2020 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 30 - Public Records
Chapter 5 - Recording Generally
Section 30-5-30. Prerequisites to recording.

Except as otherwise provided by statute, before any deed or other instrument in writing can be recorded in this State, it must be acknowledged or proved by the method described in subsection (A)(1), (A)(2), or (B).

(A)(1) The execution of the deed or other instrument must be first proved by the affidavit of a subscribing witness to the instrument, taken before some officer within this State competent to administer an oath. If the affidavit is taken without the limits of this State, it may be taken before:

(a) a commissioner appointed by dedimus issued by the clerk of the court of common pleas of the county in which the instrument is to be recorded;

(b) a commissioner of deeds of this State;

(c) a clerk of a court of record who shall make certificate of the deed or other instrument under his official seal;

(d) a justice of the peace who shall append to the certificate his official seal;

(e) a notary public who shall affix to the deed or other instrument his official seal within the state of his appointment, which is a sufficient authentication of his signature, residence, and official character;

(f) before a minister, ambassador, consul general, consul, or vice consul, or consular agent of the United States of America; or

(g) in the case of any officer or enlisted man of the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard on active duty outside the State or any civilian employee of any such organization on active duty outside the continental confines of the United States, any commissioned officer of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, if the probating officer states his rank, branch, and organization.

(2) The Uniform Recognition of Acknowledgments Act must be complied with or the person executing it shall submit an affidavit subscribed to before a person authorized to perform notarial acts herein or by the Uniform Recognition of Acknowledgments Act that the signature on the deed or other instrument is his signature and that the instrument was executed for the uses and purposes stated in the instrument.

(B) A deed or other instrument must be signed by the grantor, mortgagor, vendor, or lessor and the signing must be acknowledged by the grantor, mortgagor, vendor, or lessor in the presence of two witnesses, taken before some officer within this State competent to administer an oath. If the acknowledgment is taken without the limits of this State, it may be taken before:

(1) a commissioner appointed by dedimus issued by the clerk of the court of common pleas of the county in which the instrument is to be recorded;

(2) a commissioner of deeds of this State;

(3) a clerk of a court of record who shall make certificate of the deed or other instrument under his official seal;

(4) a justice of the peace who shall append to the certificate his official seal;

(5) a notary public who shall affix to the deed or other instrument his official seal within the state of his appointment, which is a sufficient authentication of his signature, residence, and official character;

(6) before a minister, ambassador, consul general, consul, or vice consul, or consular agent of the United States of America; or

(7) in the case of any officer or enlisted man of the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard on active duty outside the State or any civilian employee of any such organization on active duty outside the continental confines of the United States, any commissioned officer of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, if the probating officer states his rank, branch, and organization.

(C) Where the instrument is acknowledged by the grantor or maker, the form of acknowledgement must be in substance as follows:

"South Carolina,

_________________ County.

I (here give the name of the official and his official title), do hereby certify that (here give the name of the grantor or maker), personally appeared before me this day and acknowledged the due execution of the foregoing instrument.

Witness my hand and (where an official seal is required by law) official seal this the ___ day of ___ (year).

_________________

Signature of Officer"

(D) The submission of a land development plan or land use plan is not a prerequisite and must not be required before the execution of a deed transferring undeveloped real property. A local governmental entity may still require the grantee to file a plat at the time the deed is recorded.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 60-51; 1952 Code Section 60-51; 1942 Code Section 3632; 1932 Code Section 3632; Civ. C. '22 Section 2176; Civ. C. '12 Section 1352; Civ. C. '02 Section 948; G. S. 768; R. S. 818; 1880 (17) 319; 1889 (20) 367; 1908 (25) 104; 1909 (26) 84; 1910 (26) 621; 1951 (47) 447; 1972 (57) 2393; 1988 Act No. 494, Section 8(10); 1994 Act No. 382, Section 1; 2016 Act No. 144 (H.3972), Section 2, eff March 14, 2016; 2018 Act No. 250 (H.4673), Section 2, eff May 18, 2018.

Effect of Amendment

2016 Act No. 144, Section 2, in (A)(2), inserted the text from former (A)(3); added (D); and made other nonsubstantive changes.

2018 Act No. 250, Section 2, in the first undesignated paragraph, substituted "subsection (A)(1), (A)(2), or (B)" for "subsection (A) or (B)".