Death Records in Anderson South Carolina
Anderson serves as the county seat of Anderson County and is the central point for vital records services in this part of upstate South Carolina. Death records for Anderson residents are maintained by the state and county, with a regional DPH office located within the city. Whether you need a certified death certificate for a recent loss, want to confirm a death for legal purposes, or are searching older records for genealogy, this guide covers where to go, what to bring, and how to search Anderson death records from home or at the local library.
Anderson Quick Facts
Anderson Death Certificates from State and County
Certified death certificates for Anderson residents are issued through the South Carolina Department of Public Health. The state DPH Vital Records office is at 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201, phone (803) 898-3630. All death records from January 1, 1915 onward are held there. Order details are at dph.sc.gov/public/vital-records/death-certificates. The Anderson County regional DPH office at 300 North Murray Avenue, Anderson, SC 29621, phone (864) 260-5800, also handles requests for deaths that occurred locally.
Mail requests cost $12 and take about four weeks. Online orders through VitalChek are $17 and arrive in five to seven business days. You can also order through GoCertificates at the same $17 rate. Each additional certified copy added to the same order is $3. Bring a valid photo ID for in-person requests. If you are requesting records for a deceased family member, bring documents that establish your relationship to them.
The image below is from the City of Anderson official website, which provides municipal resources and can direct residents to the offices that handle Anderson death records and vital services.
The City of Anderson at 401 Main Street, Anderson, SC 29621, website cityofandersonsc.com, does not issue death certificates but can point you to the county and state offices that handle vital records for the area.
Anderson County Coroner and Death Investigations
The Anderson County Coroner, Greg L. Shore, investigates deaths in Anderson that are sudden, violent, suspicious, or occur outside of a medical setting. The Coroner's Office is at 2000 East Greenville Street, Anderson, SC 29621, phone (864) 260-4057. When the coroner certifies cause and manner of death, those findings become part of the official death certificate submitted to the state vital records system. The coroner's role is critical when a physician is not present at the time of death or when the circumstances require investigation.
Autopsy reports and full coroner case files are distinct from the standard death certificate. Immediate family members and legal representatives may request these documents from the Coroner's Office. These records are commonly used for insurance claims, wrongful death litigation, and estate proceedings. All deaths that occur within Anderson city limits fall under the Anderson County Coroner's jurisdiction.
Note: Coroner investigative files and autopsy reports are separate from death certificates and must be requested directly from the Anderson County Coroner's Office.
Searching Anderson Death Records Online
The Anderson County Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org/anderson/publicindex/ provides online access to probate filings and estate cases that can help confirm a death date or document the settlement of an Anderson resident's estate. Probate records often contain the full name of the deceased, date of death, and the names of surviving heirs. Searching the public index is free and does not require a court account.
The statewide probate index at scprobate.net lets you search all 46 counties at once. FamilySearch offers free South Carolina death collections and is a good resource for Anderson deaths from the mid-20th century. The SC Department of Archives and History at scdah.sc.gov, phone (803) 896-6100, maintains a death index from 1915 to 1960 that you can search online. Anderson County government resources are at andersoncountysc.gov.
The SC State Library guide at guides.statelibrary.sc.gov/genealogy pulls together the key vital records tools by type and is a useful starting point for researchers working on Anderson County families.
Historical Anderson Death Records and Library Resources
The Anderson County Library South Carolina Room at 300 North McDuffie Street, Anderson, SC 29621, phone (864) 260-4500, website andersonlibrary.org, holds local history and genealogy collections for the county. The SC Room has obituary files, local newspaper archives, cemetery records, and reference materials that document Anderson deaths going back to the 19th century. Library staff are experienced with genealogy research and can help you identify the right collection for your time period and family name.
For deaths before statewide registration in 1915, the best sources are probate court packets, church burial registers, and cemetery records. Anderson County has a long history as one of the larger upstate cities, and its probate records at the SC Archives extend back into the early 1800s. These original packets often include witness statements, family lists, and property inventories that paint a detailed picture of a person's life and death. Microfilm copies of many of these records are available through the SC Archives at scdah.sc.gov.
The DPH death index for genealogy research at dph.sc.gov/public/vital-records/indexes-data/death-indexes-genealogy covers Anderson County deaths from 1915 forward and is searchable online. This is often the fastest way to identify a death year before requesting a full certificate.
Note: The Anderson County Library SC Room is open to the public for genealogy visits; call ahead to confirm hours and whether advance appointments are needed.
Vital Records Law and Anderson Death Records Access
South Carolina's vital records law at Title 44, Chapter 63, available at scstatehouse.gov/code/t44c063.php, governs death registration and access for all Anderson records. Statewide registration has been required since January 1, 1915. Section 44-63-74 requires the attending physician or coroner to file the death certificate within five days of the death occurring. South Carolina completed its move to electronic filing statewide in 2022, which reduced processing time for Anderson death certificates.
Access to death certificates filed within the past 50 years is restricted under Section 44-63-84. Only the decedent's immediate family members can receive a full certified copy during this period. Eligible relatives include spouses, parents, children, siblings, and grandparents. Anyone else may receive a statement confirming the death but cannot get the full certificate. Once 50 years have passed from the date of death, the record is open to anyone who requests it. Knowingly submitting a false request for a death certificate is a felony under Section 44-63-161.
Anderson County Death Records
All death records for Anderson residents are part of the Anderson County vital records system. The county page below covers the full range of Anderson County offices, historical collections, and resources for deaths that occurred anywhere within the county.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
These nearby cities are in or near Anderson County and share access to the same upstate South Carolina vital records system.