Cut Your Charleston, SC Property Taxes!
Courtesy Charleston County Auditor's Office
Do you own and reside in your home?
- If you are over 65 years of age, or certified totally and permanently
disabled or blind, you may qualify for the Homestead Exemption. Up to
the first $50,000 of your home's appraised value could be totally exempt
from taxes. Check out the Homestead
FAQs or call (843) 958-4220 for further information.
- Want to save one third of your total tax bill? Be sure to contact
the Assessor's office at (843) 958-4100 to apply for the four percent
Primary Residence assessment ratio if your property is not already classified
as QR-Qualified Residential. Also, apply for the four percent agricultural
farmland use assessment at the Assessor's Office. The difference between
your property being taxed at the non-residential rate of six percent
and the four percent assessment amounts to one third of your total taxes!
- Homeowners who have qualified for the four percent Primary Residence
assessment are automatically eligible for state Property Tax Relief
of up to $336. No application is necessary.
- If you are a military veteran who is totally disabled from a service-related
cause, the surviving spouse of a military person who was killed in the
line of duty or totally disabled from a service-related cause, you may
be qualified for exemption from property taxes on a house and up to
one acre of land on which the house is located. Application should be
made through the S.C. Department of Revenue (DOR). There is a local
DOR Service Center at 3 Southpark Center, Suite 202, next to Citadel
Mall (Phone: 843-852-3600).
- If you are a paraplegic or hemiplegic, or their surviving spouse,
you may be qualified for exemption from property taxes on a house and
up to one acre of land on which the house is located. Application should
be made through the S.C. Department of Revenue. There is a local DOR
Service Center at 3 Southpark Center, Suite 202, next to Citadel Mall
(Phone: 843-852-3600).
Do you own a motor vehicle?
- If you are over 64 years of age, the cost of your motor vehicle license
decal fee can be reduced. Apply in person at a S.C. Department of Motor
Vehicles (DMV) or mail a copy of your paid tax receipt and your decal
fee to: Division of Motor Vehicles, P.O. Box 1498, Columbia, S.C. 29216.
- Do you drive, on average, over 15,000 miles annually? If so, you
may qualify for the high-mileage discount. During the renewal month
of your vehicle tax bill, but before you make your tax payment, file
the Motor
Vehicle High-Mileage Discount Appeal form at the Auditor's office.
You can either fax, mail or drop the completed form by any of our offices.
- If you sell your motor vehicle you can transfer your license tag
to your new car and not be billed for the new vehicle until your next
renewal. If you decide that you would rather turn-in your license tag
at the Auditor's office to receive a tax refund for any remaining unused
months, bring the bill of sale for the sold vehicle and the license
tag and registration to any of our offices.
- If you move to another state you can also receive a refund of your
taxes for the unused months. Mail or bring your S.C. (Charleston County)
license tag, your S.C. registration card and proof of registration in
the new state to any of the Auditor's
offices.
- If you were a POW, a Medal of Honor recipient or a veteran who has
received a service-connected total disability, you may qualify for an
exemption from property tax on up to two motor vehicles. Application
should be made through the S.C. Department of Revenue. There is a DOR
Service Center at 3 Southpark Center, Suite 202, next to Citadel Mall
(Phone: 843-852-3600).
- If you are required to use a wheelchair you may qualify for an exemption
from property tax on up to two motor vehicles. Application should be
made through the S.C. Department of Revenue. There is a DOR Service
Center at 3 Southpark Center, Suite 202, next to Citadel Mall (Phone:
843-852-3600).
- If you are the legal guardian of a minor child who is blind or who
is required to use a wheelchair you may qualify for an exemption on
one personal motor vehicle if it is used to transport the minor. Application
should be made through the S.C. Department of Revenue. There is a DOR
Service Center at 3 Southpark Center, Suite 202, next to Citadel Mall
(Phone: 843-852-3600).
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