Horry County South Carolina Property Records

Horry County property records are maintained by the Register of Deeds in Conway, the county seat. Horry County stretches across the northeastern corner of South Carolina, covering the Grand Strand coast from Little River south to Pawleys Island and extending inland toward the Pee Dee region. It is one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, with major population centers in Myrtle Beach, Conway, Carolina Forest, and Socastee. The Register of Deeds records and indexes all real property instruments filed in Horry County, making them available to the public through both in-person visits and online search systems. More than 624,000 deed documents and over 378,000 mortgage documents are on file.

Horry County Register of Deeds

The Horry County Register of Deeds is appointed by the county governing body. Under S.C. Code Ann. Section 30-5-10, Horry County is specifically listed among the counties required to maintain a Register of Deeds separate from the Clerk of Court. The office records all instruments that affect title to real property in Horry County and provides public access to those records.

The Register of Deeds office in Conway is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Staff can assist with name searches, help locate documents by parcel identification number, and provide copies of recorded instruments. For certified copies and document reproduction, fees apply. The office also accepts documents for recording in person or by mail, provided they meet all formatting and acknowledgment requirements under South Carolina law.

The Horry County government site at horrycounty.org/departments provides online access to Horry County deed and property information, including real property tax records, assessment data, payment history, and document images for many recorded instruments.

How to Search Horry County Property Records

Horry County offers several ways to search property records. The online Land Records system allows searches by owner name, property address, parcel identification number (PIN), or document type. This portal is available around the clock and covers deed records dating back to 1989. You can view document images for many records without making a trip to the office. The Horry County GIS Application is a companion tool that lets you view property boundaries, zoning details, and basic ownership information on an interactive map. You can also export property reports from the GIS system for parcels you are researching.

For in-person research, visit the Register of Deeds at the county government complex in Conway. Staff can run name searches, pull documents by reel and page number, and assist with records that may not yet be indexed online. Bring the property address or PIN if you have it. Older records going back further than the online index are available in the office on microfilm. For a formal written request, you can submit one through the county's Online Services portal. When a title examination requires comprehensive research covering decades of ownership and liens, working with a licensed title company or real estate attorney familiar with Horry County records is advisable.

The Horry County government site at horrycounty.org/departments provides a convenient starting point for most property searches in Horry County. Free access options include public terminals at county offices, the basic online search portal, GIS resources, and public library access points.

Note: Searches requiring certified copies or bulk data requests carry additional fees beyond the basic free access options.

Types of Documents Recorded in Horry County

The Horry County Register of Deeds records a broad range of real property instruments. Deed records include warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, and trustee deeds filed when property changes ownership. Mortgages and deeds of trust are filed by lenders to secure their interest in Horry County real estate. The mortgage index dates back to 2002 with over 378,000 mortgage documents on file. Plats and surveys show lot lines, easements, and physical features of a parcel and are required when land is subdivided or a new lot is created.

Other documents include property liens, easements, restrictions and covenants attached to subdivision developments, and releases of mortgage when loans are satisfied. UCC filings involving fixtures may also appear in county land records. Each recorded instrument is assigned a reel and page number, scanned into the county system, and indexed by the names of the parties and a property description. The statewide SC Land Records portal at sclandrecords.com also indexes many Horry County documents and provides a searchable name index.

Recording Requirements and Fees

All instruments presented for recording in Horry County must meet the requirements of S.C. Code Ann. Section 30-5-30, which requires proper acknowledgment before a notary public or other officer competent to take oaths. Deeds executed after July 1, 1976, must include a derivation clause under Section 30-5-35, stating from whom the grantor received title. The grantee's mailing address must also be included on the deed. Documents that do not meet these standards may be rejected for recording.

