Charleston South Carolina
Real Estate Property Tax…

For a resident Charleston real estate property taxes are generally considered very low (compared to other states), but have a meaningful increase on investment, vacation, and second homes.

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Know The Difference: 1st vs. 2nd Home
When buying real estate in Charleston it’s important to know and understand the difference between a legal residence and those that are not. When viewing a property you might not consider, or even worse misinterpret property tax information.  You must understand the current owners use, as that will determine the tax information written on the homes listing!

Property Tax Relief
As a legal residence, your home qualifies for property tax relief, a special assessment ratio that will reduce your tax bill. It is often said that to receive the lower rate and tax relief you don't need to do anything after closing on your home. However, we always recommend filling the Legal Residence (4%) Special Assessment Application with the Assessor to ensure the credit is applied before you get your fist tax bill.

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South Carolina Tax Rank.

CONTACTS & FORMS

Legal Residence (4%) Special Assessment Application
The legal residence for can be found on the county web site or at any of the County Tax Offices. It cannot be filed online, you must print it out and send it in, or deliver it in person.

Assessor vs. Auditor vs. Treasurer
Most people are often either confused by about these three different departments, or surprised to find out that three different government groups handle your property tax bills and information.
    •     Assessor:  Determines Value on Real Property
    •     Auditor:   Sends & Revises Tax Bills
    •     Treasurer:  Accept Payments for Tax bills

County Tax & Property Contacts & Links

EXAMPLE CHART

Example Charleston Tax Rates & Amount Due

 *This information For Illustration Purposes Only!   NOT 100% Accurate, NOT Intended to Determine Your Property Tax Bill.
 FOR AN EXACT PROPERTY TAX BILL PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT OFFICE.

TAX ESTIMATOR

Disclaimer: This Charleston real estate tax estimator is designed to give the taxpayer or prospective buyer an estimate of property taxes for a parcel of real estate or a motor vehicle. The results will be based on a few parameters the user enters. This is in no way intended to be a final tax bill and the Charleston County Auditor’s Office in no way shall assume any liability for any error or inaccuracies. As always, if you have questions it is best to contact the office directly.