Bulletin: SC2019006

Dear Associates:

The new online SCDOR Tax Lien Registry went live on Friday, November 1, 2019, in compliance with S.C. Code Ann. §12-54-122. The registry may be found online at the MyDORWAY portal at https://dor/sc/gov. Then click on the MyDORWAY tab at the center bottom of that page. Under “Compliance” select “State Tax Lien Registry” [or you may access it directly at https://dor.sc.gov/lienregistry]. You may then search by “Lien ID”, “Individual” or “Business”.

Under “Lien ID” you must, of course, only search by a lien ID number. Under “Individual” you must input a first and last name. You may also refine your search with a middle initial or the last four of a social security number. Under “Business” you must enter a business name and you may limit your search by the last four of a FEIN (tax ID number). A search on this site will give results of tax liens filed and dating back many years.

Some other functionalities of the website include:

• Lien ID - View additional statewide lien information.
• Payoff - Estimate lien payoff amount on active liens.
• Issued - Where the lien was issued. All liens in this registry are considered statewide liens as of November 1, 2019.
• Date Filed - Date the lien was filed. 
• Date Satisfied - View lien satisfaction information. Print a screenshot if needed. Liens are satisfied when the debt is paid in full.
• Partial Release - Date the lien was partially released (if applicable). The release only applies to the specific tract or parcel of land listed. Click the date to view additional information.

Note that the DOR indicates that “all liens” in the online registry are now statewide liens, and all liens previously recorded in county state tax lien books are in this registry.

Underwriting Guideline: For South Carolina Department of Revenue tax lien filings:

(i) Against predecessors who were in title before, but not on or after November 1, 2019, all tax liens with a filing date prior to November 1, 2019, are effective only in the county when and where the lien appears in the county lien books or the county indicated in the online registry. Such open tax liens in the county where the land is located must be investigated and a payoff or release must be obtained, as appropriate, in order to insure without exception; 

(ii) Against predecessors in title who were in title on or after November 1, 2019, all open online tax liens, regardless of filing date, must be investigated and a payoff or release must be obtained, as appropriate, in order to insure without exception; and

(iii) Against the current owner, all open online tax liens, regardless of filing date, must be investigated and a payoff or release must be obtained, as appropriate, in order to insure without exception.

Other Issues: (1) We will require searches of lien books in the various counties in addition to the website when performing title abstracts covering the ten year lien period so long as the books are available; (2) “Payoffs” given on the website are only estimates so attorneys and agents must still contact the DOR directly for written payoffs; (3) All future satisfactions and releases will only be maintained on the DOR Lien Registry website. 

If you have any questions relating to this or other bulletins, please contact a Stewart Title Guaranty Company underwriter.

For on-line viewing of this and other bulletins, please log onto www.vuwriter.com.