🏠 “The Record That Never Fades” – Evictions in South Carolina Stay Forever

By PalmettoLyfe News Group

Real Stories. Real Voices. Real South.

In South Carolina, a single eviction filing can follow a tenant for life — not just in spirit, but in public record. Once your name lands in that court docket, it doesn’t disappear. It stays searchable online for landlords, employers, and background-check companies to find — even if the rent was paid or the case was dismissed.

⚖️ A Public Record That Doesn’t Expire

Unlike credit reports that drop negative marks after seven years, South Carolina’s eviction filings don’t have an expiration date. Once a landlord files, the case becomes a public record, tied to your name and address. Even if the court rules in your favor or the dispute is settled, the filing itself remains visible in the state’s public index.

👉 Original article link

Legal experts say the only real way to remove an eviction is if the landlord voluntarily dismisses the case or if a judge issues a court order vacating the record. That rarely happens.

JustAnswer: Sealing eviction in SC

Justia: Removing settled eviction record

🚫 The Lasting Impact

Every background check or rental screening service in South Carolina can access court data. Even if your case was satisfied, it still shows up as an eviction case number — a “red flag” many landlords won’t overlook. Companies like ApplyCheck list these filings with:

Tenant name and address

Landlord name

Court case number and outcome

🔗 ApplyCheck – SC Tenant Screening

That means a single filing — even from years ago — can block renters from finding new housing.

🏛️ Lawmakers Trying to Fix It

Some state lawmakers want to change that. The South Carolina House Bill 4270 would seal eviction records six years after a case is resolved. But it’s still just a proposal. Until it becomes law, eviction cases remain part of the permanent public record.

🔗 ACLU SC – H.4270 Sealing Eviction Records

Groups like the ACLU of South Carolina and South Carolina NAACP have pushed for transparency and reform. Ironically, their lawsuit to ensure public access confirmed that eviction filings — past and present — remain open for anyone to see.

🔗 ACLU SC – Public Record Access Case

🧾 What Tenants Can Do

If you’ve been filed against, pay attention to the paperwork. Ask the landlord to file a “voluntary dismissal” or a “satisfaction of judgment.” That won’t erase the filing, but it will at least show the case was resolved — a small but powerful difference when applying for new housing.

If you’ve settled your debt or reached an agreement, you can also keep copies of receipts and correspondence to show potential landlords that the situation was handled responsibly.

Bottom Line:

In South Carolina, eviction filings don’t vanish — they live on in the digital court record. Until the law changes, those filings remain part of a renter’s story for life.

📎 Sources:

Original article – South Carolina eviction record

JustAnswer Legal Resource

ACLU SC – H.4270 Bill