Deed Theft

2025-2026 Bill 822: Deed Theft - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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Indicates Matter Stricken
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S. 822
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Corbin, Garrett, Young, Turner and Alexander
Companion/Similar bill(s): 5159
Document Path: SR-0089CEM26.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 15, 2026
Introduced in the House on May 5, 2026
Last Amended on April 16, 2026

Currently residing in the House Committee on
Judiciary
Summary: Deed Theft
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

1/15/2026

Senate

Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 6
)

1/15/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Judiciary
(
Senate Journal-page 6
)

4/9/2026

Senate

Committee report: Favorable with amendment
Judiciary
(
Senate Journal-page 3
)

4/16/2026

Senate

Committee Amendment Adopted (
Senate Journal-page 44
)

4/16/2026

Senate

Amended (
Senate Journal-page 44
)

4/16/2026

Senate

Read second time (
Senate Journal-page 44
)

4/16/2026

Senate

Roll call Ayes-38 Nays-0 (
Senate Journal-page 44
)

4/30/2026

Senate

Read third time and sent to House (
Senate Journal-page 32
)

5/5/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 15
)

5/5/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Judiciary
(
House Journal-page 15
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
01/15/2026
04/09/2026
04/16/2026

Indicates Matter
Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Amendment Adopted and Amended

April 16, 2026

S. 822

Introduced
by Senators Corbin, Garrett, Young, Turner and Alexander

S. Printed 4/16/26--S.

Read the first time January 15, 2026

________

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
27-7-80
SO AS TO DEFINE TERMS RELATING TO REAL ESTATE FRAUD AND CREATE THE
FELONY OF DEED THEFT.

Amend Title To Conform

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
C
hapter 7, Title 27 of the S.C. Code is amended by
adding:

S
ection
27-7-80
.
(
A) As used in this section:

(
1)
"Title theft" means a person or entity unlawfully transfers or attempts to
transfer a property owner's title or deed to themselves or to another party
without the effective consent of the property owner or with the intent to
deprive the property owner of or the nonpossessory interest in the real
property.

(
2)
"Real estate instrument" means any of the following instruments that convey,
transfer, encumber, or affect real estate and property including deeds,
mortgages, or any other document that is used to show ownership of or
nonpossessory interest in real property in this State.

(
3)
"Effective consent" means consent by a person legally authorized to act for the
owner. Effective consent does not include consent induced by deception or
coercion or given by a person without legal capacity.

(
4)
"Nonpossessory interest" means an interest that may be conveyed by a quitclaim
deed or conditional transfer.

(
B) It
is unlawful for a person without the effective consent of the property owner,
whether with intent to deprive the property owner of or the nonpossessory
interest in the real property, to knowingly or intentionally:

(
1)
forge or counterfeit any real estate instruments;

(
2)
use a real estate instrument knowing it to have been forged or counterfeited;
or

(
3)
use a false name or address, use the personal identifying information, as
defined in Section
16-15-310
, of another person, make a materially false
statement, fail to disclose a security interest, or conceal any other material
fact in the filing of a real estate instrument.

(
C) A
person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of the felony of
title theft and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five thousand
dollars, imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

(
D) The
court may order a person or entity, upon conviction, to pay for:

(
1)
the costs for any loss of use of real property;

(
2)
loss of or damage to property, including trees, landscaping, or crop; and

(
3)
reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, and actual costs related to the
matter.

(
E)
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, and subject to the limitations
herein, an attorney licensed to practice law in this State, who conducted or
supervised the real estate closing or the preparation of the original
instrument, may modify an original real estate instrument to correct or cure
errors arising from the instrument's original draft or execution, for the
purpose of correcting or clarifying the public record so that it accurately
reflects the intent of the parties.

(
F) A
person who is a victim of title theft may bring a civil action in the court of
common pleas against the person or entity that unlawfully transfers or attempts
to transfer a property owner's title or deed to themselves or to another party
to deprive the owner of or the nonpossessory interest in the real property. The
court may award compensatory damages, punitive damages, injunctive relief, and
other appropriate relief. A prevailing plaintiff also may be awarded attorneys'
fees and costs.

S
ECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on April 16, 2026 at 3:49 PM