Crime Numbers
The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) compiles crime statistics for all counties in the state. Its latest crime data for Beaufort County are for 2017. In that year, the county recorded 621 violent crimes and 3,321 property crimes. Compared to crime figures for 2013, both the violent crime rate (18%) and property crime rate (25.9%) fell in 2017. A closer look at the reported crimes for 2017 shows that there were 7 murders, 102 rapes, 80 robberies, and 539 aggravated assault. Beaufort County also recorded 586 burglaries, 2,711 larcenies, and 247 motor vehicle thefts in the same year.
The latest five-year crime trend for Beaufort county indicates that murder (250%), rape (37.8%), and motor vehicle theft (5.1%) went up between 2013 and 2017. In the same period, other crimes recorded lower numbers: robbery (26.6%), aggravated assault (23.3%), burglary (48.3%), and larceny (20.5%).
Criminal Records
The SLED provides criminal background checks for all counties in South Carolina. Beaufort County background checks may be requested from the agency online or via US mail. SLED charges $25 for each criminal history result. When making an online request for a background check, visit the SLED CATCH portal and search by the database by providing the subject’s last name of the subject, first initial, and date of birth.
The SLED CATCH portal only offers name-based searches. However, the SLED provides fingerprint-based background checks when required by state and federal statutes. Card payments are accepted for criminal history records requested online. Note that there is an additional $1 processing fee for online orders. The agency also accepts mail-in requests sent to:
SLED Records Department
P.O. Box 21398
Columbia, SC 29221-1398
To make a mail request, complete the Criminal Records Check Form and enclose the appropriate payment along with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail-in requests can be paid for by business check, certified check, cashier's check, or money order. For further inquiry contact the SLED Public Dissemination Unit at (803) 896-1443.
The Criminal Record Section of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office provides countywide background checks. To obtain a copy of a local criminal history record, visit either of these Sheriff’s Office locations:
Beaufort Location
2001 Duke Street
Beaufort, SC 29902
Hilton Head Location
70 Shelter Cove Lane
Hilton Head, SC 29928
Police reports for Beaufort County are provided by the various law enforcement agencies serving the cities, boroughs, and towns of the county. For example, to obtain a report for the City of Beaufort (the county seat) and Hilton Head Island (the county’s largest city), contact the Beaufort County Sheriff’s office. When requesting a report from the office, complete the Freedom Of Information Request Form, and send it by email to foia@bcgov.net.
The Sheriff’s Office will reply with a confirmation and a notification of the total cost of the request(s). Send a money order or certified check for the payment along with a copy of the confirmation and a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office
P.O. Box 1758
Beaufort, SC 29901
South Carolina law empowers the SLED to maintain a Sex Offender Registry for all counties of the state. The agency provides the public access to this registry via its SORT application. To find any sex offender living in Beaufort County, search the registry by name, street address, or zip code.
The Beaufort County Detention Center is a medium-security jail managed by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. The Detention Center accepts inmates from surrounding cities, towns and municipalities, and it is located at:
100 Ribaut Road
Beaufort, SC 29902
Phone: (843) 255-5200
Friends and family can fund inmates’ accounts via the U.S. Mail, online at govpaynow.com (pay location code 5500), and by Money Gram (Facility ID 73J OCA#). Visitors can also make cash and card deposits at the kiosk in the jail lobby. The lobby is open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily except on Fridays when it closes earlier at 6:00 p.m. When making a deposit by U.S. Mail, send a cashier’s check or a U.S. Postal Money Order. For more information on inmate account funding call (843) 255-5179.
Court Records
The primary trial court in Beaufort County is the Circuit Court with general jurisdiction over civil cases (Common Pleas), and criminal cases (General Sessions). Other courts in the county include Family Court, Probate Court, Magistrates Courts, and Municipal Courts. The locations of the courts in the county are:
Beaufort County Circuit Court
102 Ribaut Road
Suite 208
P.O. Box 1128
Beaufort, SC 29901
Phone: (843) 255-5050 (Civil)
Phone: (843) 255-5057 (Criminal)
Beaufort County Family Court
102 Ribaut Road
Room 119
P.O. Box 1124
Beaufort, SC 29901
Phone: (843) 255-5660
Beaufort County Probate Court
102 Ribaut Road
Beaufort, SC 29902
Phone: (843) 255-5850
Beaufort County Probate Court - Hilton Head Island Satellite Office
County Government Center South
539 William Hilton Parkway
Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
Phone: (843) 255-5866
Beaufort County Magistrate Court - Beaufort
104 Ribaut Road
P.O. Box 2207
Beaufort, SC 29901
Phone: (843) 255-5700
Beaufort County Magistrate Court - Bluffton
4819 Bluffton Parkway
P.O. Box 840
Bluffton, SC 29910
Phone: (843) 255-5610
Beaufort Municipal Court
Beaufort Municipal Complex
1901 Boundary Street
Beaufort, SC 29902
Phone: (843) 525-7036
Bluffton Municipal Court
20 Bridge Street
P.O. Box 386
Bluffton, SC 29910
Phone: (843) 706-4530
Port Royal Municipal Court
700 Paris Avenue
P.O. Drawer 9
Port Royal, SC 29935
Phone: (843) 986-2229
Beaufort County Clerk of Court is the repository for all court records in the county. The Clerk provides online access for the public to search these court records. To obtain certified copies of these records, visit the Clerk’s office in person at the Beaufort County Circuit Court address above. The office is open from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Physical record search at the Clerk's office costs $25 and photocopies of these records cost 50 cents per page. Certification of copies of court document costs an additional $3 while the fee for exemplification is $4.
Vital Records
Beaufort County vital records are provided by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). The county’s divorce records from July 1962 to December 2014 are available at the Department. Each copy of divorce record costs $12. There is an additional $1 fee for certified copies. To request a copy of a divorce record, complete the application form and submit it along with a photocopy of a valid photo ID to:
DHEC Vital Records
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 898-3630
The office opens to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Department also accepts mail-in requests sent to the address above. When submitting a mail request, enclose a money order or cashier's check for the appropriate payment. To obtain copies of divorce records for annulments granted earlier than July 1962 and after December 2014, contact the Beaufort County Clerk of the Court.
The Vital Records office of DHEC also maintains marriage, death, and birth records for Beaufort County. Marriage records from July 1950 to December 2016 are available at the Department while older marriage records and those after these dates are provided by the Beaufort County Probate Court. To request a copy of a marriage certificate, download and complete the application form. The process and fee for requesting divorce records also apply to obtaining copies of a marriage record.
To request Beaufort County birth or death record from the Department, complete the birth or death application form. Mail this with the appropriate fee and a copy of a valid ID to the state’s office at the address provided above. Requesters can also submit their application forms in person at the local DHEC office in the county located at:
Beaufort County
1407 King Street
Beaufort, SC 29902
(843) 525-7637
