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South Carolina County
Greenwood County, South Carolina
Greenwood's Festival of Flowers and Lander University - from the Festival of Flowers (the annual June festival in Greenwood has been held since 1960 - the city's extraordinary floral displays, public gardens, and horticultural tradition make it one of South Carolina's most beloved summer events, drawing visitors from across the Piedmont) to Lander University (the public liberal arts university in Greenwood providing education and economic anchoring in the upstate South Carolina Piedmont) and the Self Regional Healthcare system that serves as the regional medical hub.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Office: Greenwood County Emergency Management – (864) 942-8553
Services: Coordinates countywide disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; operates the Genasys Emergency Management (GEM) mass notification system for severe weather alerts, evacuation notices, missing person reports, and other critical information – residents can register at greenwoodcountysc.genasys.com/portal/en/register (Spanish-language option available)
Related: Greenwood County EMS – 528 Monument Ave, Suite B-24, Greenwood, SC 29646, (864) 942-8554; operates 7 ambulances and 2 Quick Response Vehicles covering roughly 463 square miles.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-25 and SC-72 serve Greenwood, the county seat, in the Upstate/Piedmont region
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Greenwood County Permits – 528 Monument Street, Greenwood, SC | Applications, inspections, and payments processed through the county’s online permit portal
Services: Building permits for unincorporated Greenwood County; note that as of the March 2025 Hurricane Helene recovery period, storm-related debris landfill fee waivers and permit fee waivers were offered for a limited window – confirm current post-storm policies directly
Notes: City of Greenwood maintains its own SEPARATE Building & Code Enforcement – (864) 942-8424, now processed via the CitizenServe portal as of August 2025 – as do the Towns of Ninety Six, Troy, and Ware Shoals. The Greenwood City/County Planning Department (864-942-8636) serves all these jurisdictions jointly for planning matters. Confirm the correct jurisdiction for your property.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Greenwood County Veterans Affairs Office – Greenwood, SC
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Greenwood County Library System – 3 locations: Greenwood, Ninety Six, and Ware Shoals
Main Branch: Greenwood County Library – 600 South Main Street, Greenwood, SC 29646 | (864) 941-4650
Services: Serves roughly 69,000 residents with over 150,000 annual library visits and 43,500+ cardholders; runs 462 community programs annually reaching over 6,000 attendees; hosts the Humane Society of Greenwood’s “Furry Tales Story Time” program, letting children read aloud to a shelter dog
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Greenwood County is genuinely home to NINETY SIX NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, a site of exceptional Revolutionary War significance holding TWO documented American Revolutionary War records; the frontier trading town, established by 1730 and named because early traders mistakenly believed it was 96 miles from the Cherokee village of Keowee, hosted the FIRST LAND BATTLE SOUTH OF NEW ENGLAND in November 1775, during which Patriot soldier James Birmingham became the first South Carolinian to lose his life fighting for American independence; by 1780, British forces fortified the strategically vital frontier town, constructing an earthen Star Fort and stockades; from May 22 to June 18, 1781, Major General Nathanael Greene led roughly 1,000 Continental Army troops and militia in what became the LONGEST SIEGE OF THE ENTIRE REVOLUTIONARY WAR against approximately 550 Loyalist defenders under Colonel John Cruger – despite constructing an elaborate 30-foot log rifle tower and a siege tunnel under the direction of General Thaddeus Kosciuszko intended to breach the fort’s wall with explosives, Greene’s forces were ultimately unsuccessful and were forced to withdraw when British reinforcements under Lord Rawdon approached from Charleston; many surviving Loyalists were later relocated by the Crown to Nova Scotia, where they named their new township “Rawdon” in honor of their rescuer – a documented and distinctive transatlantic legacy of the siege; the site, encompassing over 1,000 acres, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973 and became part of the National Park System in 1976
Notes: Ninety Six’s genuine, extensively documented status as the site of both the first land battle south of New England and the longest siege of the entire Revolutionary War – with a documented legacy stretching all the way to a Nova Scotia town name – is an extraordinary piece of American Revolutionary War history.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Greenwood County GIS – accessible via greenwoodcounty-sc.gov
Parcel Search: Greenwood County Assessor
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Greenwood County Emergency Management
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Humane Society of Greenwood (operating the Greenwood County Animal Shelter under county contract) – 2820 Airport Rd, Greenwood, SC | Adoption Center: (864) 223-2498 | Hours: Tue–Sat 10 AM–5 PM (some sources note 12-5 PM – confirm current hours)
Services: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit contracted by Greenwood County to operate the county animal shelter – the safety net for lost, abandoned, or relinquished animals countywide; not funded by HSUS or ASPCA; adoption fees $95 for adult dogs, $150 for purebreds/small dogs under 20 lbs/puppies under 6 months (includes spay/neuter, vaccinations, heartworm test, deworming, microchip); Adult Cats $30, Kittens $75 (includes spay/neuter and vaccinations); FeLV/FIV combo testing available for an additional $25; offers a free online lost-and-found pet service and low-cost spay/neuter for the greater Greenwood area
Notes: To report a stray animal emergency or animal abuse/neglect, call dispatch at (864) 942-8632.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: SC DHEC – scdhec.gov
Notes: Contact Greenwood County directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Greenwood County is genuinely home to Ninety Six National Historic Site, site of both the first land battle south of New England and the longest siege of the entire Revolutionary War. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, library, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Greenwood County
Greenwood County is upstate South Carolina’s Festival of Flowers county – the June floral celebration and Lander University define a Piedmont community that has navigated the post-textile transition with healthcare and education anchors.
