South Carolina Department of Archives and History

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History (SCDAH) is the official state agency responsible for managing, preserving, and providing access to South Carolina's permanent government records and historical materials. Established under S.C. Code Ann. § 60-11-10 et seq., the agency operates as a central repository for documentary evidence of state and local government activity dating from the colonial period to the present. Its functions affect legal record compliance, genealogical research, property documentation, and the operational memory of all 46 South Carolina counties.

Definition and scope

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History is a cabinet-level state agency operating under the authority of the South Carolina General Assembly. Its statutory mandate encompasses three distinct operational areas: records management for state and local government agencies, preservation of historically significant documents and artifacts, and administration of the National Register of Historic Places program within South Carolina.

The agency maintains physical custody of approximately 25,000 cubic feet of permanent government records, including legislative journals, court records, land grants, and military rosters. These holdings extend from the early colonial period of the 1670s through the 20th century.

Scope of coverage applies to:

Does not apply to / not covered:

Researchers and government officers seeking a broader orientation to how state agencies relate to one another should consult the South Carolina government reference index for structural context.

How it works

The SCDAH operates through four functional divisions: State Records Management, Archival Services, Historic Preservation (the State Historic Preservation Office, or SHPO), and Administration.

Records Management administers retention schedules for state and local government agencies. Agencies submit records to SCDAH according to approved schedules; records with permanent retention value are transferred to the Archives for permanent custody. Records with temporary retention are tracked through the State Records Center until authorized destruction.

Archival Services manages the physical and digital holdings at the main facility in Columbia. Researchers access holdings in a supervised reading room. Digitization projects have made portions of the collection available through the agency's online catalog, though the majority of holdings require on-site review.

Historic Preservation / SHPO administers South Carolina's participation in the federal historic preservation program under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (54 U.S.C. § 300101 et seq.). This includes nominating properties to the National Register of Historic Places, reviewing federally assisted undertakings under Section 106 of that Act, and administering the state historic tax credit program.

The agency is governed by the State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB), a federally chartered body required under 36 C.F.R. Part 1220, which coordinates with NARA on records policy.

Common scenarios

The following scenarios represent the most frequent interactions between SCDAH and government agencies, legal professionals, and researchers:

  1. Vital records research: Pre-1915 birth and death records in South Carolina are held by SCDAH rather than the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Researchers seeking records from that period submit requests directly to SCDAH.

  2. Land grant verification: Original colonial and state land grants are part of the permanent archival collection. Title attorneys and surveyors consult these records to resolve chain-of-title disputes in counties such as Richland County and Charleston County, where historical conveyances are dense.

  3. Section 106 review: Federal agencies and project sponsors with undertakings that may affect historic properties must consult with the SHPO. This process applies to projects using federal funding, permits, or licenses — including highway projects administered through the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

  4. Records retention compliance: State agencies that dispose of public records without an approved retention schedule are in violation of S.C. Code Ann. § 30-1-90. SCDAH audits agency compliance and issues retention schedules. The South Carolina Department of Administration coordinates with SCDAH on cross-agency records policy.

  5. Genealogical research: The archival holdings include probate records, military service rosters, and census-related documents. The SCDAH reading room in Columbia serves as a primary access point for in-state genealogical research that cannot be completed through digitized databases.

Decision boundaries

Determining whether SCDAH has jurisdiction or responsibility over a specific record or preservation matter requires applying the following distinctions:

State records vs. federal records: If a record was created by a South Carolina state agency, local government, or court operating under state authority, SCDAH is the presumptive custodian for permanent records. If the record was created by a federal agency — including federal courts operating in South Carolina — NARA is the appropriate custodian, not SCDAH.

SHPO review vs. non-federal projects: Section 106 consultation with SCDAH's SHPO is mandatory only when a federal nexus exists (federal funding, federal permit, or federal license). Purely private construction projects on privately owned historic properties do not trigger Section 106 review, though they may trigger review under the state environmental policy framework or local historic district ordinances.

Permanent records vs. temporary records: Not all government records transfer to SCDAH. Only records designated as permanent under an approved retention schedule become part of the archival collection. Records with administrative, fiscal, or legal value below the permanent threshold are managed through agency-level retention and eventual destruction under SCDAH-issued schedules.

Open records vs. restricted records: Public records held by SCDAH are subject to South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act (S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10 et seq.). However, certain records — including sealed court records, adoption files, and records restricted by statute — are not available to the general public regardless of their archival status.

County-level record custodianship varies by record type. Deed books and mortgage records remain with individual county registers of deeds — for example, those maintained by Greenville County or Lexington County — and are not transferred to SCDAH unless they meet the permanent designation threshold under an approved schedule.

References