Anderson South Carolina Property and Deed Records
Anderson property records are maintained by the Anderson County Register of Deeds at 401 E. River Street in the city of Anderson. Anderson is the county seat of Anderson County and has a population of about 28,000. All real estate instruments for properties within the city -- including deeds, mortgages, and plats -- are recorded at this office. The Register of Deeds can be reached by phone at (864) 260-4057. A Public Access System lets you search Anderson property records by TMS parcel number, owner name, or street name at no charge.
Anderson Quick Facts
Where to Find Anderson Property Records
The Anderson County Register of Deeds is the official recording office for all real property instruments in Anderson County, including the city of Anderson. This designation comes from Section 30-5-10 of the South Carolina Code, which lists Anderson County among the counties with a separate Register of Deeds office. The Register of Deeds records, indexes, and preserves deeds, mortgages, plats, and related instruments. Documents are scanned upon receipt and added to the Public Access System for public search.
The screenshot below is from the Anderson County Register of Deeds page, which describes the office's services and links to the Public Access System for online searching.
The Register of Deeds page at andersoncountysc.org is the best starting point for looking up deed records, plats, and other recorded instruments affecting Anderson city properties.
| Office | Anderson County Register of Deeds |
|---|---|
| Address | 401 E. River Street, Anderson, SC 29624 |
| Phone | (864) 260-4057 |
| Website | andersoncountysc.org |
Searching Anderson Property Records Online
The Anderson County Public Access System allows you to search recorded instruments for Anderson city properties without charge. You can search by TMS parcel number, owner name, or street name. This flexibility is helpful when you know one piece of information but not others. The system returns a list of matching records showing the document type, recording date, grantor, and grantee. From the results list, you can open the scanned image of the recorded document.
The TMS number is the Tax Map System parcel identifier used by the Anderson County Assessor's Office. Getting this number first can make your deed search faster and more precise. The Assessor's public search tool lets you look up parcels by owner name or address to retrieve the TMS number before you switch to the Register of Deeds index.
The statewide SC Land Records portal also provides access to Anderson County recorded documents. This portal is a useful supplement when you need to cross-reference a result or when you are working on a title chain that involves multiple counties. Results include party names, document type, and a short legal description.
Note: For the most current information on Anderson city property transactions, the county Public Access System is updated as documents are processed by the Register of Deeds at 401 E. River Street.
Types of Property Documents in Anderson
Anderson County property records for city properties include the full range of real estate instruments used in South Carolina. Warranty deeds are the standard instrument for fee simple transfers and are the most commonly recorded document type in the city. Special warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds also appear in the index. Quitclaim deeds often come up in estate settlements, divorce proceedings, and family transfers where the grantor wants to convey their interest without making title guarantees.
Mortgage instruments and deeds of trust are recorded when real property secures a loan. Satisfactions and releases are recorded when loans are paid off and liens are cleared from title. Subdivision plats document the lot layout and boundaries of Anderson's residential and commercial developments. These plats are essential references for confirming lot dimensions and locating easements or building setback lines.
Additional recorded instruments for Anderson properties include:
- Easements for utility lines, drainage, and access roads
- Lis pendens notices for properties involved in active litigation
- Mechanic's liens for unpaid construction work
- Assignments of mortgage and mortgage modification agreements
- Powers of attorney used in closings and estate transfers
Anderson City Property Assessment
The Anderson County Assessor determines the taxable value of all real property within the city of Anderson. The Assessor uses physical inspection, sales data, and income analysis to appraise each parcel at its fair market value. Under Title 12, Chapter 37 of the South Carolina Code, the county must conduct a countywide reassessment every five years. The Assessor mails a Notice of Classification, Appraisal and Assessment when a parcel's taxable value increases by more than $1,000 as a result of an Assessable Transfer of Interest.
Act 388 of 2006 limits the taxable value increase on any Anderson property to no more than 15% between reassessment cycles, provided the property did not transfer ownership. When a qualifying sale or transfer of an Anderson city property occurs, the ATI provision applies. The taxable value resets to full fair market value for the next tax year, overriding the 15% cap. Buyers should account for this potential change when estimating future property tax costs.
South Carolina's standard assessment ratios are 4% for owner-occupied primary residences, 4% for qualifying agricultural property, and 6% for commercial and investment property. Anderson city has a diverse mix of residential neighborhoods, commercial districts along major thoroughfares, and industrial areas. The 6% ratio applies to commercial and non-primary-residence properties within the city.
The screenshot below is from the City of Anderson website, which provides local government information including planning and development services for city properties.
The City of Anderson website is a useful reference for building permits, zoning information, and development activity within Anderson city limits.
Recording Requirements for Anderson City Properties
Instruments submitted for recording at the Anderson County Register of Deeds must comply with Section 30-5-30 of the South Carolina Code. Each document must be acknowledged before a notary public or proved by affidavit of a subscribing witness. Original signatures are required. South Carolina law requires two witnesses on real estate instruments. Documents that do not meet these standards will not be accepted.
Section 30-5-35 requires that every deed and mortgage executed after July 1, 1976, include a derivation clause. This clause states how the grantor acquired the property, usually by referencing the prior conveyance with its book and page number. The mailing address of the grantee or mortgagee must appear on the face of the document. These rules apply to all Anderson city instruments submitted to the county Register of Deeds.
The state deed recording fee from the South Carolina Department of Revenue is $1.85 per $500 of stated value and applies to all ownership transfer deeds. The base recording fee at the Register of Deeds is $15 for the first page and $5 for each additional page. The Register must index and record all accepted documents within 30 days under Section 30-5-90.
Historical Property Records in the City of Anderson
Anderson County was formed from the Pendleton District in 1826, and the city of Anderson has served as the county seat since the county's establishment. Property records from the county's formation through the present day are maintained at the Register of Deeds at 401 E. River Street. Older deed books and plat volumes are preserved in microfilm and in original form. The county's digital index provides good coverage for recent decades, but older records may require in-person review of the original volumes.
For property research predating Anderson County, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds records from the Pendleton District, including original deed books, court records, and land grant plats. The Archives in Columbia is the primary resource for title chains that go back before 1826. Researchers working on historic Anderson city properties should contact the Archives for information on available collections and access procedures.
Note: Title searches going back more than 60 years often require combining the county's digital index with microfilm and original deed book review at the Register of Deeds office.
South Carolina Land Records and Anderson City Properties
The SC Land Records portal provides statewide indexed access to property records from participating counties. Anderson County records are included, making this portal a useful supplement to the county's own Public Access System for Anderson city property searches. The portal displays grantor and grantee names, document type, recording date, and a brief legal description.
Each document recorded at the Anderson County Register of Deeds receives a permanent reel and page number in the county's index. The Register of Deeds scans the document, creates the indexed record, and returns the original to the submitting party. The scanned image and a microfilm copy are retained as the official permanent record. These images are the source for certified copies that can be requested from the Register of Deeds at 401 E. River Street or by phone at (864) 260-4057.
The image below is from the SC Land Records portal, which provides a statewide index of recorded property instruments, including those from Anderson County.
The SC Land Records portal at sclandrecords.com is a statewide tool that complements the Anderson County Public Access System for searching recorded property documents in Anderson city.
Anderson County Property Records
The city of Anderson is the county seat of Anderson County. Property deed recordings and all real estate instruments for city properties are maintained by the Anderson County Register of Deeds at 401 E. River Street. For full county resources, recording procedures, fee schedules, and assessment information, visit the Anderson County property records page.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
Cities near Anderson are served by Anderson County and neighboring Upstate county recording offices. Choose a city to find property records in that area.