Find Chesterfield County Birth Records
Chesterfield County birth records are part of South Carolina's statewide vital records system, which covers registered births from January 1, 1915 onward. The Chesterfield County Health Department in the town of Chesterfield can issue short form birth certificates for any South Carolina birth. If you need to search for a Chesterfield County birth record, request a certified copy, or look into historical birth documents, this guide covers every step of the process and points you to the right offices and resources.
Chesterfield County Quick Facts
Chesterfield County Health Department Birth Records
The Chesterfield County Health Department is at 140 East Main Street, Chesterfield, SC 29709. Staff there can issue short form birth certificates for South Carolina births from 1915 to the present. The short form is a certified document that displays the key information from the original birth registration. It is accepted for most legal purposes, including passport applications, school enrollment, and identity verification.
The office can also issue death certificates for recent deaths that occurred within Chesterfield County. Birth and death records are separate services with different request procedures. Know which document type you need before you visit so you bring the correct information and identification.
The county health department does not issue long form birth certificates. For a long form certified copy, you must go through the state office in Columbia. The county office is a convenient option for residents seeking a short form certificate without traveling to the state capital.
Note: Always call the office before visiting to confirm hours and to make sure you bring everything needed to complete your request in one visit.
Ordering a Certified Chesterfield Birth Certificate
Three options are available for requesting a certified birth certificate tied to a Chesterfield County birth. Each leads to the same state-issued document.
An in-person visit to the state office is the most direct route. The SC Department of Public Health Vital Records office is at 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201, phone (803) 898-3630. Bring your government-issued photo ID and the completed application form. Staff review your request and can often fulfill it the same day.
Mail requests allow you to submit from home. Send the application, a photocopy of your ID, and a money order or cashier's check for $12.00 made payable to "SCDHEC - Vital Records." Under SC Code § 44-63-110, this non-refundable fee covers the search and one certified copy if the record is found. Each additional copy is $3.00. Send everything to 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Never mail cash.
Online ordering is available through VitalChek. The first copy costs $17.00, covering the state fee and a processing charge. Additional copies are $3.00 each. Orders enter the queue as soon as you submit, making this the fastest option for most requests.
The image below is from the VitalChek South Carolina ordering page, which handles online birth certificate requests for Chesterfield County births.
VitalChek is the authorized online service for South Carolina vital records and allows Chesterfield County birth certificate requests to be submitted from any device.
Who Is Eligible for Chesterfield Birth Records
South Carolina law restricts access to certified birth records to protect personal information. SC Code § 44-63-80 defines who can get a certified copy. The person named on the certificate must be at least 18 to request their own record. Either parent listed on the document can request a copy. A legal guardian with court-issued documentation may also apply. A legal representative with proof of authority can request on behalf of an eligible person. The Department of Social Services has access for child support enforcement.
Under § 44-63-80(D), records become public 100 years after the birth date. Chesterfield County births from the 1910s and 1920s have now passed that threshold, meaning anyone can request a copy without needing to prove a qualifying relationship. This is especially relevant for genealogical research into early 20th-century Chesterfield County families.
Always bring a government-issued photo ID with any request. If you are requesting on behalf of another person, bring copies of the documents that show your legal authority to do so.
Chesterfield County Birth Records History
Chesterfield County was established in 1798. The county seat, also called Chesterfield, has served as the hub of local government for more than two centuries. Formal birth registration in Chesterfield County began with the rest of South Carolina on January 1, 1915. Before that date, there was no organized county-level system for recording births. Families in the Chesterfield area kept birth records in church registers, family Bibles, and private documents.
Researchers seeking Chesterfield County birth records from before 1915 must turn to alternative sources. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History holds many of these older records, including church registers, probate files, and county-level documents that can help establish a birth date or family connection. The archives are open Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, at 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, SC 29223, phone 803-896-6196.
For a birth that occurred before 1915 and left no original record, § 44-63-180 provides a path to obtaining a delayed birth certificate. The process requires gathering secondary evidence and submitting a formal request to the state office. Staff review the evidence and decide whether the documentation meets the standard for issuing a delayed certificate.
Note: The further back in time a birth occurred, the harder it may be to find supporting evidence. Starting early and checking multiple sources gives you the best chance of documenting a pre-1915 Chesterfield County birth.
Genealogy Research in Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County has a long history that makes it a meaningful area for genealogical research. The county's 19th-century records include land deeds, estate files, and church registers that can anchor a family history to this part of South Carolina. When combined with post-1915 birth records from the state vital records system, these older sources allow researchers to trace family lines across many generations.
The FamilySearch South Carolina vital records wiki is a good starting point. It lists available digitized collections and explains what is searchable online versus what requires an in-person visit. Some Chesterfield County records from the early years of statewide registration are included in FamilySearch databases and can be accessed without a formal certificate request.
The image below is from the SC DPH birth certificates page, which outlines how to obtain a certified birth document for Chesterfield County births from 1915 onward.
The SC DPH birth certificates page covers current procedures, acceptable payment methods, and what to include in a Chesterfield County birth certificate request.
Amending a Chesterfield County Birth Record
South Carolina allows birth certificates to be corrected or amended when the original contains errors or when a legal change requires a new document. The process is governed by § 44-63-140 and is handled by the SC Department of Public Health.
To start an amendment, you submit a written request along with documents that support the change. The required documents depend on what is being corrected. A minor spelling error in a name may need only an affidavit. A correction to a birth date may require hospital or medical records. Adding or changing a parent's name typically requires a court order. Each amendment request is reviewed on its specific facts.
The SC Justice Amendment Guide provides a detailed breakdown of the amendment process, including what each type of change requires and how long approval typically takes. Adoptions result in a new birth certificate being issued under § 44-63-140, with the original sealed from public access. All requests go through the Columbia state office, not the county health department.
SC Birth Records Law and Chesterfield County
The rules that govern Chesterfield County birth records come from Title 44, Chapter 63 of the SC Code of Laws. These statutes set the standards for who can access records, how much they cost, and how they can be changed. They apply the same way in Chesterfield County as in all other South Carolina counties.
Section 44-63-110 establishes the $12.00 non-refundable search fee. The fee applies to every request regardless of outcome. If the record is found, one certified copy is part of the fee. Extra copies cost $3.00 each. The CDC's South Carolina vital records page provides a plain summary of these fees and the overall system. Section 44-63-80 defines who can request access. Section 44-63-80(D) opens older records to the public after 100 years. Section 44-63-180 covers delayed certificates for pre-1915 births. Together these provisions govern the full lifecycle of every Chesterfield County birth document.
Cities in Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County includes the town of Chesterfield as its county seat along with other communities such as Cheraw and Jefferson. Residents throughout the county can request birth records through the health department on East Main Street or through the SC DPH office in Columbia.
Cheraw is the largest town in Chesterfield County and is located near the Pee Dee River. Residents of Cheraw and other Chesterfield County communities all share access to the same vital records system.
Nearby Counties
Chesterfield County is in the northeastern part of South Carolina and borders four other counties. Births near a county line may have been recorded in a neighboring county, so checking those offices is worth the effort if you do not find a record in Chesterfield.