The Application

The pardon application has three components:

• Written letters of reference

• Information from the applicant

• Payment of application fee

Applicants must list the name, address, and home and work telephone numbers of those submitting letters of reference and support for the pardon. Each letter must also be signed, recently dated, and attached to the application.

Application forms must be filled out completely, signed, and dated by the applicant. The Release of Information section of the application must also be completed.

Under the South Carolina Code of Laws 17-25-322, an offender may not be granted pardon until all restitution and collection fees are paid in full. It is the offender's responsibility to attach to the application a certified statement from the appropriate authority reflecting that these payments have been made.

Applications must also be accompanied by a $100, non-refundable fee in the form of a money order or cashier's check, and made payable to: The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services . Applications that do not include this fee will be returned to the sender.

Since all the references and information must be verified, the pardon application process can be lengthy. For in-state applicants, it takes an average of seven to nine months from the time the paperwork is received until a hearing date is scheduled; for out-of-state residents, it can be longer.