Licensing
How South Carolina Licenses Private Investigators
South Carolina regulates investigators under Title 40, Chapter 18 of the S.C. Code. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, known as SLED, licenses private investigation businesses through its Regulatory Services unit, and the Chief of SLED can set eligibility rules, investigate violations and require training. Section 40-18-70 requires anyone who wants to operate a private investigation business to obtain a license from SLED.
The system has a business layer and a person layer. The business license must be posted at the firm's main office, and each employee who does investigative work must be registered and carry a SLED registration certificate or a copy while working. An individual may hold a license to run a firm or a registration to work for one, so ask which applies.
Courts
How South Carolina Courts Are Organized
South Carolina has a unified court system with 46 counties grouped into 16 judicial circuits. The circuit court is the general jurisdiction court, with the Court of Common Pleas for civil cases and the Court of General Sessions for criminal cases. Family Court has exclusive jurisdiction over divorce, custody, support and most juvenile matters. Each county has an elected probate judge for estates and guardianships, and magistrate and municipal courts handle minor cases.
Communities
South Carolina Communities With a Private Investigator Page
Every South Carolina community over 3,000 residents, by population (U.S. Census Bureau, April 1, 2020 estimates base and July 1, 2024 estimates (Vintage 2024)).
| Community | County | Population (2024 est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | Charleston County / Berkeley County | 157,665 |
| Columbia | Richland County / Lexington County | 144,788 |
| North Charleston | Charleston County / Dorchester County / Berkeley County | 126,005 |
| Mount Pleasant | Charleston County | 95,604 |
| Rock Hill | York County | 75,798 |
| Greenville | Greenville County | 74,371 |
| Summerville | Dorchester County / Berkeley County / Charleston County | 52,625 |
| Goose Creek | Berkeley County | 50,352 |
| Greer | Greenville County / Spartanburg County | 46,316 |
| Sumter | Sumter County | 42,958 |
| Florence | Florence County / Darlington County | 40,923 |
| Myrtle Beach | Horry County | 40,535 |
| Spartanburg | Spartanburg County | 39,606 |
| Hilton Head Island | Beaufort County | 38,158 |
| Fort Mill | York County | 36,244 |
| Bluffton | Beaufort County | 36,146 |
| Aiken | Aiken County | 32,694 |
| Anderson | Anderson County | 30,937 |
| Mauldin | Greenville County | 29,746 |
| Conway | Horry County | 29,656 |
| Simpsonville | Greenville County | 28,078 |
| Easley | Pickens County / Anderson County | 27,001 |
| North Augusta | Aiken County / Edgefield County | 26,395 |
| Lexington | Lexington County | 25,354 |
| Greenwood | Greenwood County | 22,667 |
| Hanahan | Berkeley County | 21,983 |
| North Myrtle Beach | Horry County | 20,798 |
| Clemson | Pickens County / Anderson County | 18,610 |
| West Columbia | Lexington County / Richland County | 18,418 |
| Moncks Corner | Berkeley County | 18,359 |
| Port Royal | Beaufort County | 16,507 |
| Beaufort | Beaufort County | 14,334 |
| Tega Cay | York County | 14,294 |
| Hardeeville | Jasper County / Beaufort County | 13,862 |
| Fountain Inn | Greenville County / Laurens County | 13,786 |
| Cayce | Lexington County / Richland County | 13,645 |
| Orangeburg | Orangeburg County | 13,378 |
| Gaffney | Cherokee County | 12,546 |
| James Island | Charleston County | 12,451 |
| Irmo | Richland County / Lexington County | 12,086 |
| Newberry | Newberry County | 10,874 |
| Forest Acres | Richland County | 10,438 |
| York | York County | 9,830 |
| Lancaster | Lancaster County | 9,396 |
| Laurens | Laurens County | 9,352 |
| Seneca | Oconee County | 9,202 |
| Travelers Rest | Greenville County | 8,960 |
| Camden | Kershaw County | 8,899 |
