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South Carolina · Columbia Metro West · Lake Murray · #310 Most Populous County in the US
Lexington County, South Carolina
Columbia's most dynamic suburb - Lake Murray's 50,000-acre reservoir, strong school districts, and a county of rapid growth across the Midlands. Where South Carolina's state capital expands westward into rolling piedmont and one of the state's most beloved recreational lakes. Property tax, courts, public records, probate, and senior services for Lexington County residents.
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Lexington County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Services: Countywide disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; maintains an Emergency Road Closure Map to help residents track active closures and hazards during emergency events
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-20, I-26, and US-378 serve Lexington, the county seat, part of the Columbia metropolitan area
Transit: The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (COMET) provides limited bus service into parts of Lexington County – confirm current routes directly.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Lexington County Community Development, Building/Safety Inspection Division – County Administration Building, 212 South Lake Dr., Lexington, SC 29072 | (803) 785-8130 | Fax: (803) 785-5186 | Email: [email protected]
Services: Building permits (residential and commercial), plan review, inspections, and floodplain management for unincorporated Lexington County, applied for via the county’s online Building Permits Portal
Notes: Cities of Lexington, Cayce, West Columbia, Batesburg-Leesville, Chapin, Gaston, Gilbert, Irmo, Pelion, and Swansea maintain their own SEPARATE permitting processes – confirm the correct jurisdiction for your property.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Lexington County Veterans Affairs Office – Lexington, SC
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Lexington County Public Library – 10 branches plus a mobile library
Main Branch: Lexington Main Library – 5440 Augusta Road, Lexington, SC 29072 | (803) 785-2600
Services: One of South Carolina’s busiest library systems, ranking #5 of 42 statewide by annual visits (roughly 594,000 visitors/year); holds nearly 476,000 print volumes plus over 800,000 ebooks; runs about 4,000 community programs annually reaching nearly 95,000 attendees – 189% more programming than the typical SC public library; offers online “Ask a Librarian” chat, computer reservations, and curbside pickup
Related: Irmo Branch – 6251 St. Andrews Road, Columbia, SC 29212, (803) 798-7880; Chapin Branch – 129 N.W. Columbia Avenue, Chapin, SC 29036, (803) 345-5479; Cayce-West Columbia Branch – 1500 Augusta Road, West Columbia, SC 29169, (803) 794-6791; Batesburg-Leesville, Gaston, Gilbert, Pelion, South Congaree-Pine Ridge, and Swansea branches also serve the county.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Lexington County is genuinely home to LAKE MURRAY, which was the world’s LARGEST man-made reservoir at the time of its completion in 1930, and the Saluda Dam (officially the Dreher Shoals Dam) that created it was the world’s largest earthen dam at the time – a distinction recognized as recently as October 2025, when the American Society of Civil Engineers formally dedicated the dam as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark; the hydroelectric project, built by the Lexington Water Power Company between 1927 and 1930, required purchasing roughly 100,000 acres of land from more than 5,000 families and led to the abandonment of nearly a dozen small communities, along with the relocation of three churches, six schools, and roughly 2,000 graves; approximately 2,000 laborers, paid about 50 cents a day, cleared 65,000 acres of forest by hand using crosscut saws and axes, yielding 100 million board feet of lumber, some of which built a 3-mile railroad connecting the dam site to the rail line running through present-day Irmo; on December 1, 1930, Lake Murray delivered its first electric power, and the completed lake spans approximately 50,000 acres with about 650 miles of shoreline, stretching 41 miles long and up to 14 miles wide, reaching into Lexington, Newberry, Richland, and Saluda counties; a 2005 roller-compacted concrete backup dam was added at the base of the original structure to mitigate earthquake-related failure risk; the lake is also home to North America’s first officially designated Purple Martin sanctuary
Notes: Lake Murray’s genuine, extensively documented status as a world-record engineering achievement – now formally recognized as a national historic landmark – represents a defining piece of South Carolina’s 20th-century infrastructure history.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Lexington County GIS – accessible via lex-co.sc.gov
Parcel Search: Lexington County Assessor
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Lexington County Emergency Management Division
Services: Picks up strays and enforces the county’s animal control ordinance requiring cats and dogs be properly restrained at all times; adoption fee $40 for both dogs and cats, including spay/neuter, microchip, vaccinations, and heartworm testing/prevention as applicable; all animals undergo temperament and physical exams before adoption; runs a Community Cat (TNR) program; has an animal control officer on call around the clock, though after-hours response is limited to true emergencies (injured animals, attacks) – routine stray pickup is not handled after hours
Notes: Under contract, Lexington County Animal Services also covers the Town of Batesburg-Leesville within town limits. Saluda County residents needing similar assistance should call (864) 445-2112 instead.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: SC DHEC – scdhec.gov
Notes: Contact Lexington County directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Lexington County is genuinely home to Lake Murray and the Saluda Dam, a world-record engineering achievement upon its 1930 completion that was formally designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in October 2025. 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 Lexington County
Lexington County is the Columbia metropolitan area’s western growth engine – one of the fastest-growing large counties in South Carolina, where the 4% owner-occupied assessment rate, strong schools, and access to Lake Murray have made it a consistently preferred suburban destination.
