Sex Offenders in Conway, South Carolina
Conway is the county seat of Horry County and home to the Horry County Sheriff's Office, which manages sex offender registration for the entire county. Residents can search for registered sex offenders in Conway using the Horry County SLED SORT portal. The registry is free, public, and updated when offenders report changes to their address, employment, or enrollment status. South Carolina law requires all convicted sex offenders to register and keep their information current. This page explains the tools, legal rules, and local agencies that govern sex offender registration in Conway.
Conway Quick Facts
Searching the Conway Sex Offender Registry
The Horry County SORT portal is the best starting point for any Conway sex offender search. The tool is powered by SLED, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and pulls live data from the state registry. You can search by name, street address, or zip code. Each result includes the registrant's current address, a photograph, the nature of the offense, and their tier level under state law.
Because Conway is the county seat, many county-level law enforcement functions take place within city limits. The Horry County Sheriff's Office is located at 1301 2nd Avenue in Conway, making it easy for residents to visit in person if they need more information than the online tool provides. The Sheriff's Office is also where sex offenders must report to register or update their address.
The national registry at NSOPW.gov also covers Conway and can be used to look up out-of-state offenders who may have relocated to Horry County. This is especially relevant given Conway's position near the Grand Strand, a region that draws significant population movement year-round.
Note: Registry data reflects what has been reported and verified. There may be a brief lag between an event and when it appears in the public database.
Horry County Sheriff's Office and Registration
The Horry County Sheriff's Office manages sex offender registration for all of Horry County, including Conway. The Sheriff's Office is located right in Conway at 1301 2nd Avenue, Conway, SC 29526, and can be reached at (843) 915-5450. Deputies process new registrations, conduct address verifications, and enforce compliance with state registration requirements.
When an offender is released from state custody, they must register within one business day. Those who move into Conway or Horry County from another county or state have three business days to report to the Sheriff's Office. Registration requires a current photo, fingerprints, and a verified home address. The registrant must also disclose employers and any schools or educational programs where they are enrolled.
The J. Reuben Long Detention Center at 4150 J. Reuben Long Ave, Conway, SC 29526 is the Horry County jail. Individuals recently booked there for sex offense violations or registration failures may appear in Sheriff's Office records. The detention center processes inmates from Conway and across Horry County.
City of Conway Public Information
The City of Conway provides public information services for residents who need access to city records. Conway's public information office handles a range of requests, from city ordinance documents to meeting minutes.
For sex offender registry information specifically, the city defers to the Horry County Sheriff's Office and the SLED SORT system, which hold the authoritative data under state law.
Freedom of Information and Public Records in Conway
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act governs public records access for state and local agencies. The City of Conway's public information page outlines how to submit a records request, what documents are available, and the timelines agencies must follow.
The sex offender registry is already public under state law, so no FOIA request is needed to access it. However, underlying criminal records, court documents, or police reports related to sex offense cases may be requested through the city or Horry County under Title 30, Chapter 4 of the South Carolina Code. The city's FOIA FAQ page answers common questions about the process, timelines, and fees.
Note: Some records may be exempt from disclosure, including ongoing investigation files and records protected by privacy statutes. The city will identify which records are exempt when responding to a request.
South Carolina Sex Offender Registration Law
The legal framework for sex offender registration in Conway comes from Title 23, Chapter 3 of the South Carolina Code. You can read the full text at the South Carolina Legislature's website. The law sets registration deadlines, tier requirements, residency restrictions, and penalties for non-compliance.
South Carolina uses three tiers. Tier I offenders register once a year. Tier II offenders check in with their local law enforcement agency every six months. Tier III offenders, who carry the highest risk designation, must verify their address every 90 days and continue doing so for life. The tier assigned to each offender depends on the severity of the original offense, the offender's criminal history, and other statutory factors.
Section 23-3-535 of state law prohibits sex offenders from residing within 1,000 feet of a school, daycare center, or public park. Conway has schools and parks throughout the city, which means this rule restricts where offenders can legally rent or own a home within city limits. An offender who violates the residency rule faces additional criminal penalties.
The South Carolina Attorney General's office maintains a resource page on the registry at the AG's criminal division site. This page covers victim rights, how the registry is enforced, and what the public can and cannot do with registry information.
SLED and the State Registry System
SLED is the state agency that maintains the South Carolina sex offender registry. All local law enforcement agencies, including the Horry County Sheriff's Office, report registration data to SLED. SLED then makes the data publicly available through the SORT tool. The statewide system lets residents search not just Conway but any city or county in South Carolina.
SLED's data also feeds into the national registry at NSOPW. Federal law requires states to share sex offender data with the national system so that people who move across state lines remain trackable. If a registrant from another state moves to Conway, their prior record should appear in a national search even before Horry County completes the local registration process.
The SLED SORT statewide portal gives access to all registered sex offenders in South Carolina. Horry County has its own filtered view, but the main SORT tool is useful for broader searches or for verifying information across county lines.
Conway County Resources
As the county seat, Conway is the hub for Horry County public records and law enforcement services. The county-level sex offender registry covers Conway and all other communities in Horry County. Residents who want to see offenders listed across the full county, including unincorporated areas and nearby cities, should use the county page for a complete view.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
Conway is centrally located in Horry County and sits near several other communities along the Grand Strand and inland South Carolina. Checking the registries for nearby cities gives a more complete picture of sex offender locations throughout the region.