The South Carolina deed recording fee applies to all transfers of real property in Horry County. The fee is $1.85 per $500 of value transferred, or fraction thereof, after the first $100 is excluded. The Register of Deeds collects this fee at the time of recording. Detailed guidance on the fee, including exemptions for family transfers, gift deeds, and trust transactions, is available from the South Carolina Department of Revenue at dor.sc.gov. A page recording fee of $15 for the first page applies to all recorded instruments, with additional charges per page after the first. The Register of Deeds must record all instruments within thirty days of lodgment under Section 30-5-90.

Because Horry County borders North Carolina, certain properties near the state line may be subject to the provisions of S.C. Code Ann. Section 30-5-270, the boundary clarification statute. This law took effect January 1, 2017, and requires the Register of Deeds to file a Notice of State Boundary Clarification for affected lands whose title history may span both states.

Horry County Property Assessment

The Horry County Assessor's Office is located at 1301 Second Avenue, Suite 1C01, in Conway. The Assessor can be reached at (843) 915-5040. The office maintains property valuations, assessment rolls, property characteristics, tax maps, and ownership records for all real property in Horry County. South Carolina law under S.C. Code Ann. Title 12, Chapter 37 sets the assessment ratios: 4% for owner-occupied primary residences, 4% for agricultural use, and 6% for commercial property, second homes, and other real estate. Horry County has a significant number of vacation properties, which are assessed at the 6% commercial rate rather than the 4% residential rate unless the owner qualifies for the primary residence exemption.

Act 388 of 2006 capped taxable value increases at 15% between reassessments for properties that do not transfer. When a property is sold or transferred after December 31, 2006, it becomes an Assessable Transfer of Interest (ATI) and is reassessed at full fair market value in the following tax year. Horry County conducts countywide reassessments every five years as required by state law. Property owners who disagree with an assessed value can appeal to the Assessor's Office and, if needed, to the county Board of Assessment Appeals.

Historical Records for Horry County

Horry County was established in 1801 from Georgetown District. Land records for the county dating from 1801 forward are held at the Register of Deeds. Pre-county records from the Georgetown District period are available through the South Carolina Department of Archives and History at scdah.sc.gov. The Archives holds the Colonial Plat Books, State Plat Books, and Surveyor General records that document original land grants going back to the 1730s. These records are essential for researchers tracing chains of title to original grants along the Waccamaw Neck and the Pee Dee river system that runs through Horry County.

The SC Department of Archives and History also holds microfilm of early Horry County deed and mortgage records. Researchers working on historical titles can visit the Archives in Columbia or use finding aids online. The online deed index at the Register of Deeds office covers records from 1989 forward, but the office also holds older instruments on microfilm for decades prior to that date.

Note: Records from the early 1800s through the mid-20th century in Horry County are primarily available on microfilm at the Register of Deeds or at the Archives in Columbia.

South Carolina Land Records and Statewide Tools

Several statewide tools help with Horry County property record research. The SC Land Records portal at sclandrecords.com indexes documents recorded across South Carolina's 46 counties. For Horry County, the name index is searchable and links to reel and page information. The South Carolina Judicial Branch at sccourts.org provides court records including foreclosure filings and civil judgments that may become property liens in Horry County.

The South Carolina Association of Counties at scac.org offers information about county government structures and property records management. Title 30 of the SC Code of Laws at scstatehouse.gov sets the full legal framework for recording offices statewide. Horry County property owners and researchers can also use the SC Land Records portal at sclandrecords.com for basic ownership lookups and document searches.

Cities in Horry County

Horry County is home to several major cities and communities along the Grand Strand coast and inland along the Waccamaw River. All property records for parcels in these cities are filed at the Horry County Register of Deeds in Conway.

Myrtle Beach is the largest city in Horry County and a major coastal resort destination. Conway serves as the county seat. Carolina Forest and Socastee are growing communities near Myrtle Beach.

Nearby Counties

Horry County borders several South Carolina counties and shares a portion of its northern boundary with Brunswick County in North Carolina. Property near county lines may require checking records in more than one jurisdiction.

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