Someone died in South Carolina. Start here.
The first 24 hours, in order, then the first week and the first month, with South Carolina's actual rules for death certificates, cremation, and probate. This page is free. No account required.
Sources: official South Carolina statutes and agencies, linked below. Last updated: October 2026.
Start with safety, the required local response, and the people who can help. The exact process depends on where and how the death occurred.
These figures come from the same data as our full South Carolina guide, built from state statutes and official agencies.
Death certificate
Filed within 5 days of custody
The window runs from the burial removal transit permit being issued or the funeral director taking in-person custody of the body, whichever is later. The funeral provider or another authorized filer usually handles it. Ask each institution whether it needs a certified copy, then order an initial quantity based on those actual needs. Confirm the current fee with the issuing office; the guide's last-reviewed first-copy or search fee starts at $12. Additional-copy, vendor, and expedited fees may differ.
Source: S.C. Code §§ 44-63-74 (as amended by 2026 Act No. 128), 44-63-84; SC Depa… (opens in a new tab)Cremation
24-hour standard wait
South Carolina's standard statutory wait is 24 hours. Check the linked official source for any state-authorized exception or written-waiver process. A permit is also required. The person legally authorized under state law completes any required authorization; the provider handles its filing process.
Source: S.C. Code §§ 32-8-300 to 32-8-385 (Safe Cremation Act); § 40-8-130(B) (Pe… (opens in a new tab)Probate
$45,000 listed amount
The amount alone doesn’t establish eligibility. Confirm which property counts, how it’s valued, the waiting period, ownership, any pending court case, and every other state condition.
Source: S.C. Code Ann. tit. 62, art. 3; § 62-3-1201 (collection by affidavit) (opens in a new tab)Estate tax
None in this state
South Carolina has no state estate or inheritance tax. The federal basic exclusion amount is $15 million for deaths in 2026; other Form 706 filing reasons can still apply.
Source 1: SC Department of Revenue (Estate Tax) (opens in a new tab)Source 2: IRS: 2026 estate tax basic exclusion amount (opens in a new tab)Days 2 to 7 · 1 to 7 days
These tasks often begin during the first week, but local requirements and the family's circumstances may change the order.
Weeks 2 to 4 · 1 to 4 weeks
The immediate calls may slow down. Estate, account, benefit, property, and tax work often continues for months.
The Long Game · 1 month+
Estate administration may take months or longer. The timing depends on the assets, claims, disputes, tax work, court schedule, and state procedure.
Have the death officially pronounced. For an expected hospice death, call the hospice nurse and follow the hospice instructions. For an unexpected death, call 911 and don’t move the body until you’re told you can. Then notify the closest people and, after the body is released, contact the funeral, cremation, burial, or donation provider the person chose.
In South Carolina, the death certificate must be filed within 5 days of the burial removal transit permit being issued or the funeral director taking in-person custody of the body, whichever is later. The funeral provider or another authorized filer usually handles it. Ask each institution whether it needs a certified copy, then order an initial quantity based on those actual needs.
Immediate family members of the person who died, or the legal representative of an immediate family member, can get a certified copy. Anyone else gets a statement that the death occurred, with the date and county. After 50 years the record is public (S.C. Code 44-63-84). Certified copies come from South Carolina's State Vital Records Office, South Carolina Department of Public Health, in Columbia; regional vital records offices issue death certificates from any county.
$12 for a certified copy from the state office, per the fee page linked on this page. $12 by mail, and additional copies are $3. Any service turning around in 10 business days or less adds a $5 expedite fee, so ordering in person costs $17.
From South Carolina's State Vital Records Office, South Carolina Department of Public Health, in Columbia; regional vital records offices issue death certificates from any county, online or by phone through the approved vendors Go Certificates and VitalChek, in person at a state or regional office, by mail to the state office, or by drop-off. The official order page is linked on this page. The funeral home usually orders the first copies for you.
South Carolina's standard statutory wait is 24 hours. Check the linked official source for any state-authorized exception or written-waiver process. A permit is also required. The person legally authorized under state law completes any required authorization; the provider handles its filing process.
South Carolina's stated small-estate threshold is $45,000. Value alone doesn’t establish eligibility. Ownership, asset type, timing, beneficiaries, debts, and other state requirements can affect whether a simplified procedure is available.
No. South Carolina has no state estate or inheritance tax. The federal basic exclusion amount is $15 million for deaths in 2026, and Form 706 may also be relevant for certain elections.
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