Divorce in South Carolina: Costs, Laws, and Calculators (2026)

Everything you need to understand the financial reality of divorce in South Carolina. State-specific costs, formulas, and free calculators.

Our estimate, uncontested
$1,500 - $4,000
Our estimate, contested
$10,000 - $32,000
Estimated timeline
14 - 16 months
DCE State Score
43 / 100

South Carolina divorces typically cost 46% less than the national average of $12,900.

South Carolina requires a full year of separation for a no-fault divorce and lets fault affect support.

South Carolina is an equitable distribution state, dividing marital property by fairness rather than a set split. The no-fault path requires living separately for 365 days, a period among the longest in the country, which is why uncontested cases here take well over a year to finalize. The state also keeps fault grounds, including adultery, and fault is among the factors a court weighs when deciding alimony. Attorney rates run $200 to $375 per hour, with contested cases at $10,000 to $32,000.

What this section says about South Carolina's property system is a characterisation this site carries rather than a finding. That is our own record rather than South Carolina's own law.

Key Fact

South Carolina's separation requirement of 365 days pushes our estimated uncontested timeline to roughly 420 days, which is among the longest in the country.

Recent Development

South Carolina continues to require a full year of separation for no-fault divorce while keeping fault grounds available as a faster but more contentious alternative. Because fault remains one of the statutory factors for alimony, the choice between the two paths stays a meaningful decision.

South Carolina Divorce Quick Facts

State law, attorney rates, and procedural rules for South Carolina.

Property division system, in our record
Equitable Distribution (judicial discretion)
How alimony is decided, in our record
Judicial discretion
Child support formula, in our record
Income Shares Model
Mandatory waiting period
365 days
Residency requirement
365 days
Mediation required, in our record
No
Equal parenting presumption, in our record
No
Fault divorce available, in our record
Yes
Collaborative divorce available
Yes, and our record says the same for all fifty states
Filing fee range
$150
Attorney hourly rates, our estimate
$200 - $375/hour
Filing fee last checked
Not independently verified

Where these South Carolina figures come from, since it is fair to ask. The court filing fee is the one we have gone back to, and even there we are recording what a fee schedule says rather than citing a document we have opened. Everything else on this page that is a cost or a length of time - attorney rates, the mediator's per-session rate, QDRO preparation, the average totals, the typical number of months - came into our data when the site was first built, and nobody has checked any of it against a published source since. Our own value distributions give the game away: attorney rates across all fifty states take seven distinct values at the low end, every one of them a multiple of 25, which is what a set of estimates looks like rather than fifty separate readings. We think they are in the right neighbourhood. We are not going to call them South Carolina averages. For a real number, a South Carolina family law attorney will quote you their own rate, and the clerk of court in your county will tell you the filing fee to the dollar.

The waiting period and the residency requirement in that table are in the same position, and they matter more, because a wrong number there is a filing in the wrong place rather than a bad estimate. Both came into our data at the original build and nobody here has read South Carolina's dissolution statute. Confirm both with the clerk of court in the county where you will file, and ask specifically whether the wait runs from the day you file or from a separation date, because states do it both ways and our records hold one number for both cases.

DCE State Score Breakdown

Our proprietary index ranks every state on cost, complexity, and timeline. Higher is more favorable.

Overall DCE State Score

43/ 100

A score of 43 means South Carolina is below average in terms of divorce cost and complexity, with elevated costs or longer timelines.

Cost Score

28/ 40

Based on filing fees, attorney rates, and total typical costs in South Carolina.

Complexity Score

13/ 30

Reflects judicial discretion, mandatory mediation, and procedural hurdles.

Timeline Score

2/ 30

Driven by waiting periods and average case duration from filing to decree.

Divorce Calculators for South Carolina

All 15 calculators preconfigured for South Carolina.

South Carolina Divorce Laws Overview

Property Division

Our record has South Carolina as an equitable distribution state. That is our own record rather than South Carolina's own property division law. Equitable does not mean equal, it means fair, based on the circumstances. Judges consider factors including each spouse's income and earning capacity, contributions to the marriage, length of the marriage, and the economic circumstances of each spouse. Outcomes can vary significantly from case to case.

Spousal Support (Alimony)

South Carolina judges have broad discretion in setting alimony awards, and our record carries no statutory formula for the state. The factors it lists are: length of the marriage, standard of living during the marriage, each spouse's earning capacity, marital fault, financial resources of each spouse. Those came into our data at the original build rather than from a reading of the statute. Outcomes can vary significantly depending on the judge and the specific facts of your case.

Child Support

Our record puts South Carolina among the Income Shares Model states, and nobody here has read South Carolina's own guideline to check it. In that model both parents' incomes are combined, a total support obligation is set from that combined figure and the number of children, and each parent's share is proportional to their share of the combined income. The paying parent pays their share to the receiving parent.

Custody and Parenting Time

South Carolina courts determine custody on the best interests of the child. Our record carries no presumption of equal parenting time for the state and puts judicial discretion here in the middle of its three-point scale. That is our own record rather than South Carolina's own custody law. Courts generally favor arrangements that allow both parents meaningful involvement in the child's life.

Other Notable Factors

  • Our records put South Carolina at a 12-month mandatory waiting or separation period, and a divorce cannot be finalized before it expires. The figure is ours rather than a reading of the statute, and the same field carries both a wait that runs from filing and a separation requirement that runs from the day you separated, so confirm which one applies with the clerk of court where you will file.

This estimate is for planning purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult a licensed family law attorney in your state for guidance specific to your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a divorce cost in South Carolina?
Our working estimate is $1,500 - $4,000 for an uncontested South Carolina divorce and $10,000 - $32,000 for a contested one, with the spread depending on attorney involvement, custody disputes, and the complexity of the marital estate. Court filing fees alone are $150. Both totals are ours rather than measured averages: they came into our data when this site was built and no survey stands behind them.
How long does a divorce take in South Carolina?
Our records put South Carolina's mandatory wait at 365 days, an uncontested case at roughly 14 months, and a contested one at about 16. Treat all three as ours rather than as findings: we have not read South Carolina's dissolution statute or its court caseload statistics. The clerk of court in the county where you will file can confirm the wait, and whether it runs from filing or from a separation date, which differs by state.
How is property divided in South Carolina?
Our record has South Carolina as an equitable distribution state. That is our own record rather than South Carolina's own property division law. Equitable does not mean equal, it means fair, based on the circumstances. Judges consider factors including each spouse's income and earning capacity, contributions to the marriage, length of the marriage, and the economic circumstances of each spouse. Outcomes can vary significantly from case to case.
How is child support calculated in South Carolina?
Our record puts South Carolina among the Income Shares Model states, and nobody here has read South Carolina's own guideline to check it. In that model both parents' incomes are combined, a total support obligation is set from that combined figure and the number of children, and each parent's share is proportional to their share of the combined income. The paying parent pays their share to the receiving parent.
How is alimony determined in South Carolina?
South Carolina judges have broad discretion in setting alimony awards, and our record carries no statutory formula for the state. The factors it lists are: length of the marriage, standard of living during the marriage, each spouse's earning capacity, marital fault, financial resources of each spouse. Those came into our data at the original build rather than from a reading of the statute. Outcomes can vary significantly depending on the judge and the specific facts of your case.

Divorce Costs in Nearby States

See all 50 states for complete cost breakdowns and calculators.