Getting a Marriage License in Richland County
Richland County Probate Court issues marriage licenses, not the Clerk of Court. Both the application and any certified-copy request are online only, and payment is by debit or credit card. The license fee is $45.24. South Carolina requires a 24-hour waiting period after the application is received, and Probate then mails the license to the address provided.
Eligibility is straightforward. Applicants over 18 may marry without parental consent; minor applicants must be at least 16 with added in-person parent or guardian consent. No blood test is required. Residency is not required either, but a South Carolina license can only be used for a South Carolina marriage. Do not apply if you are still legally married and have not finished a divorce with a final order signed by a judge and filed with the Clerk.
The Richland County Probate Court marriage page is shown below.
The marriage page lists requirements, the waiting period, the fee, and officiant rules.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
The whole application is done online. Gather your documents first, since each applicant must upload a picture ID and a document showing the full Social Security number.
- Gather a picture ID and an SSN document for both applicants.
- Complete the online marriage license application.
- Pay the $45.24 fee by debit or credit card.
- If using the premarital counseling tax credit, email the signed certification right after applying.
- Wait the statutory 24 hours, then receive the license by mail.
- Complete the ceremony within six months, with an authorized officiant.
Acceptable picture ID includes a valid driver's license, state ID, military ID, or passport. Acceptable SSN documents include a Social Security card, a tax return page showing the name and number, or a W-2. A non-U.S. citizen needs a valid passport and current visa. A one-time $50 premarital counseling tax credit is available with a signed certification.
Officiants and License Expiration
South Carolina sets who may perform the ceremony. Ministers of the Gospel, accepted Jewish Rabbis, and officers authorized to administer oaths in the state may officiate, under S.C. Code § 20-1-20. The license is meant to be used within six months. The county notes that if a license is signed after six months the marriage is still valid, but parties must reapply once six months pass if the license has not been used.
Plan the timing around the 24-hour waiting period and the six-month window. Because the license arrives by mail after the waiting period, do not schedule a ceremony for the same day you apply. If you use premarital counseling for the $50 tax credit, email the signed certification to the Probate marriage email right after you finish the online application, since it must be submitted at application.
Marriage License Application Fields
The online application collects identity and eligibility details for both applicants. The table below lists the core fields and how they work.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full Legal Name | Yes | For both applicants, as it will read on the license. |
| Picture ID Upload | Yes | Driver's license, state ID, military ID, or passport. |
| SSN Document Upload | Yes | Social Security card, tax return page, or W-2 showing the number. |
| Age / Consent | Yes | Over 18 with no consent; 16-17 needs parent or guardian consent in person. |
| Prior Marriage Status | Yes | Any prior marriage must be ended by a final divorce order. |
Richland County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Marriage and divorce fees sit with different offices. Probate sets the marriage fees; Family Court sets the divorce filing fee. The Clerk's certified divorce-decree copy fee is not published online, so call to confirm before mailing payment.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $45.24 |
| Certified marriage copy | $8 per copy |
| Family Court divorce filing | $150 |
| Certified divorce decree copy | Call the Clerk; fee not published online |
How to Look Up Richland County Marriage Records
To order a certified copy of a Richland County marriage license, use the official certified-copy search portal. You search by both parties' names as they appear on the license. The fee is $8 per copy, paid online, and payments are nonrefundable. Processing runs within two business days of a completed request, not on weekends, county holidays, or before 8:30 a.m. or after 5 p.m. Licenses applied for before 1993 may not show the date of marriage.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Party A First Name | Yes | As it appears on the license. |
| Party A Last Name | Yes | As it appears on the license. |
| Party B First Name | Yes | Names can be in any order. |
| Party B Last Name | Yes | Both names must match the license. |
The official certified-copy search form is shown below.
Use the certified-copy portal for Richland licenses; for a license issued elsewhere, use the state health agency.
How to Find Richland County Divorce Records
Divorce is handled in Family Court, which has exclusive jurisdiction over divorce, custody, support, and adoption. Richland County Family Court sits at 1701 Main Street, 1st Floor West Wing, phone 803-576-3320. There is a $150 filing fee to open any Family Court case. Family Court does not hand out generic divorce, separate maintenance, custody, or adoption forms; it tells filers to seek legal counsel or use the USC Law Library.
Public docket entries for a divorce may show in the statewide case index, but sensitive material about children, finances, abuse, adoption, and sealed matters can be restricted or redacted. For copies, the Clerk routes requests by year: divorces from 2005 and prior go through 803-576-1952, while 2006-and-later divorce, name change, and child support go through 803-576-3326. For the full case search, see Richland County court records.
How to File for Divorce in Richland County
A divorce case follows a set path through Family Court. Because the court does not provide generic forms, most people work with an attorney or research the required documents through the USC Law Library.
- Confirm South Carolina residency and the grounds for divorce under state law.
- Prepare the pleadings, since Family Court does not hand out generic divorce forms.
- File at Family Court, 1701 Main Street, 1st Floor West Wing, and pay the $150 fee or seek a fee waiver if eligible.
- Serve the other party as the rules require.
- Attend hearings or mediation as the court orders.
- Obtain the signed final order, then request copies from the correct Clerk division by year.
Sistercare keeps an office in the Family Court building for people who need protection in a domestic matter, and a judge may issue a restraining order in qualifying cases.
Restricted Family and Divorce Records
Family Court files are not fully open. Adoption records are closed under FOIA, and termination-of-parental-rights matters are restricted. Information about children, finances, abuse, and any sealed material can be redacted from a public docket. Juvenile matters are confidential under the Juvenile Justice Code. So a divorce may show basic docket entries in the public index while the sensitive parts stay private.
If you need a restricted record you are a party to, contact the Clerk division for that case. Access to a closed file usually needs a statutory right or a court order, not just a public records request.
Getting Certified Copies
A certified copy is the official version you need for legal, benefits, or name-change purposes. For a marriage license, order it through the online certified-copy portal at $8 per copy, and it is mailed to the address you give. For a divorce decree, contact the correct Clerk division by year and confirm the copy fee and accepted payment first. Plain printouts from the public index are not certified and may not be accepted in court.
Note: Marriage certified-copy payments are nonrefundable, and processing happens only on county business days, so plan ahead for any deadline.
South Carolina Vital Records
Not every marriage record lives with Richland County Probate Court. If the license was not applied for in Richland County, the county directs people to the South Carolina state health agency, which keeps statewide vital records. That office is the right path for a license issued in another county or for older statewide records.
Look up the state health agency's current vital-records contact and ordering steps on its official page, since those details were not listed on the county court pages reviewed. For Richland licenses, the county's own certified-copy portal is faster.