S.C. Code Regs. § § 12-700
The following general records retention schedule contains minimum retention periods for the official copy of the agency's records. These retentions and dispositions apply regardless of physical format, i. e., paper, microfilm, electronic storage, digital imaging, etc. Convenience, informational or duplicate copies are not governed by this regulation and may be destroyed when no longer needed for reference. Before disposing of public records under this general schedule, agencies must ensure that records have met all applicable federal and/or state audit, legal, litigation, fiscal and other retention requirements. To destroy records in accordance with this regulation, state agencies must complete and submit a report of records destroyed form to the State Archives after eligible records have been destroyed. This form is available from the Department's Division of Archives and Records Management. State agencies must also contact the Department of Archives and History in order to transfer permanent records to the State Archives for archival retention. This general schedule supersedes all schedules approved previously for the same records series. However, state agencies may opt out of this general schedule, and request the continuing use of existing schedules or the establishment of specific retention schedules for their records when appropriate, necessary or in order to avoid conflict with other laws and regulations. This general schedule does not apply to higher education institutions and state agencies whose accounting and financial records are not summarized in the Statewide Accounting and Reporting System.
S.C. Code Regs. § 12-700