| Georgetown | Georgetown County | 8,821 |
| Union | Union County | 7,988 |
| Clinton | Laurens County | 7,852 |
| Bennettsville | Marlboro County | 7,595 |
| Clover | York County | 7,558 |
| Hartsville | Darlington County | 7,360 |
| Lyman | Spartanburg County | 6,939 |
| Blythewood | Richland County / Fairfield County | 6,733 |
| Dillon | Dillon County | 6,244 |
| Marion | Marion County | 6,068 |
| Darlington | Darlington County | 6,045 |
| Lake City | Florence County | 5,916 |
| Hollywood | Charleston County | 5,503 |
| Walterboro | Colleton County | 5,488 |
| Central | Pickens County | 5,339 |
| Batesburg-Leesville | Lexington County / Saluda County | 5,321 |
| Chester | Chester County | 5,230 |
| Woodruff | Spartanburg County | 5,072 |
| Cheraw | Chesterfield County | 4,946 |
| Abbeville | Abbeville County | 4,870 |
| Duncan | Spartanburg County | 4,594 |
| Barnwell | Barnwell County | 4,589 |
| Belton | Anderson County | 4,573 |
| Isle of Palms | Charleston County | 4,377 |
| Surfside Beach | Horry County | 4,368 |
| Williamston | Anderson County | 4,285 |
| Walhalla | Oconee County | 4,249 |
| Edgefield | Edgefield County | 4,147 |
| Honea Path | Anderson County / Abbeville County | 3,885 |
| Mullins | Marion County | 3,846 |
| Manning | Clarendon County | 3,832 |
| Ridgeland | Jasper County / Beaufort County | 3,744 |
| Wellford | Spartanburg County | 3,733 |
| Pendleton | Anderson County / Pickens County | 3,697 |
| Inman | Spartanburg County | 3,354 |
| Liberty | Pickens County | 3,352 |
| Winnsboro | Fairfield County | 3,279 |
| Burnettown | Aiken County | 3,226 |
| Pickens | Pickens County | 3,188 |
| Denmark | Bamberg County | 3,072 |
| Saluda | Saluda County | 3,061 |
| Kingstree | Williamsburg County | 3,055 |
Neighboring states: Georgia · North Carolina
How this service works
Investigator Consulting in South Carolina
Delator Group is a private investigation firm licensed in Tennessee and headquartered in Nashville. In South Carolina, Delator Group is not licensed as a private investigator or private investigative agency and does not perform, supervise or direct investigations. We review requests and refer them to independent investigators who hold the license South Carolina requires. Those investigators contract with clients directly, set their own fees and are responsible for the work. Delator Group may receive compensation from participating investigators for referrals.
FAQ
Questions About Finding an Investigator in South Carolina
Which South Carolina communities have their own page?
Every incorporated South Carolina city, town or village with more than 3,000 residents, plus every township or town government of that size, has its own page here, 90 in all. Smaller places are covered by the nearest page and the statewide guide.
Is Delator Group licensed in South Carolina?
No. In South Carolina, Delator Group provides investigator consulting and referral only. Investigations are performed by independently licensed South Carolina investigators who contract with you directly.
Who licenses private investigators in South Carolina?
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Regulatory Services, under S.C. Code Title 40, Chapter 18 (license requirement in Section 40-18-70). A private investigation business needs a SLED license, and each employee who performs investigative work must be registered with SLED.
How do I check an investigator's South Carolina license?
Ask for the business license number and the investigator's SLED registration certificate, then confirm both with SLED Regulatory Services.
Is South Carolina a one-party or two-party consent state?
South Carolina is generally a one-party consent state. Under S.C. Code Section 17-30-30(C), a person may record a communication they are part of, or one where a participant gave prior consent. Intercepting other people's conversations without consent is a felony under Section 17-30-20, so ask an attorney if you are unsure.