deedplatState guides / South Carolina / Dorchester County
Dorchester County property data
Where Dorchester County's property records live, how its tax and foreclosure sales work, and what Deedplat puts on one map, including North Charleston.
- 6Cities and towns
Where the records are
The county offices an investor deals with in Dorchester County, and what each one puts online.
Deeds and mortgages
Dorchester County Register of Deeds. Recorded deeds can be searched online through the Property Deed Search link, which runs on an outside vendor's system; the county page does not list the years covered or any search fees.
Owners and values
Dorchester County Assessor (GIS Property Search). Owner and parcel information is looked up through the county's GIS property search, and the county also offers a property lookup without mapping.
Tax sales
Dorchester County Delinquent Tax Office. The delinquent property list is posted on the county website before the sale, and bidders must register online ahead of time; there is no registration on sale day.
Foreclosure sales
Dorchester County Master-in-Equity. The Master-in-Equity holds court-ordered foreclosure sales in person at the county courthouse in St. George.
Parcel maps
Dorchester County GIS. The GIS Department publishes county maps and parcel data through its Maps / GIS section.
How property is sold here
Dorchester County follows South Carolina's rules, with its own calendar and offices. Read the South Carolina guide for how the state works.
Tax sales
South Carolina sells the property itself at the tax sale, and the owner then has 12 months to redeem it by paying the bid plus interest before a tax deed is issued. Dorchester County's Delinquent Tax Office holds its sale in person once a year in the fall at the Lovely Hills Conference Center, 5905 W. Jim Bilton Blvd. in St. George; the 2025 sale ran November 17 and 18 and the 2024 sale ran October 28 and 29. Property lists are advertised in The Journal Scene, The Dorchester Eagle-Record and on the county website a few weeks before the sale, and bidders must register online in advance.
Foreclosure sales
South Carolina foreclosures go through the courts, and in Dorchester County the Master-in-Equity sells foreclosed property at 11:00 a.m. on the first Tuesday of each month in a courtroom at the courthouse, 5200 E. Jim Bilton Blvd. in St. George. The winning bidder pays at least 5% that day by certified check, and if a deficiency judgment is demanded, bidding stays open for 30 days.
Assessed values
South Carolina counties reassess real property on a five-year cycle, and Dorchester County's most recent countywide reassessment took effect with the 2024 tax year.
Transfer tax
South Carolina charges a deed recording fee of $3.70 per $1,000 of value ($2.60 state plus $1.10 county), paid when the deed is recorded with the Register of Deeds.
Worth knowing
The county seat and most county offices are in St. George, but the county also has an office at 500 N. Main St. in Summerville, the county's largest town.
Worth knowing
Only part of North Charleston lies in Dorchester County; the rest is in Charleston County, so check which county holds the parcel before searching records.
Worth knowing
Taxes must be paid by 5 p.m. on the Friday before the tax sale to keep a property off the sale; payments are not taken on sale day.
Every town in Dorchester County
The cities, towns and townships inside the county line.
- Harleyville town
- North Charleston city
- Reevesville town
- Ridgeville town
- St. George town
- Summerville town
Questions
Where are deeds recorded in Dorchester County?
Deeds are recorded by the Dorchester County Register of Deeds at 201 Johnston Street in St. George. Recorded deeds can be searched online through the county's Property Deed Search.
When is the Dorchester County tax sale?
The Delinquent Tax Office holds one in-person sale each fall at the Lovely Hills Conference Center in St. George. The 2025 sale ran November 17 and 18; dates are announced each fall in local papers and on the county website.
How do I find who owns a property in Dorchester County?
Use the county's GIS property search or the property lookup without mapping on the county website, or search recorded deeds through the Register of Deeds.
Are Dorchester County property records online?
Yes. Recorded deeds, parcel and owner information, and the yearly delinquent tax list are available on the county website, though the site does not list deed search fees or years covered.
Sources for this guide
Office hours, fees and sale dates change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.
- dorchestercountysc.gov/government/property-tax-services/delinquent-tax
- dorchestercountysc.gov/government/register-of-deeds/property-deed-search
- dorchestercountysc.gov/business/gis-property-search
- dorchestercountysc.gov/government/planning-development/maps-gis
- dorchestercountysc.gov/government/courts-judicial-services/master-in-equity
- dorchestercountysc.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/6826/636349561689870000
- postandcourier.com/journal-scene/community-news/dorchester-county-announces-2025-tax-sale-
Every parcel in Dorchester County, on one map
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