How to Obtain A Divorce Certificate In South Carolina

When you have gone through a divorce in South Carolina, a good thing to obtain is a divorce certificate. A divorce certificate shows evidence of a divorce and is also affordable to obtain. Services and fees may differ from other states, such as Texas, California, and New York, but they work in a similar fashion.

Here is on how to obtain a divorce certificate in the state of South Carolina.

What Are Divorce Certificates?

Divorce certificates (also known in South Carolina as divorce reports) are one-page documents that show basic information from a divorce decree. The information on a divorce certificate is usually the names of the former spouses, the date of divorce, and the place of divorce. This document signifies evidence that a person is divorced.

The following are reasons why a person may need a divorce certificate:

To get a name change for a driver's license, passport, and other legal documents
To apply for marriage
To apply for a travel visa
To show proof of divorce in other situations

How To Apply For A South Carolina Divorce Certificate

Those who can obtain a divorce report are the divorce party members, the adult children of the divorced members, the present or former spouses of the divorced members, and/or their respective legal counsel. In order to apply for a divorce certificate yourself, you have several options. The following are ways in which to request a divorce certificate:

In-Person

This option allows you to get a divorce certificate in about 30-45 minutes, depending on office times and such. For the process to go quickly, it is recommended to have the application form completed ahead of time. Here are three additional things you will need:

A valid driver's license or photo ID
A standard search fee of $12.00 (which is non-refundable)
An additional $3.00 for each copy that is requested

City/County/State Office

Contact Address and Phone Number

Divorce Certificate Processing Fee

South Carolina Vital Records

2600 Bull Street

Columbia, SC 29201

Phone: 877-284-1008

Fax: 877-284-1084

First Copy: $17.00 Additional Copies: $3.00

Online Or By Phone

For this option, you can call South Carolina's Vital Records phone number. In South Carolina, a divorce certificate can also be obtained online through VitalChek. The average time it takes to process through these two options is 5-7 business days.

The following are the three associated costs in ordering by phone or online:

A VitalChek service fee of $10.50
A further cost of $17.00 for the standard search fee (which is non-refundable)
Funds for any shipping fees that may incur if you want your records to be sent by UPS instead of regular mail

Other Alternatives

You also have the option to mail-in or drop-off your divorce certificate application, but this is only accepted at the state office in Richland County. A standard search fee of $12.00 will also be required, with an additional $3.00 for each copy. The average processing time for drop-off is about two days. For each process, you will need a photo ID (or a photocopy of a photo ID for the mail-in option). You then mail-in or drop-off your application at the South Carolina Vital Records office.

Obtaining a divorce certificate in South Carolina is feasible. However, it can be confusing and may be more costly if a person doesn't understand the process. What if you could easily apply for a divorce certificate without the hassle? That is where DoNotPay comes in!

Let DoNotPay Help You Obtain A Divorce Certificate

DoNotPay takes the stress out of applying for a divorce certificate. When you use DoNotPay, you can rest assured that the process will be fast, simple, and successful.

If you want to get a copy of a divorce certificate in South Carolina but don't know where to start, has you covered in 7 easy steps:

Go to the Certificates of Divorce product on DoNotPay.
Select whether the certificate belongs to you or a relative/loved one. If it belongs to someone else, enter the details of both people on the certificate, and select/upload evidence that proves your relationship with them. If the certificate is yours, enter the details of your spouse.*Please note: some states only allow people named on the certificate to apply.
Enter the city, state, and county where the divorce certificate and original divorce certificate were issued as well as the dates they were issued on.
Indicate what you will be using this certificate for, and choose whether you need an authorized or certified copy.
Enter your contact information and shipping address. Upload copies of your government-issued identification, such as a driver's license.
Choose whether you would like to electronically sign this form or not. Once we generate the form, verify that all of the information is correct.
If you need the document to be notarized, schedule a notarization appointment using our Notary product. Otherwise, proceed to our Mail Checks product and let DoNotPay mail-in your request form with a check on your behalf.

What Else Does DoNotPay Offer?

DoNotPay is the perfect solution to getting your South Carolina divorce certificate in an efficient way. It can also provide solutions in other areas. Manage many of your legal needs with DoNotpay. Try today and see the difference it makes.

To learn more about other areas DoNotPay can assist you with, check out the following: