Charleston County Traffic Court Records
Charleston County traffic court records are among the most searched in South Carolina. The county operates multiple courts that handle traffic matters, including the county magistrate courts, the Charleston Municipal Court, and the North Charleston Municipal Court. Whether you received a citation on I-26, Highway 17, or within city limits, this guide will help you find your Charleston County traffic court records, understand your options, and connect with the right court for your case.
Charleston County Quick Facts
Charleston County Clerk of Court
Julie J. Armstrong serves as the Clerk of Court for Charleston County. Her office is the official custodian of Circuit Court and Family Court records in the 9th Judicial Circuit. The office is located at 100 Broad Street, Suite 106, in downtown Charleston. Staff handle case filings, provide certified copies of court records, manage the jury pool, and support court operations across all divisions. The Clerk manages over 100,000 cases annually across all court divisions in Charleston County.
The Charleston County Clerk of Court page on sccourts.org lists contact information and links to online search tools. Court Plus provides enhanced features for attorneys and registered users. The Daybook Search lets you view scheduled court proceedings. Both tools are accessible from the Clerk's website.
The SC Judicial Branch entry for the Charleston County Clerk of Court provides contact details and direct links to the online public index and case search tools for 9th Circuit records.
The Clerk of Court page at sccourts.org connects you to the public index, circuit court case search, and other online tools used to find Charleston County traffic and court records.
| Office | Charleston County Clerk of Court 100 Broad Street, Suite 106 Charleston, SC 29401 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (843) 958-5000 |
| Fax | (843) 958-5195 |
| Cashier Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Office Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Payment Methods | Cash, Certified Checks, Money Orders, Debit, Credit. Personal checks not accepted. |
| Clerk Website | clerkofcourt.charlestoncounty.org |
North Charleston Municipal Court Traffic Cases
North Charleston has its own municipal court that handles traffic violations and other city ordinance matters. The North Charleston Municipal Court is located at 2500 City Hall Lane, North Charleston, SC 29406. You can reach the court by phone at (843) 740-2602. Court sessions are held on scheduled days each week.
The North Charleston Municipal Court operates an online portal where you can look up your traffic case, check your court date, and pay eligible fines. The eCourt portal for North Charleston is shown below and provides public access to ticket and case information.
The North Charleston eCourt public portal lets you search tickets by ticket number, driver's license number, and date of birth. Online payments post within 72 hours excluding weekends and holidays.
There are important deadlines to know when using the North Charleston eCourt portal. All online payments must be made at least 48 hours before your scheduled court date. Paying online counts as a guilty plea, as required by Section 56-5-6220 of the South Carolina Code. Some charges still require a mandatory court appearance even after payment. Check your citation carefully to confirm whether you must appear in person.
Note: For North Charleston citations, use the ticket number shown in the bottom right corner of your citation when searching the eCourt portal.
Charleston County Court Portal
The Charleston County Court Portal provides a central point of access for information about all courts operating within the county. This includes Circuit Court, Family Court, Magistrate Court, Municipal Courts, Juvenile Court, Masters-in-Equity, and Probate Court. The portal links to online case lookup, court calendars, forms, and procedures for both the public and attorneys.
The Charleston County Court Portal serves as the centralized online gateway for all county court information and includes case search access, fee schedules, and court contact details.
Visit clerkofcourt.charlestoncounty.org for the full court portal, which lists all courts in the county, their addresses, and online services including case search tools and payment options.
Copy fees for court records in Charleston County are $0.25 per page for standard copies. Certified copies cost more and require an additional certification fee. The Clerk's office processes records requests in person, by mail, and through the online records request system available at the Clerk's website.
Charleston County Clerk of Court Official Website
The official Charleston County Clerk of Court website provides direct access to online case search tools, court calendars, fee schedules, and records request procedures. You can search Circuit Court civil and criminal cases, view the court calendar, access the Daybook Search for scheduled proceedings, and request documents from this site. The site also includes bondsman data and information on common court procedures.
