Clarendon County Property Records and Deeds
Clarendon County property records are maintained by the Register of Deeds in Manning, South Carolina. The Register of Deeds records all deeds, mortgages, plats, liens, and other instruments affecting real property in the county. Manning is the county seat, and the Register of Deeds serves as the central repository for land title documents in Clarendon County. Anyone who needs to research ownership history, verify a mortgage, or review a plat can access Clarendon County property records at the office in Manning or through state online search tools. The Assessor's office works alongside the Register of Deeds to maintain assessment and ownership data for all parcels in the county.
Clarendon County Quick Facts
Clarendon County Register of Deeds
The Clarendon County Register of Deeds is an appointed office that records and preserves all real property instruments for the county. Under Section 30-5-10 of the South Carolina Code, Clarendon County is one of the designated counties that maintains a separate Register of Deeds rather than using the Clerk of Court for recording. The office is in Manning and handles all recording for land located within Clarendon County's boundaries.
Every document brought to the Register of Deeds for recording is reviewed for compliance with state formatting and acknowledgment requirements. If the document passes review, it is assigned a sequential book and page number. The document is then scanned into the county's digital system and indexed by grantor and grantee name. This index is the primary way title researchers locate specific deeds, mortgages, and other instruments in the Clarendon County records. The standard state recording fees apply to all documents submitted here.
| Office |
Clarendon County Register of Deeds P.O. Box 106 Manning, SC 29102 Phone: (803) 435-4447 |
|---|---|
| Website | clarendoncounty.org/register-of-deeds |
| Recording Fee | $15.00 first page; $5.00 each additional page |
| Deed Recording Fee | $1.85 per $500 of property value |
How to Search Clarendon County Property Records
Clarendon County property records can be accessed in person at the Register of Deeds office in Manning. The office maintains both a digital index and historical paper or microfilm records. Staff can help you search by party name, book and page number, or legal description. Public access terminals at the office allow direct searching without staff assistance for most digitized records.
The SC Land Records portal at sclandrecords.com is a statewide tool that provides online access to recorded property instruments. The portal indexes the names of all parties to a document and includes a short legal description of the property. You can search Clarendon County records by grantor or grantee name without traveling to Manning. Once you identify a relevant document, you can note the book and page number and contact the Register of Deeds office for a copy. The statewide portal is free to use.
For property tax information and ownership data, the Clarendon County Assessor at clarendoncounty.org/assessor maintains a separate database of assessed values, parcel identifiers, and ownership records. The Assessor's system is a useful companion to the deed records when researching current ownership or property characteristics.
Note: When searching for Clarendon County property records, having the full legal name of the owner or the book and page number of a prior deed will significantly speed up the search process.
Clarendon County Assessor Records
The Clarendon County Assessor at clarendoncounty.org/assessor maintains assessment and ownership data for all real property in the county.
The Assessor's office updates ownership records after each deed recording and conducts countywide reassessments every five years under state law.
The Assessor's office values all real property in Clarendon County for taxation purposes. Assessment ratios under Title 12, Chapter 37 are set statewide. An owner-occupied primary residence is assessed at 4% of fair market value. Commercial and investment property and second homes are assessed at 6%. Agricultural land meeting the use requirements also qualifies for the 4% ratio. The Assessor maintains current ownership records that reflect deed transfers recorded at the Register of Deeds. When a deed is recorded, the Assessor updates the ownership record for the parcel to reflect the new owner.
Clarendon County conducts a countywide reassessment every five years as required by state law. Between reassessments, properties that have not changed hands are subject to the 15% cap established by Act 388. An Assessable Transfer of Interest (ATI) occurs when a property is sold or transferred. After an ATI, the property is reassessed at full fair market value for the next tax year, which can significantly change the tax bill compared to the prior capped value.
Types of Property Documents
The Clarendon County Register of Deeds records all instruments that affect title to land in the county. Warranty deeds are the most common conveyance and carry the grantor's guarantee of title quality. Quitclaim deeds transfer whatever interest the grantor holds without any title warranty. Deeds of distribution pass real property from an estate to heirs. These and other deed types are all recorded and indexed the same way.
Mortgages create a security interest in real property when the property is pledged as collateral for a loan. The mortgage is released when the loan is paid, and the release is recorded to cancel the lien. Subdivision plats are recorded when land is divided. Each plat is reviewed and approved before recording and becomes a permanent part of the public record. Easements grant use rights over portions of land and are recorded so they are visible to future buyers. Mechanic's liens and lis pendens notices are also recorded when they affect real property in Clarendon County.
Under Section 30-5-35, deeds and mortgages executed after July 1, 1976 must include a derivation clause. This clause ties the current instrument back to the one by which the grantor acquired title. It is a required part of all modern conveyances in Clarendon County and throughout South Carolina.
Recording Requirements
Instruments submitted for recording at the Clarendon County Register of Deeds must comply with the requirements set by South Carolina law. Documents must be originals with original signatures. They must be printed in black ink on paper at least 8.5 by 11 inches in size. The first page must have a three-inch clear top margin for recording data. Side and bottom margins must be at least one inch.
Under Section 30-5-30, every deed or mortgage must be acknowledged before it can be recorded. The grantor signs in front of a notary public, and the notary's certificate must appear on the document. The deed recording fee under SC Revenue Ruling #17-5 is $1.85 per $500 of property value. The Register of Deeds collects this fee at the time of submission. Under Section 30-5-90, the office must record all lodged documents within thirty days, in the order they were received.
The South Carolina Association of Counties at scac.org provides general guidance on county recording practices and property records administration for all 46 South Carolina counties.
Historical Records
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History at scdah.sc.gov is the primary state resource for historical land records. The department holds the Surveyor General's Colonial Plat Books from 1731 to 1775 and State Plat Books from 1784 to 1868. These records document the original grants of land in the Clarendon County area and form the foundation of title chains across the Midlands region.
Clarendon County's historical deed books are maintained at the Register of Deeds office in Manning. For older records and any volumes that have been microfilmed, the state archives may hold copies or can direct researchers to the appropriate source. The SC Judicial Branch at sccourts.org maintains records of foreclosures, probate matters, and other court proceedings that affect real property in Clarendon County. These court records often intersect with deed records when researching a complete title history.
Nearby Counties
Clarendon County borders several other South Carolina counties in the Midlands and Pee Dee regions. Real property must be recorded in the county where the land is located.