Myrtle Beach Property Records Search
Myrtle Beach property records are maintained by the Horry County Register of Deeds. Myrtle Beach sits along the Grand Strand coastline in Horry County and has a population of about 35,000 residents. All deeds, mortgages, plats, and related documents for Myrtle Beach properties are filed and stored at the county level. The city itself handles building permits and zoning records, but ownership and title documents live with Horry County. This page explains how to find Myrtle Beach property records, what types of documents exist, and how the assessment and recording system works for this coastal city.
Myrtle Beach Quick Facts
Where Myrtle Beach Property Records Are Kept
All property deed records for Myrtle Beach are held at the Horry County Register of Deeds office. The Register of Deeds records all instruments that affect title to real property in the county, including deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and easements. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-5-90, every writing concerning the title to land must be recorded in the order received. This protects buyers and lenders by giving public notice of recorded interests.
The Horry County Register of Deeds serves all of Horry County, including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Conway, Socastee, and the surrounding areas. Myrtle Beach is one of the most active real estate markets in South Carolina, so the volume of recorded documents is high. The office maintains both a physical index and an electronic database of all instruments on file.
The City of Myrtle Beach maintains its own records for city-level matters. Visit cityofmyrtlebeach.com for building permits, zoning applications, code enforcement records, and business licenses. These city records are separate from deed records held at the county level.
| Recording Office | Horry County Register of Deeds |
|---|---|
| Online Search | Horry County government site at horrycounty.org/departments |
| County Website | horrycounty.org |
| City Website | cityofmyrtlebeach.com |
Note: Myrtle Beach is listed in S.C. Code Ann. § 30-5-10 as one of the counties required to maintain a separate Register of Deeds office rather than handling recording through the Clerk of Court.
Searching Myrtle Beach Records Online
The Horry County Register of Deeds offers online access to recorded documents through its property records portal. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, document type, or date range. Most recorded instruments are available to view and print directly from the online system. This is the fastest way to find deed history, mortgage records, and plat information for Myrtle Beach properties.
Visit the Horry County government site at horrycounty.org/departments to begin searching. The index contains the names of all parties to each recorded instrument along with a brief legal description. You can identify the reel and page number from the index and then pull up the document image. Copies may be printed or saved directly from the portal.
The SC Land Records statewide portal at sclandrecords.com also provides access to Horry County records. This portal links to county-level indexes and is useful when researching across multiple South Carolina counties at once. Both tools pull from the same official recorded documents.
The City of Myrtle Beach's official website at cityofmyrtlebeach.com provides access to planning documents, permits, and zoning information that complement the deed records held at the county level.
The City of Myrtle Beach website provides access to planning documents, permits, and zoning information that complement the deed records held at the county level.
Types of Property Documents for Myrtle Beach
The Horry County Register of Deeds records many kinds of instruments that affect Myrtle Beach real estate. Warranty deeds are the most common type used in home sales. A warranty deed transfers title and includes the seller's guarantee against prior claims. Quitclaim deeds transfer whatever interest the grantor has without guarantees. Both types become public record when filed.
Mortgages and deeds of trust are also recorded for Myrtle Beach properties. When a buyer finances a purchase, the lender records the mortgage to secure its interest. Satisfaction of mortgage documents are recorded when loans are paid off. Plats show the boundaries, dimensions, and lot layout for subdivisions and individual parcels. Easements grant specific rights across property, such as utility access or shared driveways, and are also recorded.
Other documents you may find in Myrtle Beach property records include:
- Mechanics liens from contractors and suppliers
- Releases and satisfactions of liens
- Lis pendens notices for pending litigation
- Judgment liens from court orders
- Homeowners association documents and restrictions
Each document must meet South Carolina recording standards. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-5-30, an instrument must be acknowledged or proved before a competent officer before it can be recorded. Section 30-5-35 also requires deeds and mortgages to include a derivation clause and the grantee's mailing address.
Property Assessment in Myrtle Beach
The Horry County Assessor maintains property values and classification records for all Myrtle Beach properties. South Carolina taxes real property based on assessed value multiplied by the applicable assessment ratio. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 12-37, owner-occupied homes are assessed at 4% of fair market value. Non-owner-occupied property, including vacation homes and commercial real estate, is assessed at 6%.
Myrtle Beach has a large vacation and short-term rental market. Many properties in this coastal city are classified at the 6% rate because they are not the owner's primary residence. Buyers who plan to use a Myrtle Beach property as a primary home should apply for the 4% legal residence exemption with the Horry County Assessor. This can significantly reduce the property tax bill.
South Carolina's Act 388 established the Assessable Transfer of Interest (ATI) rule. When a Myrtle Beach property is sold or transferred, it is reassessed at full fair market value for the next tax year. Between sales, annual increases are capped at 15% per reassessment cycle. The Horry County Assessor conducts a countywide reassessment every five years as required by state law.
The Myrtle Beach departments page covers planning, zoning, and permit services that often connect to property records held at the Horry County level.
The Myrtle Beach departments page covers planning, zoning, and permit services that often connect to property records held at the county level.
Recording a Document in Horry County
To record a deed or other instrument affecting Myrtle Beach real estate, the document must be submitted to the Horry County Register of Deeds. The state deed recording fee applies to all taxable transfers. The fee is calculated at $1.85 per $500 of consideration, or fraction thereof, on transfers above $100. The state portion is $1.30 and the county retains $0.55 of each unit. More detail on the fee structure is available at dor.sc.gov.
All documents must be legible and include a "Return to" name and address. The document must be acknowledged before a notary or other officer as required by S.C. Code Ann. § 30-5-30. Deeds must also include a derivation clause describing how the current owner obtained title. The recording date and instrument number are stamped on the document when it is accepted.
Note: South Carolina state tax liens are no longer filed at the county level as of November 1, 2019. Researchers must check the State Online Registry at dor.sc.gov/LienRegistry for state tax lien information on Myrtle Beach properties.
Historical Property Records for Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach was incorporated in 1938, and Horry County has maintained deed records well before that date. The earliest records in the Register of Deeds office cover land grants and transfers from the 19th century. Researchers tracing title back further can consult the South Carolina Department of Archives and History at scdah.sc.gov. The archives hold colonial plat books, state land grants, and surveyor general records that predate county-level recording.
The SC Land Records portal indexes instruments from many counties and is a good starting point for historical title research. For very old Myrtle Beach property records, checking both the county's in-house microfilm records and the state archives may be necessary to build a complete chain of title.
SC Land Records Portal
South Carolina maintains a statewide property records portal that connects researchers to county-level deed indexes. The portal is operated in coordination with the state's 46 recorder districts and provides a single entry point for searching recorded documents. Myrtle Beach property records accessible through the portal include the grantor and grantee index, legal descriptions, and document reference numbers.
The SC Land Records portal at sclandrecords.com gives researchers access to property indexes from Horry County and all of South Carolina's 46 recorder districts from a single online interface.
The SC Land Records portal at sclandrecords.com gives researchers access to property indexes from Horry County and the rest of South Carolina's 46 recorder districts.
The portal's index shows the names of parties to each recorded instrument and a short legal description. It does not replace a full title search, but it is a quick tool for finding recorded instruments that affect Myrtle Beach properties. For copies of actual documents, you can follow up directly with the Horry County Register of Deeds.
Horry County Property Records
Myrtle Beach is located in Horry County. All recorded property documents for Myrtle Beach are maintained at the Horry County Register of Deeds. For full county-level information including recording fees, office hours, assessor data, and related resources, visit the Horry County property records page.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
Properties in nearby cities are also recorded at the county level. Select a city to learn about property records in that area.