S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-1010
Schedule of fees and costs to be collected by magistrates
Operative Text
(A) Except as otherwise expressly provided, the following fees and costs must be collected by the magistrates and deposited in the general fund of the county: (1) for taking civil recognizance, with or without sureties, five dollars; (2) for granting an order for civil special bail, with or without sureties, five dollars; (3) for receiving and filing bond in claim and delivery, attachment, five dollars; if justification of sureties required, an additional five dollars; (4) for administering and certifying oaths or documents in writing, two dollars; (5) for issuing any prerogative writ, five dollars; (6) in all civil actions, for issuing a summons and a copy for defendant, and for giving judgment with or without a hearing, forty-five dollars; (7) for issuing execution and renewal thereof, ten dollars; (8) for making up, certifying, and forwarding a transcript of record and judgment in a case for purpose of appeal, ten dollars; (9) for proceedings by a landlord or lessor against a tenant or lessee, including notices to quit, eviction orders, or recovery of rents, twenty dollars; (10) for proceedings on a coroner's inquest, as prescribed by law, ten dollars, if inquest is demanded by a party other than the State or county or authorized officer of either; (11) for proceeding on estrays, including judgment for possession, sale, or damages, ten dollars; (12) for qualifying appraisers to set off homestead or qualifying sureties on a bond posted in a case, including bail bonds, five dollars; (13) for each tax execution collected, five dollars; and (14) for filing or issuing any other paper not provided for in this section, five dollars. (B) Fees or costs may not be assessed against a party for summoning jurors or expense of jury service in a criminal case in which a trial by jury is had.
Section 8-21-1010 of the South Carolina Code establishes a standardized schedule of fees that magistrates are required to collect for various court-related services and deposit into the county's general fund. The fees range from two dollars for administering oaths to forty-five dollars for issuing a summons and rendering civil judgment. Notably, landlord-tenant proceedings—including notices to quit, eviction orders, and rent recovery actions—carry a specific fee of twenty dollars. The provision also prohibits assessing fees against any party for jury summoning or jury service costs in criminal trials.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-1010(9), landlords and lessors initiating magistrate court proceedings against a tenant—whether for eviction, a notice to quit, or recovery of unpaid rent—should expect a twenty-dollar filing fee to be collected by the magistrate. Compliant operators typically account for these statutory court costs when budgeting for legal proceedings. Additional fees may apply depending on the specific procedural steps taken, such as issuing a summons (§ 8-21-1010(6)) or executing a judgment (§ 8-21-1010(7)).
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-1010(9), when a landlord initiates a magistrate court proceeding for eviction, a notice to quit, or rent recovery, a twenty-dollar fee is set by statute and collected by the court. Tenants involved in such proceedings may want to review the full fee schedule to understand what costs are associated with each stage of the process. Tenant-rights organizations in South Carolina can help explain how these court fees interact with any defenses or counterclaims a tenant might raise in a magistrate proceeding under this section.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 19, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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