Passport Offices in South Carolina: Who Runs Them and What They Do

South Carolina has no state passport agency. A passport is a federal document, and only the U.S. Department of State can issue one. The offices you find in towns from Abbeville to Bluffton are acceptance facilities. They check your identity, witness your signature, collect your fees and forward the application for processing.

Our database lists 88 of these offices across the state, so most residents live within a reasonable drive of one. Some listings carry station-style names, such as Keith D Oglesby Station in Greenville, Fairfield Station on Hilton Head Island and Oakbrook in Summerville. Those names suggest postal locations, but you should confirm by phone. Other acceptance facilities in South Carolina are run by local government offices such as clerks of court. The federal rules are identical everywhere. Hours, appointment policies and photo services are not.

Who has to apply in person

You must visit an acceptance facility and file Form DS-11 if any of these situations applies:

Adults whose undamaged passport was issued within the past 15 years, at age 16 or older, can usually renew without visiting an office. The State Department also offers online renewal to many eligible adults. Check the current eligibility rules before you book anything, because those programs have changed in recent years.

Upstate, Midlands, Pee Dee and Lowcountry: Where South Carolina Offices Cluster

The map of passport offices in South Carolina follows population. The Upstate corridor along Interstate 85 has the densest coverage. Spartanburg County has more listings than any other county in our database, with eight. One is the Gramling Passport Office at 14921 Asheville Highway in Campobello, reachable at 864-472-2435. Campobello is a small town, which shows that offices are not limited to big cities.

In Greenville County, the Keith D Oglesby Station Passport Office sits at 100 Orchard Park Drive in Greenville (864-288-5207). The Cleveland Passport Office at 4031 Geer Highway (864-836-8378) serves the northern part of the county near the Blue Ridge foothills. Farther west, Pickens County listings include Central (1205 West Main Street) and Clemson (519 College Avenue). The Clemson office is convenient for students and faculty at Clemson University who need a passport for study abroad. Anderson has an office at 1900 North Main Street (864-226-1595), and Greenwood has one at 240 North Creek Boulevard (864-229-6072).

The Midlands center on Columbia. The Sandhills Passport Office at 1805 Clemson Road (803-926-6354) is one of two Columbia listings. Lexington County Passport Office at 205 East Main Street in Lexington (803-785-8212) serves the western suburbs, and a Chapin office at 1249 Chapin Road serves the Lake Murray area. Sumter Passport Office at 311 North Main Street (803-773-9311) is a practical choice for families connected to Shaw Air Force Base. Camden, at 542 East Dekalb Street, covers Kershaw County.

On the coast, demand is driven by tourism, the port and the military. In Charleston County, the East Bay Passport Office at 557 East Bay Street (843-727-1129) is downtown, while the Awendaw office at 6201 North Highway 17 serves the northern coastal communities. Oakbrook Passport Office at 10070 Dorchester Road in Summerville (843-821-0298) covers the Dorchester County suburbs. Beaufort County has Beaufort Passport Office at 501 Charles Street, Bluffton Passport Office at 25 Thurmond Way, and Fairfield Station at 213 William Hilton Parkway on Hilton Head Island. Marine recruits, retirees and international visitors all draw on those offices.

The Grand Strand is covered by Horry County, where the Myrtle Beach Passport Office at 505 North Kings Highway (843-626-9533) and the Conway Passport Office at 2570 North Main Street (843-248-6313) are both listed. Inland, Kingstree Passport Office at 129 West Mill Street (843-354-7076) serves Williamsburg County, and Chesterfield County Passport Office at 200 West Main Street (843-623-2574) serves the northern Pee Dee.

Rural counties work differently

In smaller counties, one office may handle every passport application for the whole county. The Allendale County Passport Office at 292 Old Allendale Highway, Barnwell (803-584-2737), is an example of a single point of service in a rural area. These offices often take applications only on certain days or at certain hours, and a walk-in may not be possible. Call first. If your local office is closed that day, a neighboring county is often only 20 to 40 minutes away.

What to Bring to a South Carolina Passport Appointment

Preparation matters more than which office you choose. Staff cannot accept an incomplete application, and a second trip costs you time. Bring the following:

If you were born in South Carolina and need a certified birth certificate, the South Carolina Department of Public Health handles vital records. Start that request early. A hospital souvenir copy or a photocopy will not be accepted as proof of citizenship.

Applicants under 16 face an extra rule. Both parents or guardians generally need to appear with the child, or one parent can bring a signed statement of consent from the other along with a copy of that parent's ID. Children also need to be present in person, even infants.

Timing a Passport Application Around South Carolina Travel Seasons

Demand rises before spring break, summer vacations and cruise season. Charleston is a major cruise port, and many South Carolinians also fly out of Charleston International, Columbia Metropolitan, Greenville-Spartanburg International and Myrtle Beach International. Applying several months before departure is the safest approach. Routine processing takes weeks, and the State Department publishes current estimates that change from season to season. Expedited service for an added fee shortens the wait but does not make it instant.

