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Contact Information, Office Hours
Functions, Office Responsibilities
FAQ's, Common Terms, History, Interesting Facts
Current Elected Official Biographical Information
Forms, RMC Records
Functions
Document Archival
Plat Maintenance
Public Records Maintenance
Real Property Transaction Recording
TheRegister Mesne Conveyance Office records land titles, liens and other documents related to property transactions in Charleston County. The RMC, an elected official, must assure that all recorded documents comply with the requirements of federal and state recording statutes and are available for public review.
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This Office Does
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File, index and record deeds, mortgages and miscellaneous property-related records and plats in a variety of formats (including microfilm, digital imaging, hard copy and computer data storage) |
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Record and index financing statements, state and federal tax liens |
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Provide copies of deeds and plats for a fee |
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Collect a recording fee based on all documents recorded |
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Offer on-site information and instructions on how to use record books and microfilm |
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Provide certified true copies of any documents on record in the RMC Office (such as mortgages, powers of attorney or plats) |
This Office Does Not
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Perform title searches or searches for other information |
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Advise, refer or make legal recommendations |
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Report information to credit bureaus or other agencies |
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Frequently Asked Questions
| Q: |
How can I get a copy of a deed or plat? |
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The RMC provides copies at a cost of 40 cents per page for deeds and 50 cents or $1 for plats, depending on size. However, you can download copies from the web site at no cost. |
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What type of information should I bring to the RMC Office to find a particular deed? |
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You need to know the approximate date of sale or conveyance and the name of the seller (grantor) or the buyer (grantee). If the owner's name is unknown, go to the County Assessor's Office where the assessment rolls are listed both alphabetically by owner and by tax map sequence number. Map books in the Assessor's Office guide users to the appropriate number, which is then cross-referenced with the alphabetical roll to find the owner's name. |
| Q: |
Why must I have property information changes recorded with the RMC? |
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This office maintains the "public record" or the "official" property record. Title companies will not insure loans on real property unless a title search has been completed by an attorney or that attorney's representative. As the official record, this information is also used in developing the tax rolls. |
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Common Terms
Abstract-- SeeTitle Searchbelow.
Conveyance-- The transfer of title to real property from one person to another.
Deed-- A legal instrument or document used to transfer property to a new owner. A deed names ownership and details a description of the property, previous owners and type of deed, whether it is a tax deed, quitclaim, warrantee deed or other.
Mechanic's Lien-- The record of a contractor's claim against property to secure payment of debt for materials or labor.
Mesne-- Middle or intervening.
PID Number (Parcel Identification Number)-- Also known as a TMS, it is a reference number containing information necessary to identify and locate a particular property parcel.
Plat-- A scale-sized drawing of parcels or lots of land. Created by a surveyor, a plat defines a property's size and boundaries.
Restrictive Covenants-- Specific rules that pertain to a particular property.
Title Search-- Also known as an abstract, it is a comprehensive research process which analyzes property status information, including ownership, liens, deeds, mortgages and history.
TMS Number (Tax Map Sequence Number)-- Also know as a PID, it is a reference number containing information necessary to identify and locate a particular property parcel.
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History
The Register Mesne Conveyance Office has its origins in colonial South Carolina, under the state's Office of the Secretary and Register of the Province. Some records of real estate transactions date back to the 1670s. Continuous records begin in 1719. In 1731, a separate land registry began to show all real property transactions for the entire state. In 1839, the Clerk of Circuit Court was declared as the RMC in each of the state's districts except for Charleston and Georgetown. When South Carolina RMC offices were abolished in 1896, only Charleston and Greenville retained their offices. Outside of these two counties, the duties devolved upon the Clerks of Court.
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Interesting Facts
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In Fiscal Year 1996, the RMC recorded over 81,000 documents. |
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The RMC has record books dating back to 1719. The original documents and microfilm copies can be viewed in the RMC History Room, which also contains the John McCrady Plat Collection, 1680-1929, and the Auditor of the City of Charleston's Ward Books, 1852-1964. The History Room is located on the second floor of the County Office Building. |
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Local attorneys use the RMC Office for student instruction on conducting title searches. |
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Contact Information
O.T. Wallace County Office Building
101 Meeting Street, Room 200
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 958-4800
(843) 958-4803 (Fax)
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 726
Charleston, SC 29402
Office Hours
Monday-Friday
8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
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