Columbia People Search Records
Columbia people search tools provide access to public records for the state capital of South Carolina. Columbia is located in Richland County and serves as the seat of state government. The city runs its own police records unit, municipal court, and open data portal. Richland County maintains court records that cover Columbia cases too. State agencies like SLED and the Department of Corrections add more search options. Whether you need a police report or a court docket, Columbia offers several paths to find the records you need.
Columbia Police Records Unit
The Columbia Police Department Records Unit is the first stop for many people search requests in the city. The office sits at 1 Justice Square, at the corner of Lincoln and Washington Streets. Hours run Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. You can walk in during those hours to request reports.
Incident reports from the past 14 days are free for victims. All other requests cost $3.00 per report. For older records, you must submit a Freedom of Information Act request form. Accident reports cost $3.00 each no matter who asks. The unit takes cash, checks, and major credit or debit cards. All reports follow FOIA rules for privacy and may be redacted in part or withheld if the law requires it.
The Columbia Police Records Unit page provides access to people search data in the city.
Visit columbiapd.net/records to find the FOIA request form and fee details for a Columbia people search.
Note: Media requests for reports must go through the Public Information Officer and cannot be filled at the records counter.
Columbia Municipal Court People Search
The Columbia Municipal Court hears traffic violations, certain criminal charges, and city code cases. It is an important resource for a Columbia people search. The court sits at 811 Washington Street, next to police headquarters. Richland County maintains all records for this court.
You can search Columbia Municipal Court cases through the Richland County Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org. Select "Columbia Municipal Court" from the Court Agency drop down to narrow your results. Records go back to 1988. The court system covers bond court, criminal court, domestic violence court, homeless court, quality of life court, and traffic court.
The Columbia Municipal Court case search page is shown here.
Bond Court cases in the Richland County part of Columbia are heard at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center at 201 John Mark Dial Drive. Fines can be paid online, in person, or by mail.
Columbia Open Data for People Search
In 2016, the Columbia Police Department joined the White House Police Data Initiative. This led to a public data portal that shares arrest records, field contacts, calls for service, and more. The data is free to view and download. No FOIA request is needed.
Arrest data covers January 2016 through December 2024. Field interview records run from 2016 to present. You can search by case number, date, address, race, sex, offense type, or age. Files come in CSV, KML, GeoJSON, and other formats. Each record includes location data for mapping. The portal also links to a community crime map powered by LexisNexis that shows crimes by area.
The Columbia public data portal is shown below.
Access the portal at coc-colacitygis.opendata.arcgis.com to begin your Columbia people search through open data.
FOIA Requests in Columbia
The City of Columbia FOIA Office handles public records requests for all city departments. The office is at 1401 Main Street. You can submit requests online, by mail, or by email at FOIA@columbiasc.gov. Each request must include addresses, specific dates or date ranges, and names if possible.
Fees for Columbia people search records through FOIA include $20.00 per hour for search and retrieval time. Copies cost $0.30 per page for black and white letter size. Color copies run $0.75 per page. Disc copies cost $5.00 each. The city sends an invoice and you must pay in full before the records are released. Download the request form at columbiasc.gov/foia.
Richland County Records for Columbia
Richland County runs several systems that cover Columbia residents. The county Clerk of Court handles over 5,000 civil cases, 10,000 criminal warrants, and 5,000 domestic cases each year. The office is at the Richland County Judicial Center, 1701 Main Street, Room 205. You can search court records online through the Richland County Public Index.
The Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center provides an online inmate search. You can look up current inmates by name, date of birth, or system person number. The jail books about 18,400 people each year and holds an average daily population of 920. The facility is at 201 John Mark Dial Drive. Call 803-576-3000 for general questions.
Richland County also maintains property records through the Register of Deeds and the Probate Court. The Register of Deeds holds deeds, mortgages, liens, and plats. The Probate Court manages estate records from 1994 to present and issues marriage licenses. Both offices are at the Judicial Center on Main Street.
- Clerk of Court for civil and criminal case files
- Detention Center inmate search for jail records
- Register of Deeds for property ownership data
- Probate Court for estates and marriage licenses
- FOIA Office for formal public records requests
State People Search Tools for Columbia
SLED CATCH provides statewide criminal history checks that include Columbia arrests. The search costs $25 and requires a name and date of birth. Results appear right away for online requests. You can also mail a request to the SLED Records Department in Columbia at PO Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221. Visit catch.sled.sc.gov to run a search.
The South Carolina Department of Corrections inmate search at public.doc.state.sc.us covers anyone sentenced to state prison. The sex offender registry at scor.sled.sc.gov lets you search for offenders by name or location. South Carolina vital records are managed by the Department of Public Health at dph.sc.gov/public/vital-records. Birth and death records start from 1915.
Note: SLED headquarters and the Vital Records office are both in Columbia, making in-person visits an option for local residents.
Additional Columbia Record Sources
Columbia tracks parking citations that can link back to a person. Fines range from $20 for an expired meter to $500 for parking in a handicapped spot or fire lane. Vehicles with $50 or more in past due bonds may be booted or impounded. The city takes online payments for parking tickets. Code enforcement records through the Planning and Development Services division at 803-545-3430 can also reveal information tied to property owners in Columbia.
Richland County People Search
Columbia sits in Richland County. The county court system, register of deeds, and probate court all maintain records that cover Columbia residents. For a wider search across the full county, visit the Richland County people search page.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
Other cities in the region have their own records systems. Select a city below to explore people search options for that location.