If you must travel internationally within a couple of weeks, the State Department can schedule appointments at its regional passport agencies for urgent cases. Those appointments require proof of imminent travel, so a local acceptance facility is not the right stop in that situation.

One last point for domestic flyers. Since May 2025, travelers boarding domestic flights need a REAL ID-compliant license or another accepted document. A valid U.S. passport is an accepted alternative, so some South Carolinians get one for that reason alone.

Passport acceptance facilities in South Carolina are distributed across post offices, county clerks' offices, and public libraries, providing residents with accessible locations to submit passport applications without traveling to a regional agency. South Carolina residents with urgent travel needs may also have access to a regional passport agency for in-person expedited service.

Passport Offices locations are available in 76 cities across South Carolina. They are spread across 37 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of passport offices include Conway, Summerville, Lexington, reflecting larger populations and greater volumes of international travelers requiring passport services.

Residents of South Carolina should verify that their chosen acceptance facility accepts walk-ins or requires an appointment, as policies vary by location. Processing times fluctuate with seasonal demand, so applying several months before planned international travel is strongly advised.

Passport Offices by Counties

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Residents of South Carolina applying for a passport should complete their application form in advance, gather all required documents including proof of citizenship and a compliant passport photo, and confirm whether their chosen facility requires an appointment. Many passport renewal applicants in South Carolina can mail their DS-82 form directly to a processing center, avoiding an in-person visit altogether.

Browse Passport Offices by county across South Carolina to find the nearest location.

Preparing Your Documents Before Visiting a South Carolina Passport Office

Most problems at passport counters in South Carolina involve paperwork rather than the office itself. Applicants arrive with a birth certificate that is not certified, a photo that does not meet the size rule, or a minor's application missing a parent's consent. Spending an hour on preparation avoids a second visit.

Start by checking your citizenship document. If you were born in the state, the South Carolina Department of Public Health issues certified copies. If you were born elsewhere, you need the vital records office in that state. Then confirm that your photo ID is current and that the name on it matches the name on your application. A recent marriage or court-ordered name change needs a certified document that shows the change.

Next, pick an office that fits your schedule. In the Lowcountry, Beaufort County has several options, including Bluffton and Hilton Head Island, which makes it easier to find an open slot. In the Midlands, Lexington County has listings in the towns of Lexington and Chapin. Call ahead to ask whether the office takes walk-ins, requires an appointment, sells passport photos and accepts checks or cards. Hours at small-town offices can be short, and lunch closures are common.

No. Passports are issued only by the U.S. Department of State, and no South Carolina agency prints or approves them. The offices listed here are acceptance facilities. Their staff verify your identity, witness your signature on Form DS-11, collect the fees and send the application to the federal government. After that, you wait for the finished passport to arrive by mail. Questions about the status of an application go to the State Department, not to the local office that accepted it.

In our database, Spartanburg County leads with eight listings. Charleston, Greenville and Horry counties each have five. Aiken, Beaufort, Lexington and Pickens counties have four each. These counties include large population centers and tourist areas such as Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island. Smaller counties like Allendale or Williamsburg may have just one or two offices, so a trip to a neighboring county can sometimes get you an appointment faster.

Photo service varies by location, and we cannot confirm it for each office. The Myrtle Beach Passport Office is at 505 North Kings Highway (843-626-9533), and the Conway Passport Office is at 2570 North Main Street (843-248-6313). Call the one you plan to visit and ask whether it takes photos. If not, many pharmacies and shipping stores can take one that meets the 2 by 2 inch size rule. The photo must be recent, taken within six months, with a plain background and no glasses.

Children under 16 must apply in person with a parent or guardian. Bring the child's certified birth certificate showing the parents' names, a photocopy of it, the parents' photo IDs with copies and one passport photo of the child. Both parents normally need to consent. If one parent cannot attend, bring a signed consent form and a copy of that parent's ID. A court order granting sole custody can also serve. Check the current fee schedule before you go.

Our database lists a Clemson Passport Office at 519 College Avenue (864-654-2531) and a Central Passport Office at 1205 West Main Street (864-639-2814), both in Pickens County. Anderson Passport Office at 1900 North Main Street (864-226-1595) is also within reach. Students who need a passport for study abroad should apply well before the semester starts. Bring a certified birth certificate, because a university ID is not enough to prove citizenship.

Beaufort Passport Office at 501 Charles Street (843-525-9085) is in the town of Beaufort, close to Marine Corps installations in the area. In Charleston County, the East Bay Passport Office (843-727-1129) and the Awendaw office (843-928-3366) are options, and Oakbrook in Summerville (843-821-0298) serves Dorchester County. Service members applying for family members should bring the same documents as any other applicant. Ask the office about hours, since base schedules and appointment demand can be heavy.

First, try a nearby office. Columbia has the Sandhills Passport Office (803-926-6354), and Lexington has an office at 205 East Main Street (803-785-8212). Sumter Passport Office (803-773-9311) is another option. Paying for expedited service speeds up processing at any acceptance facility. If your international trip is only a short time away, the State Department can book an urgent appointment at a regional passport agency. You will need to show proof of travel. Do not wait until the last week.