South Carolina Post-Judgment Interest Rate Explained

Every unpaid South Carolina judgment accrues interest automatically from the date it is entered. You do not need to ask the court for interest — it is a statutory right under S.C. Code § 34-31-20. But you do need to know the correct rate and how to calculate it, because the debtor is not going to do that math for you.

The Current Rate

The legal rate of interest in South Carolina is set by annual order of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Under S.C. Code § 34-31-20, it is the Prime Rate plus four percentage points and compounds annually.

For January 15, 2026, through January 14, 2027, the rate is 10.75% per annum. For reference, the rates were 11.50% for 2025 and 12.50% for 2024. Use the effective dates in each annual order when calculating interest across rate periods.

The Chief Justice publishes the annual order by January 15. If you hold a judgment across multiple rate periods, split the calculation at the effective dates in the applicable orders.

How to Calculate Interest

Post-judgment interest accrues on the unpaid judgment balance, including court costs awarded in the final order, and compounds annually. For a partial period, calculate the interest using the applicable rate for that period.

The formula: Interest = Principal × Rate × Time

Time is expressed as a fraction of a year. For daily calculation: number of days divided by 365.

For example, if your judgment balance is $5,000 (including court costs) and all 180 days fall within the 10.75% rate period, the accrued interest would be:

$5,000 × 0.1075 × (180 ÷ 365) = $265.07

After a full year: $5,000 × 0.1075 = $537.50

At 10.75%, a $5,000 balance accrues $537.50 over one full year before compounding. The total over a ten-year judgment lifespan depends on the rates set for later periods and annual compounding.

How Payments Are Applied

When you receive a partial payment, it goes first toward accrued interest, with any remainder reducing the principal balance. This is important for tracking purposes: a $500 payment on a judgment that has accrued $300 in interest reduces the interest to zero and knocks only $200 off the principal.

Keep a running ledger of every payment received, the date, the interest accrued to that point, and the new principal balance. You will need this accounting if you pursue enforcement actions or when you eventually file a satisfaction of judgment.

Why This Matters for Collection Strategy

At 10.75%, a $7,500 judgment balance accrues $806.25 over a full year before compounding. This creates a natural incentive for debtors to settle sooner rather than later — and it gives you leverage in negotiating payment plans.

The interest also affects how much you can demand in enforcement proceedings. When you request a writ of execution or pursue supplementary proceedings, the amount you are collecting includes the original judgment, awarded costs, and all accrued post-judgment interest.

The South Carolina Judgment Collection Guide includes an interest calculator worksheet that tracks accrual by payment period and automatically adjusts the principal balance as partial payments come in.

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