Saluda County Marriage License Rules
Marriage licenses in Saluda County are issued by the Saluda County Probate Court. The office is in Suite 4 at the Saluda County Courthouse, 100 East Church Street, Saluda, SC 29138. The Probate Court phone number is 864-445-4500, and the Probate Clerk extension listed in the research is 2219. Because the county notes a high volume of marriage licenses and estates, appointments are required. The same office also handles local marriage-copy requests for licenses that were issued by Saluda County Probate Court.
Both applicants must appear together to apply. Each applicant must bring valid government-issued identification, such as a driver's license, state ID, military ID, or passport. Each applicant must also provide a Social Security card or Resident Alien Identification card. South Carolina requires a written marriage application at least 24 hours before issuance, so the license cannot be picked up and used until that waiting period has passed. Saluda County Probate Court does not perform marriage ceremonies. The ceremony must take place in South Carolina, but it does not have to occur in Saluda County.
Saluda County Probate Court
Suite 4, 100 East Church Street
Saluda, SC 29138
864-445-4500 ext. 2219
8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday
Appointments required for marriage licenses and estates
Apply for a Saluda County Marriage License
The Saluda County marriage license process is local, appointment based, and document driven. Fees are paid when the application is filed. If either applicant is under 18, consenting parents or guardians must accompany the applicant. No license may be issued if either applicant is under 16. After the license is issued and the ceremony is held, follow Probate Court instructions for return or recording because the research did not locate a local return deadline on the county page.
- Call Saluda County Probate Court to schedule a marriage-license appointment.
- Both applicants appear together and bring accepted government ID.
- Bring each applicant's Social Security card or Resident Alien Identification card.
- Complete and sign the written application under oath or affirmation.
- Pay the $45 application fee when the application is filed.
- Wait at least 24 hours after filing before the license is issued for use.
- Have the ceremony in South Carolina before an authorized officiant, then return or record the license as directed by Probate Court.
Note: Saluda County Probate Court keeps Saluda-issued marriage licenses only, so a license issued in another South Carolina county must be requested from that county.
Saluda County Marriage Application Fields
The local marriage license application asks for a full identity profile for each applicant. It is not just a name form. The application has date, identity, residence, prior-marriage, ID, taxpayer-identification, contact, signature, and notary fields. That matches South Carolina's rule that the application include personal details and Social Security or alien identification numbers.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Unspecified | Application date line. |
| Applicant names | Yes | First, middle, surname at birth, current last name, and suffix for each applicant. |
| Birthdate and age | Yes | Month, day, year, plus age. |
| Birthplace | Yes | State or foreign country. |
| Race and gender | Yes | Fields appear as stated on the form. |
| Residence and county | Yes | Street, city, state, ZIP, and county of residence. |
| Prior marriages | Yes | Indicates first marriage or number of prior marriages. |
| Identification type | Yes | Must match the accepted ID list. |
| SSN or alien ID | Yes | Each applicant provides one of these identifiers. |
| Working-hours telephone | Yes | Used for Probate Court contact. |
| Signatures and notary block | Yes | Both applicants sign; notary date and signature are included. |
Saluda County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Saluda County publishes detailed marriage-license and marriage-copy fees through Probate Court. Divorce filing fees come from the South Carolina Judicial Branch Family Court fee schedule because divorce, annulment, and separate support actions are Family Court matters. The research did not locate a Saluda-specific certified divorce decree copy fee, so that amount should be confirmed with the Clerk of Court before ordering a court-certified copy.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license application | $45.00 |
| Marriage license correction | $6.75 |
| Marriage license re-issuance | $6.75 |
| Paper copy of marriage certificate | $1.00 |
| Certified marriage license copy, 2000-current, gold court seal | $5.00 |
| Certified marriage license copy, 1911-1999, gold court seal | $10.00 |
| Family Court divorce, annulment, or separate support filing | $150.00 |
| DPH standard divorce-report search | $12.00 |
| DPH expedited divorce-report search | $17.00 |
| DPH additional copy | $3.00 each |
Look Up Saluda County Marriage Records
A Saluda County marriage records lookup should start with the issuing office. Probate Court copy requests require the names of both parties, including the bride's maiden name, the date or year of marriage, and a daytime phone number. The county research did not locate a separate statewide public marriage index for Saluda County license copies. Some counties appear in the South Carolina Probate Search portal with marriage options, but Saluda's documented local path is the Probate Court copy request channel.
South Carolina Department of Public Health also provides marriage certificates for eligible certified-copy requesters. The DPH marriage certificates channel is useful when a state vital-record certificate is needed rather than a court copy from the Saluda Probate Court seal. Eligible requesters include a married party, an adult child of a married party, a present or former spouse of either party, and a legal representative. Others may receive a statement that the marriage occurred, with the date and county, rather than a certified certificate.
Find Saluda County Divorce Records
Divorce records in Saluda County are Family Court matters filed through the Clerk of Court in Suite 6 at the courthouse. The Clerk page links a local Divorce Packet, and the South Carolina Judicial Branch publishes simple-divorce resources for self-represented litigants. Family Court case status may be checked through the statewide Family Court Public Portal, but access can be limited when a case contains child-related, juvenile, adoption, DSS, sealed, or sensitive domestic material.
South Carolina divorce law affects where a case is filed and what proof may be needed. The research identifies divorce grounds in S.C. Code Section 20-3-10, residency rules in Section 20-3-30, venue rules in Section 20-3-60, and final-decree timing rules in Section 20-3-80. These statutes do not replace court forms or legal advice, but they help explain why a Saluda County divorce file may be held locally when venue belongs in Saluda County and the case was filed through the Family Court system.
A divorce packet is not the same as a divorce report. The packet and case file belong to the court process. A DPH divorce report is a vital-record report that proves a divorce was reported to the state. It does not provide the whole Family Court case file, pleadings, parenting details, financial filings, or sealed documents. For the court decree, request through the Clerk of Court or the Family Court record channel.
Saluda County Divorce Filing Path
Filing for divorce in Saluda County requires more than using the state vital-record office. The case starts in Family Court, the filing is made through the Clerk of Court, and the DPH report is part of the state vital-record reporting trail after the court action. Public access later depends on the case contents and any sealing or redaction rules.
- Confirm South Carolina residency and venue rules before filing.
- Use the Saluda Clerk-linked divorce packet or the South Carolina Judicial Branch simple-divorce packets.
- File the Family Court documents with the Clerk of Court at Suite 6.
- Pay the $150 Family Court filing fee unless a no-fee category or fee-waiver order applies.
- Serve the other spouse as required by court rules.
- Use the Family Court Public Portal or Clerk staff to follow public case status, with confidentiality limits.
- Use DPH later only when a divorce report, not a court case file, is the needed record.
Certified Copies and State Reports
Certified marriage copies from Saluda County Probate Court use the county's own fee schedule and are tied to licenses issued by that court. Certified state marriage certificates through DPH use a different eligibility and fee structure. VitalChek online or phone service is listed for DPH marriage certificates with an expedited search fee, an additional-copy fee, a VitalChek charge, and shipping extra. DPH mail service uses a standard search fee and has a longer average processing time.
For divorce records, the key distinction is the court decree versus the DPH divorce report. A decree or certified court order should be requested through the Clerk of Court because the case was filed in Family Court. A DPH divorce report is a state vital-record product. Photo ID is required for DPH divorce reports, and mail payment uses money order or cashier's check. Drop-off and in-person DPH service were listed as temporarily unavailable in the research capture, so verify current state service before planning a same-day request.