Crime Numbers
South Carolina’s State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) compiles crime data for all counties in the state. The Division’s most recent crime data for Aiken County are for 2017 and they show that the county recorded 669 violent crimes and 4,965 property crimes. Compared to 2013 crime data for the county, the violent crime rate increased by (21%) and the property crime rate shrank by (21.04%) in 2017.
An analysis of reported crimes for 2017 shows that there were 12 murders, 131 rapes, 94 robberies, and 432 aggravated assaults. Aiken County also recorded 978 burglaries, 3,473 larcenies, and 498 motor vehicle thefts in the same year. Aiken County’s latest five-year crime trend shows robbery (11.3%), burglary (38.2%), and larceny (17.5%) rates fell in 2017 compared to 2013. In the same period, murder, rape, aggravated assault, and motor vehicle theft rates rose by 71.4%, 72.4%, 18.7% and 0.2% respectively.
Criminal Records
South Carolina’s SLED provides criminal history checks for Aiken County online and via US mail. It provides both name-based and fingerprint-based checks. SLED charges $25 for each criminal history report. To request an online criminal history record for Aiken County, visit the SLED CATCH portal and search the database by providing the subject’s last name, first initial, and date of birth. Payments are made by card for online requests and attract an additional $1 processing fee.
Alternatively, the requester can submit a mail-in request by completing the Criminal Records Check Form. Make sure to attach a check or money order for copy fees and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Also, indicate if the criminal records result is to be notarized or certified. Address your mail to:
SLED Records Department
P.O. Box 21398
Columbia, SC 29221-1398
Note that SLED only provides fingerprint-based background checks when required by state or federal statutes.
Police reports for Aiken County are provided by the Sheriff’s Office and two law enforcement agencies operating in the county. To obtain a copy of a police report from the Sheriff’s Office, contact the Record Unit by calling (803) 642-1772 or visiting the office between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday at:
420 Hampton Ave, NE
Aiken, SC 29801
(803) 642-1761
For incidents that occurred in the City of Aiken, contact the Director of the City of Aiken Department of Public Safety for police reports by calling (803) 642-7620 or using this contact form. Police reports for the City of North Augusta are provided by the North Augusta Department of Public Safety located at:
444 E. Buena Vista Avenue
North Augusta, SC 29841
(803) 441-4271
Information on registered sex offenders living in Aiken County is maintained by SLED. The agency gives the public online access to the information via its SORT application. To find a registered sex offender living in Aiken County, search the registry by name, street address, or zip code. The search result is provided free of charge. A link to this registry can also be found on the Aiken County Sheriff's Office website. For more information on sex offenders living in the county, contact the Sheriff's Office at (803) 642-1761.
The county jail is the Aiken County Detention Center which is overseen by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office. This jail’s address is:
Aiken County Detention Center
435 Wire Road
Aiken, SC 29801
(803) 716-8518
To fund a commissary account for an inmate in the jail, use the cashier kiosks located in the visitation lobby of the Center. The automated kiosks are available to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, and accept $5 to $100 US denominations. There is a $3 convenience fee for utilizing the cashier kiosks. Family and friends can also make online card deposits to an inmate’s account. The inmate’s full name and Inmate ID number are required to complete this online transaction. To inquire about an inmate in custody use the search engine on the Sheriff’s website.
Court Records
Aiken County courts are part of the South Carolina Second Judicial Circuit. The county’s primary court of trial is the Circuit Court which has two divisions: the Court of Common Pleas (civil cases) and the Court of General Sessions (criminal cases). The other courts in Aiken County include the Family Court and Probate Court as well as Magistrate’s Courts and Municipal Courts. The addresses and contact information of all courts in the county are provided below:
Aiken County Circuit Court & Family Court
Judicial Center
109 Park Avenue SE
P.O. Box 583
Aiken, SC 29802
Phone: (803) 642-1715
Fax: (803) 642-1718
Aiken County Probate Court
Judicicial Center
109 Park Avenue SE
P.O. Box 1576
Aiken, SC 29802
Phone: (803) 642-2002
Fax: (803) 642-2007
Aiken County Magistrate Court - Aiken
Aiken County Government Center
1930 University Parkway
Suite 1500
Aiken, SC 29801
Phone: (803) 642-1744
Fax: (803) 642-1749
Aiken County Magistrate Court - Bond Court
435 Wire Road
Aiken, SC 29801
Phone: (803) 642-2044
Aiken County Magistrate Court - Midland Valley
Physical: 129 Langley Dam Road
Langley, SC 29851
Mailing: P.O. Box 769
Langely, NC 29834
Phone: (803) 593-5171
Fax: (803) 593-8402
Aiken County Magistrate Court - Monetta
5697 Columbia Highway N
P.O. Box 190
Monetta, SC 29105
Phone: (803) 685-7125
Fax: (803) 685-7988
Aiken County Magistrate Court - New Ellenton/Jackson
Warner Savannah River Research Campus
227 Gateway Drive
Suite 133
Aiken, SC 29803
Phone: (803) 652-3609
Aiken County Magistrate Court - North Augusta
North Augusta Services Center
537 Edgefield Road
North Augusta, SC 29841
Phone: (803) 202-3580
Fax: (803) 202-3583
Aiken County Magistrate Court - Traffic Court
Law Enforcement Center
420 Hampton Avenue NE
Aiken, SC 29801
Phone: (803) 642-7555
Fax: (803) 643-1924
Aiken County Magistrate Court - Wagener/Salley
108 Main Street N
P.O. Box 99
Wagener, SC 29164
Phone: (803) 564-5989
Fax: (803) 564-6004
Aiken Municipal Court