Lake Murray – a 50,000-acre reservoir created by the Saluda Dam in 1930 – is South Carolina’s most popular inland water recreational destination. The lake’s 650 miles of shoreline, anchored by the communities of Chapin, Lexington, and Ballentine on the Lexington County shore, support boating, fishing, and some of the most sought-after waterfront residential properties in the Midlands. The Lake Murray Dam and the SCE&G/Dominion Energy power infrastructure reflect the lake’s industrial origins.
Lexington (the county seat, population ~22,000) is a characterful small town whose historic downtown has been well preserved despite the surrounding suburban growth. Lexington County School District One – consistently rated among the top school districts in South Carolina – is a primary draw for families relocating to the Columbia area.
South Carolina’s 4% assessment rate for owner-occupied primary residences (compared to 6% for investment properties and 4% for agricultural land) creates meaningful tax incentives for homesteaded properties – Lexington County residents who fail to file for the legal residence exemption pay 50% more in property taxes than their neighbors who do.
County government is a seven-member County Council.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
South Carolina assesses owner-occupied primary residences at 4% of appraised value; non-owner-occupied residential at 6%. The Lexington County Assessor (212 S. Lake Drive, Lexington, 803-785-8130) determines all property values.
Filing for 4% rate: Apply for the Legal Residence Exemption through the Lexington County Assessor within 90 days of acquiring or occupying the property. Missing this deadline results in the 6% rate – a significant difference.
Appeal process: Notify the Assessor in writing within 90 days of the assessment notice. If denied, appeal to the County Board of Assessment Appeals, then to the South Carolina Administrative Law Court within 30 days, then to the SC Court of Appeals.
Senior freeze: Qualifying homeowners age 65+ with income at or below $50,000 may have their assessed value frozen. Apply through the Lexington County Assessor.
No South Carolina estate tax. No South Carolina inheritance tax.
OWNWELL CTA: Lexington County 90-day appeal deadline – notify Assessor within 90 days of notice. Verify your 4% legal residence exemption is applied – it’s worth verifying every reassessment cycle. Senior freeze at 65+ income ≤$50,000. No SC estate or inheritance tax. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Recommended
Lexington County 90-day appeal deadline - notify Assessor within 90 days of notice. Verify your 4% legal residence exemption is applied - it's worth verifying every reassessment cycle. Senior freeze at 65+ income ≤$50,000. No SC estate or inheritance tax. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
The Lexington County Circuit Court at 139 E. Main Street, Lexington (803-359-8329) handles all civil, criminal, and family matters. The Lexington County Probate Court at 139 E. Main Street (803-785-8217) handles all estate administration. The Lexington County Register of Deeds (803-785-8226) at 212 S. Lake Drive maintains all land records – searchable online at lex-co.sc.gov.
South Carolina probate: Probate Court handles all estate administration. SC recognizes Transfer on Death deeds. No SC estate or inheritance tax.
Lake Murray waterfront succession: Lake Murray waterfront properties – among the most valuable in the Midlands – require estate planning addressing South Carolina riparian rights, dock permit transfers (SCE&G/Dominion Energy issues permits for docks on Lake Murray – these require renewal at transfer), and the practical challenges of managing vacation and waterfront property across family generations.
Senior Services: The Lexington County Council on Aging (803-358-7678) at 231 Gibson Road, Lexington coordinates senior centers, home-delivered meals, transportation, SC SHIP Medicare counseling, caregiver support, Adult Protective Services, and connections to South Carolina Medicaid programs.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
PROBATE COURT
205 East Main St, Lexington, SC 29072
(803) 785-8324
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Lexington County Probate Court, Lexington (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Lexington 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
Lexington County Probate Court Lexington County Judicial Center, 205 East Main Street, Suite 134, Lexington, SC 29072 (803) 785-8324
Lexington County is in central South Carolina, seated in Lexington – one of the state’s most populous counties, part of the Columbia metro area.
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. The Lexington County Probate Court also handles marriage licenses, adult guardianships and conservatorships, and mental health commitments.
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 Lexington 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 Lexington 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
205 East Main St, Lexington, SC 29072
(803) 785-8324
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
Lexington County Sheriff's Department, 521 Gibson Rd, Lexington, SC 29072
(803) 785-8230
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS
212 South Lake Dr, Lexington, SC 29072
(803) 785-8683
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
DHEC Public Health Office
3220 Sunset Blvd, West Columbia, SC 29169
(803) 796-9204
Department of Social Services
605 West Main St, Lexington, SC 29072
(803) 785-2100
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Lexington County Public Health (DHEC) – Lexington, SC
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
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