Kershaw County Property Records in South Carolina
Kershaw County property records are kept at the Register of Deeds in Camden, one of South Carolina's oldest and most historically significant cities. Camden served as the site of two major Revolutionary War battles and has a rich history of land ownership documented in its property records. Kershaw County sits in the north-central region of South Carolina, bounded by Richland, Fairfield, Chester, Lancaster, Chesterfield, Darlington, Sumter, and Lee counties. The county is known for equestrian culture, historic homes, and agricultural land. The Register of Deeds records all deeds, mortgages, plats, liens, and other real property instruments filed in Kershaw County.
Kershaw County Quick Facts
Kershaw County Register of Deeds
The Kershaw County Register of Deeds is appointed by the county governing body. Under S.C. Code Ann. Section 30-5-10, Kershaw County is among those specifically listed as counties with a separate Register of Deeds office. The Register records, indexes, and preserves all instruments that affect title to real property within Kershaw County. This includes deeds, mortgages, plats, liens, easements, and releases. Each recorded instrument receives a reel and page number, is scanned, and is indexed by the names of the parties and a brief legal property description.
Documents submitted for recording must meet South Carolina's standards for acknowledgment, execution, and formatting. The office is in Camden at the county government complex. Staff assist researchers with name searches and can provide copies of recorded instruments. Original documents are returned to the party submitting them after recording. The statewide SC Land Records portal indexes Kershaw County documents and is available at sclandrecords.com.
| Office | Kershaw County Register of Deeds P.O. Box 385 Camden, SC 29020 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (803) 425-1503 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | kershaw.sc.gov |
How to Search Kershaw County Property Records
You can begin a Kershaw County property search through the SC Land Records portal at sclandrecords.com. This statewide tool indexes grantor and grantee names for instruments recorded at the Register of Deeds. A basic name search will return reel and page numbers for matching documents. For full document images, contact the Register of Deeds or visit in person. The system is free and available online at any time.
In-person research at the Kershaw County Register of Deeds is the most complete option for a title examination. Staff can run name searches on public access terminals and help locate older documents on microfilm. Bring a property address or parcel number to make the search faster. The Kershaw County Tax Assessor maintains ownership and assessment records that can confirm the current owner of a parcel and provide the tax map parcel number needed for deed research. The county GIS system provides an interactive map of parcel boundaries that complements deed research.
For a comprehensive title search going back many decades, many buyers and lenders work with licensed title companies or real estate attorneys experienced in Kershaw County property records. These professionals can search the full chain of title, identify liens and encumbrances, and issue title insurance based on their findings.
Note: Kershaw County deed records have deep historical roots going back to the Camden District period of the 1700s. Researchers tracing early ownership should plan to search both the Register of Deeds and the SC Archives.
Types of Documents Recorded in Kershaw County
The Kershaw County Register of Deeds records a full range of real property instruments. Warranty deeds are filed when property is sold with guarantees of clear title. Quitclaim deeds transfer interest without warranties and are common in family transfers or boundary adjustments. Mortgages and deeds of trust secure lender interests in Kershaw County real estate and are released by satisfaction or discharge when loans are paid off. Plats and surveys show the physical boundaries of parcels and are recorded when land is divided or a new subdivision is created.
Other instruments include mechanic's liens for unpaid construction work, judgment liens arising from civil court cases, tax liens for delinquent property taxes, easements granting rights of way across land, and restrictive covenants binding on subdivisions. UCC financing statements involving real property fixtures may also be recorded in Kershaw County land records. The public record of these instruments forms the basis for title searches and property ownership verification throughout Kershaw County.
Recording Requirements and Fees
To record any deed or instrument in Kershaw County, it must first meet the acknowledgment requirements of S.C. Code Ann. Section 30-5-30. The grantor's signature must be witnessed and acknowledged before a notary public or other authorized officer. Under Section 30-5-35, deeds executed after July 1, 1976, must contain a derivation clause identifying how the grantor received title. The grantee's mailing address must be inscribed on the face of the deed. Instruments that fail these requirements may be refused at the time of submission.
The South Carolina deed recording fee is $1.85 per $500 of the value transferred, after excluding the first $100 of consideration. This statewide fee applies to all Kershaw County real estate transfers. The Register of Deeds collects the fee at recording and sends the state's share to the Department of Revenue through MyDORWAY. The full fee schedule and guidance on exemptions are available at dor.sc.gov. A flat page recording fee of $15 applies to the first page of any instrument, with additional fees for subsequent pages. Under Section 30-5-90, the Register of Deeds must record all instruments within thirty days of lodgment.
The South Carolina Department of Revenue's SC Revenue Ruling 17-5 provides detailed guidance on fee calculations for many special situations including trust transfers, family deeds, and conservation easements.
Kershaw County Property Assessment
The Kershaw County Tax Assessor values all real property in the county for taxation. Under S.C. Code Ann. Title 12, Chapter 37, owner-occupied primary residences are assessed at 4% of fair market value. Agricultural land also carries a 4% assessment ratio. Commercial properties, second homes, and investment real estate are assessed at 6%. The Assessor maintains records of property characteristics, ownership history, and assessment values for all parcels in Kershaw County.
Kershaw County conducts countywide reassessments every five years as required by state law. Act 388 of 2006 caps value increases between reassessments at 15% for properties that do not transfer. If a property in Kershaw County is sold or transferred after December 31, 2006, it qualifies as an Assessable Transfer of Interest (ATI). The property is then placed on the tax records at full fair market value in the following year. This reassessment at transfer is separate from the regular five-year cycle and affects many properties each year as they change hands in Kershaw County's active real estate market.
Property owners who disagree with their assessed value may appeal to the Assessor. If not resolved, the appeal can proceed to the county Board of Assessment Appeals.
Historical Records in Kershaw County
Camden and the Kershaw County area have one of the richest property record histories in South Carolina. The town was founded in the 1730s and was a major commercial center by the time of the Revolutionary War. Property records from the Camden District period going back into the 18th century are held at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History at scdah.sc.gov. The Archives holds colonial plat books, state plat books from 1784 forward, and surveyor general records documenting original land grants across what is now Kershaw County. These records are indispensable for tracing long chains of title or researching historic estates in the Camden area.
The Archives is located at 8301 Parklane Road in Columbia and is open to the public during regular business hours. Researchers can also access finding aids and some digitized records online. The Register of Deeds office in Camden holds microfilm records of instruments going back to the county's early years, supplementing what is available at the Archives.
South Carolina Land Records and Statewide Tools
The SC Land Records portal at sclandrecords.com indexes property documents from all 46 South Carolina counties, including Kershaw. Searching by grantor or grantee name returns reel and page information for recorded instruments. The South Carolina Judicial Branch at sccourts.org holds court records including foreclosure filings, Master-in-Equity proceedings, and civil judgments that may affect title to Kershaw County real estate. The SC Association of Counties at scac.org provides general guidance on county government and recording office operations. The full text of Title 30 governing property recording is at scstatehouse.gov.
Nearby Counties
Kershaw County is centrally located in South Carolina and borders many other counties. The property you are searching may be close to a county line, so confirm the correct recording office by checking the parcel's address.