Greenwood (the county seat, population ~23,000) is the Piedmont’s regional hub – Self Regional Healthcare, Lander University, and the annual Festival of Flowers provide economic and cultural stability.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Greenwood County Assessor at 528 Monument Street, Suite 103, Greenwood, SC 29646, phone 864-942-8537. SC owner-occupied assessed at 4% of market value.
Courts & Legal
Greenwood County Probate Court at 528 Monument Street, Suite 104, Greenwood, SC 29646, phone 864-942-8624, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
PROBATE COURT
528 Monument St, Greenwood, SC 29646
(864) 942-8546
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Greenwood County Probate Court, Greenwood (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Greenwood County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Greenwood County Probate Court 528 Monument Street, Room 205, Greenwood, SC 29646 (864) 942-8600 Greenwood County is in the western Piedmont region of South Carolina, seated in Greenwood.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
South Carolina HAS adopted a version of the Uniform Probate Code, giving it more standardized and generally more streamlined procedures than states with older, common-law-based systems. Probate is handled by a dedicated Probate Court in each of South Carolina’s 46 counties – a separate court of limited jurisdiction, led by an elected Probate Judge (four-year term). The case is filed in the county where the decedent lived.
Small Estate Affidavit / Collection by Affidavit (S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201) – available when the gross value of the entire probate estate, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $45,000 (raised from $25,000 for deaths after May 2025). At least 30 days must have passed since death, and no petition for appointment of a personal representative can be pending anywhere. The successor files a Form 420PC “Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property,” which the probate judge approves and countersigns.
Summary Administration (§ 62-3-1203) – a simplified probate procedure available when the value of the estate passing by will (less liens and encumbrances) is under the statutory threshold, or when the surviving spouse is the sole heir or beneficiary.
Informal Probate – the standard path for the majority of estates. No notices or hearings are required unless demanded by an interested party.
Formal Proceedings – reserved for contested matters: objections to a personal representative’s appointment, will contests, a lost or destroyed will, or declaratory judgments on intestacy.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative (or an interested party) files a petition with the Greenwood County Probate Court where the decedent resided; if there’s a will, the original is filed with it.
For informal probate, the Probate Judge (or a designated staff member) reviews the application administratively; formal proceedings require notice and a hearing.
The court issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, giving the personal representative authority to act.
The personal representative files an inventory and appraisement within 90 days of qualification, and provides periodic accountings as the court requires.
Creditors are notified; claims not timely presented are barred.
The estate closes with a final settlement – a verified report and proposed distribution served on interested parties and approved by the Probate Court.
What it costs
Filing fees vary; check with Greenwood County directly for current fees.
A personal representative’s bond, when required, must equal one and one-half times the value of the estate’s personal property, though bond can often be waived under certain conditions.
South Carolina does NOT impose a state estate tax or a state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax applies, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
PROBATE COURT
528 Monument St, Greenwood, SC 29646
(864) 942-8546
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
528 Monument St, Greenwood, SC 29646
(864) 942-8600
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS
528 Monument St, Greenwood, SC 29646
(864) 942-8585
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
DHEC Public Health Office
1736 Ella St, Greenwood, SC 29646
(864) 942-3900
Department of Social Services
106 North Rossmore St, Greenwood, SC 29646
(864) 942-8100
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Greenwood County Public Health (DHEC) – Greenwood, SC
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Greenwood
Population: 70,000
Established: 1897
Tier: 3
Public Records
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