The official Clerk of Court website for Charleston County allows online case searches, court scheduling access, and document request submission from the same platform.
The official Charleston County Clerk of Court website provides the most complete access to online case records, court forms, scheduling information, and records request procedures for the county.
Court records for Charleston County are retained under state schedules with both microfilm and digital archiving. The Clerk works with the South Carolina Archives for historical records preservation. The office also coordinates with the Charleston County Master in Equity for foreclosure and equity court records. Under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, most court records are public. The Clerk must respond to FOIA requests within 10 business days for records under two years old.
Charleston Municipal Court Traffic Tickets
The City of Charleston operates its own municipal court for traffic violations and city ordinance cases. The Charleston Municipal Court handles traffic tickets issued within city limits by Charleston Police Department officers. Traffic court sessions are held Monday afternoons, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. The court is located at 180 B Lockwood Blvd, Charleston, SC 29403. The court can be reached by phone at (843) 724-7460.
The Charleston Municipal Court traffic page provides information on how to handle citations, check your court date, and pay fines for tickets issued within the city of Charleston.
Visit the Charleston Municipal Court traffic ticket page to find information on scheduled sessions, how to pay your ticket, and what to do if you want to contest a citation issued in the City of Charleston.
The City of Charleston Municipal Court handles violations of city ordinances and state traffic laws that occur within the city. For violations that happen in unincorporated Charleston County, or outside city limits, the matter goes to a county magistrate court instead. Always check your citation to confirm the issuing officer's agency and the assigned court location.
How to Look Up Charleston County Traffic Records
There are several ways to find Charleston County traffic court records. Your approach depends on whether your case is in county magistrate court or a municipal court. For county magistrate cases, use the SC traffic ticket search or the SC case records search. These statewide tools cover all magistrate and circuit court cases, including Charleston County.
For North Charleston Municipal Court cases, use the eCourt public portal at the link above. For Charleston Municipal Court cases, visit the Charleston municipal court traffic page. Each municipal court maintains its own docket, separate from the county magistrate courts. If you are not sure which court has your case, check the name of the issuing agency and assigned court location printed on your citation.
Common records you can access for Charleston County traffic cases include:
- Citation details and charge information
- Scheduled court dates and hearing notices
- Case status and disposition records
- Fine amounts and payment history
- Warrant or failure-to-appear information
Certified copies of Charleston County court records can be requested from the Clerk of Court in person at 100 Broad Street, by mail, or through the online records request system on the Clerk's official website. The SC Judicial Branch magistrate court overview explains how the summary court system operates statewide.
Points and License Impact from Charleston County Citations
A traffic conviction in any Charleston County court is reported to the SC DMV. The DMV records the conviction and assigns points. Reckless driving carries six points. Speeding 10 to 25 mph over the posted limit carries four points. Lesser moving violations typically carry two points. Reaching 12 points leads to suspension. The SC DMV points system page lists point values for all common violations.
Points are cut in half after one year and fully removed after two years. If you have four or fewer points, the Traffic Education Program may help you avoid further consequences. This program costs $140 and can only be used once per lifetime. You can get your driving record from the SC DMV driving records page for $6.00. Both three-year and ten-year versions are available. Under South Carolina Code Title 14, all magistrate court convictions are reported to the DMV.
Note: Online payment of a Charleston County traffic citation results in a guilty plea and a conviction that will appear on your driving record and may affect your auto insurance rates.
Cities in Charleston County
Charleston County includes several large cities, each of which may have its own municipal court for ordinance and traffic violations. State law traffic violations outside city limits are handled by county magistrate courts.
Charleston, North Charleston, and Mount Pleasant are the three largest cities in the county. Each has municipal court operations that handle citations issued by their respective police departments.
Nearby Counties
Charleston County borders Berkeley and Dorchester Counties in the 9th Judicial Circuit. It also borders Colleton and Georgetown Counties. If your citation was issued near a county line, the issuing officer's agency assignment determines which county court handles the case.