accepts civil process at 2500 Decker Boulevard, Columbia for in‑person delivery, with a P.O. Box for mailed submissions.

If your matter is criminal and you apply for a public defender, state law requires a nonrefundable $40 application fee, which may be reduced or waived by the clerk in limited circumstances. Some counties collect that fee at the Clerk of Court counter; others direct applicants to a posted cashier window inside the courthouse complex.

When you need a certified record related to marriage or divorce status rather than the court’s full case file, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Vital Records office issues statewide marriage and divorce certificates. The divorce certificate search fee is $12 and includes one copy if found; additional copies purchased at the same time are $3 each, and state coverage for divorce certificates begins in July 1962.

Civil court choices compared: Magistrate small claims vs. Circuit Court

Two practical differences trip up first‑time filers. First, venue: you must pick the right county under the venue rules. Second, service: a judge can’t hear your case until the defendant is properly served. Using the sheriff’s civil process makes service straightforward in most in‑county serves, and the fee schedule is predictable. If you need service in another county, call that sheriff’s civil office for their remittance and mailing address before you send papers.

Appeals and agency cases: when the fight moves upstairs

Most appeals from Circuit and Family Court judgments head to the South Carolina Court of Appeals in Columbia. The Supreme Court accepts a smaller number of cases, including some categories by rule and others by granting review. Appellate filings are time‑sensitive, and the appellate clerks maintain weekday hours that match the Judicial Branch’s standard 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. schedule in Columbia.

Disputes with state agencies, such as tax assessments, many licensing questions, and certain regulatory matters, often become contested cases at the Administrative Law Court after the agency issues a final decision. The ALC’s Clerk’s Office in the Edgar A. Brown Building at 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 224, Columbia receives filings, and many initiating documents require the $100 ALC filing fee. The court publishes when its e‑filing platform is required for attorneys; self‑represented parties continue to file in paper.

One courthouse rule that does not change from county to county: no firearms in courtrooms and most publicly owned buildings where court is being held, with limited statutory exceptions for certain officials and law enforcement. Every courthouse in the state will screen you at the entrance, and employees cannot hold a firearm for safekeeping. Plan your parking and what you bring through security accordingly.

Records, copies, and certificates: finding what you need

South Carolina maintains a statewide case search known as the Trial Court Public Index, which provides free, 24‑hour access to docket entries for most counties. The index is useful to verify case numbers, parties, hearing dates, and whether an order has been filed. Not every document is public, and confidential case types such as juvenile, adoptions, and abuse/neglect are sealed by law.

For certified copies from a county file, you work with the Clerk of Court or summary court that keeps the record. Charleston County publishes per‑page and certification fees on its public FAQ. Copies are $0.10 per page, and a $1.00 certificate stamp is added to produce a certified copy. These requests can be made in person or by mail to the office at 100 Broad Street, Suite 106 (Circuit/General Sessions) or Suite 143 (Family).

Marriage licenses and related certified copies come from Probate Court. State law requires a 24‑hour waiting period after your marriage license application is processed before the license can be issued. Charleston, Dorchester, Horry, Kershaw, Williamsburg, Florence, Bamberg, and other county Probate Courts post this waiting period plainly, and it applies statewide. If you need a certified copy of your marriage license later, many Probate Courts accept in‑person or online requests and collect their posted certification fee at time of request.

For divorce status outside the court record, request a divorce certificate from DHEC Vital Records. As noted above, the $12 search fee includes one certified copy if found, and you may add more copies in the same order for $3 each.

If your budget is tight and your case is civil, South Carolina Legal Services runs a statewide intake line at 1‑888‑346‑5592 with intake hours Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Eligibility is income‑ and case‑type‑based, and criminal matters are excluded. If you are not eligible for free counsel, the South Carolina Bar Lawyer Referral Service can connect you with a private attorney who has agreed to charge no more than $50 for an initial 30‑minute consultation.

Key things to know at a glance

• The statewide civil filing fee in Circuit Court’s Common Pleas is $150. If you were granted a fee waiver, bring the signed order with your papers.
• Magistrate Court handles civil claims up to $7,500. Counties set posted filing amounts within statutory rules; Beaufort lists $70.
• Sheriff service fees are set by statute. Charleston and Richland both publish $15 to serve a Summons and Complaint and $10 for a Subpoena.
• Self‑represented parties cannot use the courts’ e‑filing system. File paper during office hours; many clerk counters run 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
• The Supreme Court building is at 1231 Gervais Street, Columbia; general Judicial Branch office hours are 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
• DHEC Vital Records divorce certificates cost $12 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy ordered together.
• The Administrative Law Court receives contested agency matters at 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 224, Columbia; many initiating filings require a $100 fee.
• Looking for help: South Carolina Legal Services intake line runs Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. at 1‑888‑346‑5592. The Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service caps the first consult at $50 for 30 minutes.

Reader Q&A

Where do I file a $3,000 contractor dispute if I live in North Charleston?

File in the appropriate county Magistrate Court because the amount is under $7,500. In Charleston County, Magistrate Civil counters publish combined filing and service amounts for small claims filings. If you choose sheriff service, budget $15 per defendant for a Summons and Complaint under the Charleston County Sheriff’s fee schedule.

Can I e‑file my divorce if I don’t have a lawyer?

No. South Carolina’s e‑filing system is for attorneys. Self‑represented parties file on paper at the Family Court counter. A standard divorce case begins with the same $150 filing fee unless the court grants a fee waiver. In Charleston, Family Court filings are accepted at 100 Broad Street, Suite 143 during 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. hours.

How much does it cost to get a copy of my Charleston civil case order for my insurance company?

Charleston County publishes $0.10 per page for copies and $1.00 for a certification stamp when you need a certified copy. Requests are made through the Clerk of Court at 100 Broad Street, Suite 106, and you can request in person or by mail with your case number.

I got a Department of Revenue determination I disagree with. Where does that go?

After you exhaust the agency’s internal review, the next step is typically a contested case at the Administrative Law Court, filed with its Clerk at 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 224, Columbia. Many contested case filings require a $100 ALC filing fee with the request.

To narrow your next step, match your issue to the court above, then confirm the right county office and its weekday hours. If you are filing pro se, bring three complete sets of your papers, your fee, and a plan for service; that single checklist is what prevents most repeat trips to the counter.

Published: September 9, 2026