Registered Sex Offenders in Florence County
Florence County maintains a sex offender registry through the South Carolina Sex Offender Registry Tool managed by SLED. The Florence County SORT portal is the main online resource for finding registered sex offenders in the county. Sex offenders must register with the Sheriff's Office in the county where they reside, and they must register within 10 days of establishing residence. The Florence County Sheriff's Office is located at 6719 Friendfield Rd, Effingham, SC 29541, and can be reached at 843-665-2121 for non-emergency matters.
Florence County Quick Facts
How to Search Florence County Sex Offender Records
The Florence County SORT portal lets you search by name or address. An address search shows all registered sex offenders within a chosen radius, displayed on a map. Name searches are useful if you are looking for a specific person and want to confirm whether they are registered in the county.
The statewide search at scor.sled.sc.gov also covers Florence County and every other county in South Carolina. Use the statewide tool if you want results that span county lines or if you are checking on a person who may have recently moved.
For in-person assistance, visit the Florence County Sheriff's Office at 6719 Friendfield Rd, Effingham. The non-emergency line is 843-665-2121. Emergency calls should go to 911. Staff can help with questions about registration status, address verification, and how registry data is maintained.
Note: Sex offenders must register within 10 days of establishing residence in Florence County. This window is slightly longer than the three-day requirement that applies to transfers from other South Carolina counties, but compliance is still required within that period.
Registration Rules for Florence County Offenders
South Carolina Code Section 23-3-430 lists the offenses that require registration. Criminal sexual conduct in the first, second, or third degree, lewd act on a child, and assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct are among the crimes that trigger a registration obligation.
Offenders moving to Florence County from another state must register within 10 days of establishing residence. Offenders relocating from another county within South Carolina must notify both the old sheriff's office and the new one. The Florence County Sheriff's Office must receive that notification before the move is complete.
Registration is done in person and requires the offender to provide their full name, home address, place of employment, vehicle information, and all online identifiers. A current photograph is taken at each visit. This information is then submitted to the SLED database and becomes part of the public registry.
People who are released from prison or placed on supervision for a covered offense are required to register before completing their release process. The Department of Corrections coordinates with local sheriffs to ensure this happens at the right time.
Florence County SORT Registry and SLED
The Florence County SORT registry is maintained through a partnership between the local sheriff's office and SLED.
Records in the Florence County portal are drawn from the same central SLED database and are updated as the sheriff's office submits new information or address changes.
The statewide South Carolina SORT system also links Florence County records to the National Sex Offender Public Website, so they are searchable at the federal level as well.
SLED manages the central registry and ensures that data submitted by county sheriffs meets state standards for accuracy and completeness.
Reporting Tiers and Verification Schedules
Florence County sex offenders are assigned to one of three tiers based on the severity of their conviction. Tier I offenders must verify their registration once per year. Tier II offenders appear every six months. Tier III offenders report every 90 days for life.
Each visit to the sheriff's office requires confirmation of the offender's address, employer, vehicle, and online identifiers. Any changes must be reported within three days. This includes address moves, job changes, new vehicles, or new online accounts.
Failing to appear for a scheduled check-in or failing to report a change in information is a criminal offense. A first violation is a misdemeanor with a penalty of up to 90 days in jail. A second violation carries up to one year. A third violation is a felony that can result in up to five years in prison.
Residency Restrictions in Florence County
Section 23-3-535 of the South Carolina Code prohibits registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of a school, licensed daycare, or similar facility. This rule applies throughout Florence County, including the city of Florence and all unincorporated areas.
Florence County is a regional hub for northeastern South Carolina. The city of Florence has a significant number of schools, daycares, and child-serving organizations spread across a wide area. Registered offenders must confirm their proposed address is outside the 1,000-foot limit before registering there.
The sheriff's office checks each new address against restricted zones. An offender who attempts to register at a prohibited address will not have the registration accepted and may face additional charges. The restriction applies at every check-in and with each address change, not only when an offender first registers in the county.
Note: The residency restriction has an exception for offenders who were living at their current address before the law took effect and who have not moved since. This exception does not cover new addresses chosen after the law was enacted.
Legal Rights and Registry Limits
South Carolina Code Section 23-3-490 makes sex offender registry data available to the public. Anyone may search the registry at no cost and without providing a reason. The law is designed to give residents free and easy access to this information.
Section 23-3-510 creates penalties for misusing that information. Using registry data to commit a crime against a registrant results in enhanced punishment. A misdemeanor conviction can carry an increased fine of up to $1,000 and an additional jail term of up to six months. A felony conviction can carry an additional prison term of up to five years.
The South Carolina Attorney General's office is a resource for residents who want to understand how the registry works or who have concerns about registry misuse. The AG's criminal division also oversees compliance and enforcement at the state level.
For broader public records requests, the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act gives residents the right to request government documents, subject to specific exemptions. Agencies must respond within set time limits under the law.
Cities in Florence County
Florence County is home to the city of Florence, which is the largest city in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. Other communities in the county include Timmonsville, Lake City, Johnsonville, and Pamplico. Registered sex offenders living anywhere in Florence County must register with the county sheriff regardless of which city or town they live in.
Nearby Counties
Florence County is located in northeastern South Carolina and borders several other counties in the region. Each county has its own SORT portal within the statewide SLED registry system.