Chester County Property Records Search
Chester County property records go back to 1785, the year the county was formed. The Clerk of Court in Chester, South Carolina maintains all deed books, mortgage records, plats, and other property instruments for the county. Chester County is one of the oldest recording districts in South Carolina, and its property records reflect more than two centuries of land transactions. Researchers, attorneys, and property owners can access Chester County property records at the courthouse in Chester or through statewide online tools. The county seat is Chester, and the Clerk of Court office serves the entire county.
Chester County Quick Facts
Chester County Clerk of Court
The Clerk of Court in Chester handles all real property recording for Chester County. Under Section 30-5-10 of the South Carolina Code, Chester County is among the counties where the Clerk of Court performs recording duties rather than a separate Register of Deeds. The Clerk maintains the official archive of all real estate instruments for the county, going back to the county's formation in 1785.
The Chester County Clerk of Court at chestercounty.org maintains the official archive of all real estate instruments for the county, dating back to its formation in 1785.
The Chester County Clerk of Court office is accessible at chestercounty.org, where you can find contact details and information about county services including property recording.
The Clerk records deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, easements, and all other instruments affecting real property in Chester County. Each submitted document is reviewed for compliance with state standards, assigned a book and page number, scanned into the county's digital system, and indexed by the names of the parties. The index allows searching by grantor or grantee name. The recording fee for Chester County follows the statewide schedule: $15 for the first page and $5 for each additional page.
The Chester County departments page at chestercounty.org provides links to the Clerk of Court and other offices involved in property records and tax administration.
The Chester County departments page at chestercounty.org provides links to the Clerk of Court and other offices involved in property records and tax administration.
| Office |
Chester County Clerk of Court P.O. Box 580 Chester, SC 29706 Phone: (803) 385-2605 |
|---|---|
| Website | chestercounty.org |
| Recording Fee | $15.00 first page; $5.00 each additional page |
| Deed Recording Fee | $1.85 per $500 of property value |
| Records Since | 1785 (county formation) |
Accessing Chester County Property Records
Chester County property records can be accessed in person at the Clerk of Court office in Chester. Staff can assist with searches by party name or book and page reference. Public access terminals may be available to search the digital index directly. For older records from the early 1800s and late 1700s, some volumes are held at the county level while others may be on microfilm or at the state archives.
The SC Land Records portal at sclandrecords.com provides online access to a statewide index of recorded instruments. The portal lets you search Chester County property records by grantor or grantee name from any internet connection. Once you find a document in the index, you can note the book and page number and request a copy from the Clerk of Court. The portal is free and does not require an account to use.
For title searches in Chester County, you will typically need to search both the grantee index (to trace backward in time through prior owners) and the grantor index (to check for any outstanding mortgages or liens). A complete search covers the full period of ownership for each party in the chain. Given that Chester County records go back to 1785, deep title searches may require working with the state archives for the earliest deed books.
Note: Chester County deed books dating to the county's formation in 1785 are maintained by the Clerk of Court and by the SC Department of Archives and History for the oldest volumes.
Property Documents in Chester County
The Clerk of Court archives a full range of real property instruments for Chester County. Warranty deeds are the most common type of conveyance. The grantor in a warranty deed guarantees the quality of title and agrees to defend the grantee against any claims. Quitclaim deeds transfer only the grantor's existing interest without any title guarantee. Both must be properly executed and acknowledged before they can be recorded in Chester County.
Mortgages are recorded to create a security interest in real property. When a property owner borrows money and pledges real estate as collateral, the lender records a mortgage or deed of trust. When the loan is paid off, a satisfaction or release is recorded to clear the lien from title. Plats recorded with the Clerk of Court show the survey boundaries of parcels and subdivisions. Easements and rights-of-way are also recorded, along with lis pendens notices that alert the public to pending litigation affecting real property.
Under Section 30-5-30, every deed and mortgage must be acknowledged before an officer authorized to administer oaths in South Carolina. A notary public acknowledgment on the face of the document satisfies this requirement. Instruments without proper acknowledgment are rejected at the recording window. Section 30-5-35 also requires a derivation clause on deeds executed after July 1, 1976, linking each conveyance back to the prior instrument in the chain of title.
Recording Requirements
Every document submitted to the Chester County Clerk of Court for recording must meet specific requirements. The document must be an original with original signatures. It must be printed or typed in black ink on white paper measuring at least 8.5 by 11 inches. The first page must have a three-inch clear top margin for recording data. All other margins must be at least one inch. The document must be legible and suitable for digital scanning.
The deed recording fee applies to all real property transfers. The fee is $1.85 per $500 of property value as set by the SC Department of Revenue. Visit dor.sc.gov for the full fee schedule and guidance on how the fee is calculated. The county collects both the county portion ($0.55 per $500) and the state portion ($1.30 per $500) at the time of recording. The state portion is remitted monthly through the SCDOR's MyDORWAY system.
Under Section 30-5-90, the Clerk of Court must record all instruments in the order received and must complete recording within thirty days of lodgment. This rule ensures that the public record reflects the sequence of transactions as they occurred.
Chester County Property Assessment
The Chester County Assessor values all real property in the county for taxation purposes. Under Title 12, Chapter 37 of South Carolina law, the assessment ratios are set statewide. An owner-occupied primary home is assessed at 4% of fair market value. Commercial property, investment real estate, and second homes are assessed at 6%. Agricultural land also qualifies for the 4% ratio under specific conditions.
Chester County is required to conduct a countywide reassessment every five years. Under the rules established by Act 388, the taxable value of a property that does not change hands is capped at a 15% increase between reassessments. When a property is sold or transferred, an Assessable Transfer of Interest (ATI) occurs. The property then goes on the tax rolls at full fair market value for the next tax year. This reassessment applies regardless of when in the year the transfer occurred. New property owners in Chester County should confirm the current assessed value with the Assessor's office after taking title.
The SC Association of Counties at scac.org provides public resources on county property assessment procedures and tax administration for all 46 South Carolina counties.
Historical Records and State Archives
Chester County's long history as a recording district means that a significant body of historical land records exists for the county. Deed books go back to 1785, and researchers studying ownership chains from that era can find records at the Clerk of Court office or at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. The state archives at scdah.sc.gov holds historical county records including microfilm copies of deed books from many South Carolina counties.
The state archives also preserves the Surveyor General's Colonial Plat Books from 1731 to 1775 and State Plat Books from 1784 to 1868. These records cover the original land grants that preceded organized county recording systems. For research into land ownership in Chester County from the late 1700s and early 1800s, both the county deed books and the state plat books may be necessary. The SC Archives reading room in Columbia is open to researchers by appointment, and many records have been microfilmed for remote access.
Note: The SC Department of Archives and History is the main repository for historical property records that predate or supplement the county deed books maintained by the Chester County Clerk of Court.
Nearby Counties
Chester County borders five other South Carolina counties. Real property must be recorded in the county where the land is physically located. Check the property address if you are unsure which county office holds the records you need.