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MONCKS CORNER, S.C.– (Friday, May 8, 2020) – Berkeley County Government buildings will reopen to the public on Wednesday, May 20. The Voters Registration and Elections Office will be open to the public on Monday, May 11 for absentee voting for the June 9 primary. Courts will follow a different schedule. Please see below. 

There will be special social distancing guidelines in place and several departments will now have Plexiglas to serve as a barrier between employees and the public. In an effort to provide a safe environment, the public is encouraged to use personal protective equipment as well as practice social distancing as much as possible while visiting County offices.

Until the reopening, County departments will continue to offer services to the public by telephone, email, and drop boxes. For a full list of current County operations, please visit berkeleycountysc.gov/covid19

The following departments will reopen to the public on May 20.

  • Berkeley Animal Center
  • Administration Building
    • Treasurer’s Office
    • Delinquent Tax
    • Auditor’s Office
    • Register of Deeds
    • Real Property Services
    • Permitting & Codes
    • Planning & Zoning
    • Economic Development
    • Finance
    • GIS
    • Legal
    • Clerk to Council
    • Human Resources
    • Supervisor’s Office
  • Berkeley County Libraries
  • Roads & Bridges
  • Coroner’s Office
  • Berkeley Airport
  • Mosquito Abatement
  • Veterans Affairs
  • Berkeley County Water & Sanitation

The departments listed below will open on the following schedule:

  • County Courthouse/Clerk of Court: The Berkeley County Courthouse will remain closed to the public, as directed by the State, until further notice but will continue to accept filings via mail, offering drop off bins and drive-thru services.
  • Magistrate Court: Will reopen on May 20. Eviction filing will be accepted beginning May 15, in compliance with the order issued by the S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice. This also applies to Master-In-Equity matters. The full executive order can be found HERE. In addition, the court will require a completed Authorization for Non-Lawyer Representation for any agents filing evictions on behalf of corporations. The Authorization must accompany the initial filing for eviction.
    • Between May 15 and the opening of the buildings to the public. All eviction filings must be either mailed or placed in the drop box.
  • Bond Court: There will be two daily sessions beginning May 20. The sessions will be at 8 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
  • The Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office (Charleston and Berkeley Counties) which is located in the Berkeley County Courthouse, will not have visitors and guests inside the office.  A receptionist will be on duty to accept deliveries beginning May 20.  Employees, however, continue to work both remotely and in the office.  Victim Advocates and Assistant Solicitors remain available for telephone and online consultations with victims, witnesses, law enforcement and attorneys. Applications for diversion programs and expungements are also available online at www.scsolicitor9.org

Cypress Gardens will reopen to the public on Tuesday, May 26. Park restrictions will be in place to reflect federal and state guidelines. For weddings and special events, please contact the park directly.

The Berkeley County Airport, Landfill and Convenience Centers have remained open.

Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office continues to take incident reports online: sheriff.berkeleycountysc.gov/incident-reporting

Berkeley County Committee Meetings: Berkeley County Council Committee Meetings will be held on Monday, May 11. The agenda can be found HERE.

Citizen information line: The citizen information line will be open Monday-Friday noon-4 p.m. By calling 843-719-4800, callers can get COVID-19 related information pertaining to County operations.

Follow the County’s website as well as Facebook and Twitter pages for all related news and updates.

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– Prepared by the Berkeley County Public Information Office –