What Divorce Documents to Keep in South Carolina

You will need your divorce paperwork for years — sometimes decades — after finalization. Banks, the DMV, the Social Security Administration, mortgage lenders, and retirement plan administrators all require certified copies of specific documents before they will process name changes, title transfers, or account modifications. Losing these documents means delays, extra fees, and sometimes the inability to prove what your decree actually ordered.

Here is exactly what to keep, how long to keep it, and where to get replacements if you need them.

Documents to Keep Permanently

These documents have no expiration. Store originals in a fireproof safe or safe deposit box, and keep digital scans in a secure cloud backup:

Certified copies of the final divorce decree: This is the single most important document. You will present it to the SSA, SCDMV, banks, mortgage lenders, insurers, and retirement plan administrators. Order at least five certified copies from the Clerk of Court in the county where your divorce was finalized — you will go through them faster than you expect. County clerks typically charge $5 to $10 per certified copy.

Property settlement agreement (PSA): If your divorce included a marital settlement agreement or property division order, keep the signed original. This document governs who gets what — real estate, vehicles, retirement accounts, debts — and you may need it years later if a dispute arises or if you need to enforce a provision.

Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) or DRO: If your decree divided a retirement account, the certified QDRO (for private ERISA plans) or DRO (for PEBA state plans) is the legal instrument that authorizes the transfer. Plan administrators keep their own copies, but you need yours for tax records and in case the administrator loses theirs.

Parenting plan and custody order: If you have children, keep the complete custody and visitation order. Schools, medical providers, and airlines may ask for proof of custody arrangements. If you ever need to modify custody or child support, you will need the original order as a baseline.

Name change order: If your decree includes a name restoration provision, or if you obtained a separate Family Court name change order, keep the certified original. You will need it for every agency that updates your identity records.

Documents to Keep for Seven Years

These documents have a practical shelf life tied to tax statute of limitations and creditor claims:

• Tax returns filed during the marriage (joint returns carry joint and several liability)
• Property transfer records — quitclaim deeds, Affidavits of Consideration (referencing the SC Code Section 12-24-40(4) tax exemption), and county recording receipts
• SCDMV title transfer receipts (Form 400 and related documents)
• Bank account closure confirmations and final statements from joint accounts
• Credit card closure confirmations with zero-balance statements
• COBRA election or declination notices (if health insurance changed after divorce)

How to Get Certified Copies

If you need additional certified copies of your divorce decree after the fact, you have two options:

County Clerk of Court: Contact the Clerk of Court in the county where your divorce was filed. This is the fastest and cheapest option. Most counties charge $5 to $10 per certified copy and can produce them same-day if you visit in person. Richland County, for example, charges a flat $15 recording/certification fee.

South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) Vital Records: The state DPH maintains records of all divorces granted in South Carolina. You can request a divorce verification letter (not a full decree copy) through the DPH Vital Records division. Fees range from $12 to $17 depending on the request method. The DPH does not issue full certified copies of the decree itself — for that, you must go to the county clerk.

To request from the DPH, complete the Vital Records Marriage/Divorce Application (Form D-0639) and submit it by mail or in person at the DPH office in Columbia. Processing takes one to two weeks by mail.

Digital Backup Strategy

Paper originals can be destroyed by fire, flood, or simple misplacement. Create digital backups:

1. Scan every document listed above as a high-resolution PDF
2. Store copies in at least two locations — a cloud service (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox) and an encrypted external drive
3. Password-protect the folder containing your divorce documents
4. Update your digital copies whenever you receive new certified copies or amended orders

What the Toolkit Covers

The South Carolina After-Divorce Checklist includes a document retention checklist organized by keep-forever vs. keep-seven-years, plus a master filing system template to organize everything in one place.

See more South Carolina guides →