251 Laurens Street NW
P.O. Box 1177
Aiken, SC 29802
Phone: (803) 642-7676
Fax: (803) 642-7673
Burnettown Municipal Court
C.H. Williams Municipal Center
3187 Augusta Road
Burnettown, SC 29851
Phone: (803) 593-2676
Jackson Municipal Court
106 Main Street
P.O. Box 369
Jackson, SC 29831
Phone: (803) 471-2228
Fax: (803) 471-9563
New Ellenton Municipal Court
200 Main Street North
P.O. Box 459
New Ellenton, SC 29809
Phone: (803) 652-2214
Fax: (803) 652-3233
North Augusta Municipal Court
454 East Buena Vista Avenue
North Augusta, SC 29481
Phone: (803) 441-4271
Fax: (803) 441-4286
Perry Municipal Court
1075 East Railroad Avenue N
Perry, SC 29137
Phone: (803) 564-5756
Fax: (803) 564-6004
Salley Municipal Court
230 Pine Street NW
P.O. Box 484
Salley, SC 29137
Fax: (803) 258-3485
Wagener Municipal Court
P.O. Box 400
Wagener, SC 29164
Phone: (803) 564-3412
Fax: (803) 564-3507
Aiken County Clerk of Court maintains the records of the Circuit and Family Courts. The Clerk’s Office provides computer terminals in its lobby so the public can search available court records. Court records found on this terminal can be printed for 25 cents per page. Aiken County court records can also be viewed online by visiting the Aiken County homepage of the second judicial circuit public index. To obtain certified copies of these court records, call or visit the Clerk’s office at:
Robert J Harte, Clerk of Court
Judicial Center (Courthouse)
109 Park Avenue SE | First, Second, Third Floors
Aiken, SC 29801
(803) 642-1715
Email: clerkofcourt@aikencountysc.gov
Vital Records
Aiken County divorce records are provided by both the Aiken County Clerk of Court's Office and the Vital Records Office of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). Residents of the county can contact the Judgement Division of the Clerk’s Office (address above) to obtain copies of their divorce judgements.
To obtain copies of Aiken County divorce reports from the Vital Records Office, download and complete the application form. Vital Records charges a $12 non-refundable standard searching fee to provide a divorce record. Mail the completed form along with a money order for the fee and a copy of a valid ID to:
DHEC Vital Records
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 898-3630
Vital Records also accepts walk-in requests from Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Note that only Aiken County divorce records from July 1962 to December 2014 are available at the Vital Records Office. Walk-in requests are processed within 45 minutes while mail-in requests take between 2 - 4 weeks to complete.
Aiken County marriage, birth, and death records are also available from the Vital Records Office. The office holds Aiken County marriage records from July 1950 to December 2016. Marriage records prior to and after these dates can be obtained from Aiken County Probate Court. When requesting copies of a marriage record from the Vital Records office, use this application form. Complete the form, enclose the appropriate fee along with a copy of a valid ID, and walk into the local Vital Records Office in the county located at:
Aiken County
222 Beaufort St. NE
Aiken, SC 29801
(803) 642-1686
The Office also accepts mail requests sent to the same address. Follow the same process when applying for a copy of a birth or death record but use the relevant birth or death application form.
Are Property Records Open to the Public in Aiken County
Aiken County property records are open to the public members. Per the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, county residents and non-residents have the right to request, view, and obtain public records, such as property records. Interested persons can obtain copies of Aiken County property records from the custodian of the public document.
Where and How to Find Property Records in Aiken County
Offline and online copies of Aiken County property records are under the supervision of the Aiken County Assessor's Office. The Assessors’ Office generates and maintains records of all real estate transactions, such as deed sales, liens, mortgages, building permits, and other related documents. It also identifies, appraises, and assesses vacant, personal, commercial, and agricultural property for taxation in line with the South Carolina Department of Revenues’ guidelines. Record seekers may opt to obtain property records at the Assessors’ Office via in-person requests at:
Aiken County Assessors’ Office
Government Center
1930 University Parkway
Suite 2400
Aiken, SC 29801
Phone: (803) 642-1583
Requesters may obtain copies of property records in-person at the County Property Appraiser’s Office on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Similarly, the Aiken County Government Center enables requesters to submit online requests for property records via an online request portal. Record seekers must fill out the following details on the request portal:
- The requester’s full name
- The requester’s contact details
- Subject and description of the request
How to Look Up Aiken County Property Records
The Aiken County Assessor’s Office maintains and regularly updates online repositories of property records generated within the county. Record seekers may conduct Aiken County property records search on the searchable platforms via the following search types:
- Search by property owner’s full name or business name
- Search by location address in assessor data.
- Search by legal information
- Search by parcel number.
In addition, the Aiken County Assessor provides access to a searchable map interface. The map interface features parcels and parcel numbers, GIS address point, subdivision lot numbers, zip codes of all properties within the county. Record seekers can view information on properties within the county by selecting different search options.
Location of Aiken County Property Assessor
Aiken County Assessors’ Office
Government Center
1930 University Parkway
Suite 2400
Aiken, SC 29801
Phone: (803) 642-1583
