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South Carolina, United States

South Carolina Eviction Notice

Create a proper South Carolina eviction notice — pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or termination — and download a print-ready PDF. Free, no signup. The preview updates as you type.

Reflects current South Carolina rules · 2026 Official source linked Free PDF · no signup · nothing uploaded

Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.

What happens after the notice in South Carolina

If the tenant does not comply, the eviction moves to court. These are South Carolina’s own rules for that step, from the judiciary and the statute.

Each point links to the South Carolina source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.

South Carolina notice periods · as of 2026

Non-payment of rent
5 days
Lease violation (cure)
14 days
End month-to-month
30 days

Source: S.C. Code § 27-40-710; § 27-40-770 · verify ↗. Using the wrong number can void the notice — confirm the current rule before you serve it.

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Types of eviction notice

  • Pay or quit — for unpaid rent: pay by the deadline or move out.
  • Cure or quit — for a lease violation: fix it by the deadline or move out.
  • Unconditional / termination — to end a month-to-month tenancy or for serious violations.

South Carolina notice period & service

The number of days and how you must deliver the notice are set by South Carolina law — get both right, keep proof of service, and never lock out or remove a tenant yourself. Check the current South Carolina eviction rules before serving.

If the tenant moves out still owing rent, the notice won’t collect it. Put the amount and a deadline in writing with a South Carolina demand letter for payment; if it’s ignored, you can file in South Carolina small claims court, where the limit is $7,500.

Frequently asked questions

How many days notice do I have to give in South Carolina?

In South Carolina, a non-payment (pay-or-quit) notice must give the tenant 5 days to pay or leave (as of 2026). Source: S.C. Code § 27-40-710; § 27-40-770. Notice periods for lease violations or ending a tenancy differ — see the box on this page and confirm current law before serving.

How do I serve the notice in South Carolina?

States set rules for delivery — often personal delivery, leaving it with an adult at the home, and/or mailing a copy. Keep proof of how and when you served it. Improper service is a common reason eviction cases get dismissed, so follow South Carolina’s method carefully.

Do I need a lawyer?

Not always for the notice itself, but eviction is technical and a small mistake can restart the clock. For contested cases, commercial properties, or if the tenant has an attorney, it’s worth consulting a landlord-tenant lawyer in South Carolina.

Where does a landlord file an eviction case in South Carolina?

If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord files in the Magistrate Court (the case is called a(n) Ejectment (application for rule to vacate or show cause) action). Source: S.C. Code § 27-37-20 (Ejectment of tenants; rule to vacate or show cause).

How must an eviction notice be served in South Carolina?

Statute only requires the landlord to 'deliver a written notice' (14-day cure notice; 5-day nonpayment notice, which can be satisfied by conspicuous lease language). No delivery method is prescribed for the notice; the court's Rule to Vacate is served like a summons. Source: S.C. Code § 27-40-710(A)-(B) (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act).

What does it cost to file an eviction in South Carolina?

$20 magistrate fee for landlord-tenant proceedings (S.C. Code § 8-21-1010(A)(9)); a separate $45 fee applies to issuing a summons/judgment in civil actions (§ 8-21-1010(A)(6)). Source: S.C. Code § 8-21-1010(A)(9) (2000 Act No. 226, eff. April 1, 2000).

How does South Carolina compare? See the notice periods in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute. Not sure which notice applies? Try the 2-question wizard.

How South Carolina compares

Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for South Carolina: S.C. Code § 27-40-710; § 27-40-770 ↗.

Notice to pay rent or quit

Notice to pay rent or quit: 5 days, exactly the national median.

This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 7 other states.

Notice to pay rent or quit in neighboring states — Georgia (3 days), North Carolina (10 days).

Notice to cure a lease violation

Notice to cure a lease violation: 14 days, exactly the national median.

This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 7 other states.

Notice to cure a lease violation in neighboring states — Georgia (no statutory rule), North Carolina (no statutory rule).

Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy

Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy: 30 days, exactly the national median.

This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 36 other states.

Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in neighboring states — Georgia (60 days), North Carolina (7 days).

The rest of what South Carolina requires

The figures below are South Carolina's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full South Carolina page for that document.

Security deposit cap · as of 2026
No statutory limit S.C. Code §27-40-410 ↗
Deposit return deadline · as of 2026
30 days after move-out S.C. Code §27-40-410 ↗
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026
30 days S.C. Code §27-40-410 ↗
Small claims limit · as of 2026
$7,500 S.C. Code Ann. § 22-3-10 (jurisdiction); § 8-21-1010 (fees) ↗
Where you file · as of 2026
Magistrates Court (commonly called small claims court) · filing fee About $80 total in most counties (e.g., Beaufort County Magistrate: $80 including a $10 service fee, +$10 per additional defendant). The statutory base is $45 for summons and judgment under S.C. Code § 8-21-1010(A)(6), with county-collected surcharges making up the difference. S.C. Code Ann. § 22-3-10 (jurisdiction); § 8-21-1010 (fees) ↗
Rental application fee · as of July 2026
No statutory limit South Carolina Code ↗
Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
Not required South Carolina SCDMV (Form 4031) ↗
Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
Notarization required · 2 witnesses S.C. Code §62-8-105 ↗
LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules S.C. Code Ann. § 33-44-103 ↗
Recording a deed · as of 2026
Register of Deeds (in some counties the Clerk of Court performs the register's recording duties) — S.C. Code § 30-5-30 / Title 30 · 2 witnesses S.C. Code §§ 27-7-10, 30-5-30 ↗

Eviction notice in other states

More South Carolina legal forms

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