Crime Numbers
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) compiles crime data for all the counties in the state. Its latest records are for 2017. That year, Greenville County recorded 32 murders, 318 sexual batteries, 441 robberies, and 1,699 aggravated assaults. Larceny was the leading property crime with 10,839 cases followed by 2,739 incidences of burglary, 1,312 motor vehicle theft, and 60 arsons.
Compared to the 2013 crime data, murder (23.1%) and motor vehicle theft (1.5%) rates grew in Greenville County. On the other hand, the five-year crime trend also indicates falling sexual battery (2.5%), robbery (9.1%), aggravated assault (19.4%), burglary (34.6%), and larceny (7.7%) rates.
Greenville County Criminal Records
SLED provides background checks for criminal histories for the state of South Carolina through its CATCH (Citizens Access to Criminal Histories) program. It charges a non-refundable fee of $25 for each name-based criminal background check requested online or by mail. Online requests attract an additional $1 convenience fee.
Visit the Records Search page of the SLED CATCH portal to conduct an online criminal background check. Credit and debit cards are accepted for payment. To place a mail request, start by downloading and completing the Criminal Records Check Form. Send this along with payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
SLED Records Department
P.O. Box 21398
Columbia, SC 29221-1398
Indicate if you want the criminal history report generated certified and/or notarized. Acceptable payment options for mail requests include business, cashier’s, and certified checks as well as money order.
The various police departments of the cities and incorporated communities in Greenville County provide incident and accident reports for events that occurred within their jurisdictions. The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office also provides reports for areas within its jurisdiction such as the unincorporated communities.
The Sheriff’s Office releases non-confidential police reports and public records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Complete the FOIA Request Form provided by the Sheriff’s Office and submit it to the office located at 4 McGee Street, Greenville. Call the Sheriff’s Office at (864) 467-4608 for more information.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office charges 14 cents per page for black-and-white documents and 25 cents per page for color documents. Each CD or DVD containing electronic copies of records costs $5 while there is a $33 per hour fee for researching and processing records.
South Carolina law empowers SLED to collate information about registered sex offenders living in the state and make this database available to the public. In accordance with these provisions, SLED allows anyone to perform name and map searches when accessing the South Carolina Sex Offender Registry. Make sure to select South Carolina from the drop-down list of US states and provide a zip code, street address, or city in Greenville County when searching for offenders near your location.
The county jail is the Greenville County Detention Center. It is a division of the Greenville County Department of Public Safety andits address is:
20 McGee Street
Greenville, SC 29601
Its contact phone number is (864) 467-2309. The Detention Center has an Adult Facility and a Juvenile Facility. Use the online Inmate Search tool to find individuals booked into the county jail or perform a Greenville County Inmate Search using the specified criteria.
Friends and family members can fund inmates’ accounts by using the kiosks in the lobbies of Building One located at 20 McGee Street and Building Two (the old jail) located at 4 McGee Street. These kiosks are available at all hours and every day of the year. Debit/credit cards are accepted as well as cash in $1, $5, $10, $20, and $100 denominations. While there is no maximum limit for cash deposits, debit/credit card deposits have an upper limit of $300 per card per week.
It is also possible to fund an inmate’s account by sending a US Postal or Western Union money order by mail. There is no maximum deposit for money orders. Make your money order payable to an inmate (full name) c/o Greenville County Detention Center. Send this mail deposit to:
Mail Clerk
Greenville County Detention Center
20 McGee Street
Greenville, SC 29601
Greenville County Court Records
The Greenville County Circuit Court is the primary trial court for civil and criminal cases. However, it only hears large cases while the Magistrate and Municipal Courts in the county handle small claims, traffic cases, and misdemeanors. The Greenville County Family Court hears juvenile and divorce cases while Probate Court handles estate matters.
When the Circuit Court hears civil cases, it becomes the Court of Common Pleas. When it sits on criminal cases, it is the Court of General Sessions. Below are the court’s address and contact information:
Greenville County Courthouse
305 E. North Street
Greenville, SC 29601
Phone: (864) 467-8551
Fax: (864) 467-8540
The Clerk of Court, Circuit Court Division, maintains the records of this court. Use the 13th Judicial Circuit Public Index to search for court documents online. Greenville County Circuit Court records are also available for public viewing at the office of the Clerk of Court on the second floor of the Greenville County courthouse. The Clerk also provides copiers so anyone can make photocopies of these records.
Using the photocopiers costs 25 cents per page for single-sided copies and 50 cents per page for double-sided copies. Computer printouts of Greenville County Court Records cost 50 cents per page while fee for certifying and putting court seal on documents is $1 per page. Acceptable forms of payment include cash, business check, money order, and debit/credit card.
The address and contact information for the Greenville County Family Court are:
301 University Ridge
P.O. Box 757
Greenville, SC 29602
Phone: (864) 467-5800
Fax: (864) 467-5856
Use the Family Court Search to find case documents generated in this court.
The Greenville County Probate Court is at:
301 University Ridge
Greenville County Square
Suite 1200
Greenville, SC 29601
The phone number for its Records Division is (864) 467-7458. To obtain copies of the court’s records, submit a completed Copy Request Form to the courthouse. There is a search/copy fee of $5 per estate and a photocopy fee of 25 cents per page. Certified copies attract an additional $5 per document while Exemplification costs $20 per estate.
Below are the addresses and contact information for the Magistrate and Municipal Courts in Greenville County:
Greenville County Magistrate Court - Bond Court
Law Enforcement Center
4 McGee Street, Room 116-A,
Greenville, SC 29601
Phone: (864) 467-2402
Greenville County Magistrate Court - Chick Springs
2801 Wade Hampton Blvd, Suite 302,
Taylors, SC 29687
Phone: (864) 244-2922
Greenville County Magistrate Court - Fairview/Austin
205 North Maple Street, Suite 4,
Simpsonville, SC 29681
Phone: (864) 963-3457
Greenville County Magistrate Court - Gantt
1103 White Horse Road,
Greenville, SC 29605
Phone: (864) 277-4429
Greenville County Magistrate Court - Greer
100 South Main Street, Suite A,
Greer, SC 29650
Phone: (864) 877-7464
Greenville County Magistrate Court - North Greenville
301 Trailblazer Drive,
Travelers Rest, SC 29690
Phone: (864) 371-1400
Fax: (864) 371-1399
Greenville County Magistrate Court - South Greenville
8150 Augusta Road,
Piedmont, SC 29673
Phone: (864) 277-9555
Greenville County Magistrate Court - West Greenville
301 University Ridge, Suite 5100,
Greenville, SC 29601
Phone: (864) 467-4640
Fax: (864) 467-4644
Fountain Inn Municipal Court
315 North Main Street,
Fountain Inn, SC 29644
Phone: (864) 409-0617
Fax: (864) 409-8363
Greenville Municipal Court
426 North Main Street,
Greenville, SC 29601
Phone: (864) 467-6650
Fax: (864) 467-6651
Greer Municipal Court
100 South Main Street,
Greer, SC 29650
Phone: (864) 848-5374
Fax: (864) 848-5377
Mauldin Municipal Court
5 East Butler Road,
P.O. Box 249,
Mauldin, SC 29662
Phone: (864) 289-8907
Fax: (864) 297-3411
Simpsonville Municipal Court
118 NE Main Street,
Simpsonville, SC 29681
Phone: (864) 228-2009
Fax: (864) 967-9530
Travelers Rest Municipal Court
6711 State Park Road,
Travelers Rest, SC 29690
Phone: (864) 834-1630
Fax: (864) 834-4123
Visit these court locations or call to request for their records.
The Register of Deeds files, maintains, and provides all land records for Greenville County. These records include deeds, plats, mortgages, contracts, leases, and easements. To view and obtain copies of this records, visit the Register of Deeds’ office at Suite 1300 of County Square located at 301 University Ridge or call (864) 467-7240. The office opens from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Greenville County Vital Records
The Greenville County Family Court hears divorce cases and maintains records for these cases. You can obtain copies of your divorce record by requesting for them at the Office of the Clerk of Court in Room 202 of the Greenville County Courthouse located at 305 East North Street, Greenville.
The Greenville County Probate Court issues marriage licenses and provides copies of these records. Use its Marriage License Search to find records of a marriage online. The court also accepts mail requests for certified copies of marriage licenses. Download and complete an Application for Certified Copy of Marriage License for licenses issued from 1973 to the present. There is a different Application for licenses issued between 1911 and 1972. Mail the relevant form to:
Greenville County Probate Court
Marriage License Division
301 University Ridge, Suite 5600
Greenville, South Carolina 29601
Include a money order for copy fees and make it payable to Greenville County Treasurer. The fee for licenses issued between 1911 and 1972 is $5.50 while the cost for a marriage license issued after 1972 is $5.25. There is an additional research fee of $5 for requests without known marriage year.
Certified copies of birth and death certificates for Greenville County are available from the Vital Records office of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). Start by downloading and completing an Application for a Certified Copy of a Birth Certificate (available in Spanish) or Death Certificate (Spanish). Include a photocopy of a government-issued photo ID and a money order or cashier’s check payable to SC DHEC for search and copy fees. Mail this application to:
DHEC Vital Records
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
The DHEC charges $12 for search fee and one certified copy of a birth or death certificate. Each additional copy of the same record purchased at the same time costs $3. You can also bring a completed application to the local Vital Records Office in Greenville County. Its address is:
200 University Ridge
Greenville, SC 29601
Phone: (864) 372-3267
