Same $500,000 home, two tax bills
| Legal residence (4%) | Second home or rental (6%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Nexton, unincorporated Berkeley County | About $2,600 a year | About $8,400 a year |
| Carolina Park, Town of Mount Pleasant | About $1,700 a year | About $7,890 a year |
| School operating millage | Exempt | Paid in full |
| Local option sales tax credit | Applied | Not applied |
Estimates from 2026 millage (Berkeley County 2026/2027; Charleston County 2026) and each county's sales tax credit factors, on a $500,000 appraised value with no 15% cap benefit. Nexton includes the Nexton Improvement District assessment (about $1,005, single-family, 2026-27). Solid waste, fire and stormwater fees are extra. The tax estimators on my Nexton, Carolina Park and Daniel Island pages run your own number.
Why the gap is so big
Two things stack. The assessment ratio is 4% for a legal residence and 6% for everything else, so a second home starts with 50% more taxable value. Then the 4% home is exempt from school operating millage, which is the biggest single piece of most Charleston-area bills: 145.2 mills in Charleston County and 146.9 in Berkeley County on the 2026 millage cards. The 4% home also gets the county's local option sales tax credit.
That's why the effective rate on owner-occupied homes looks so low: the Tax Foundation puts Charleston County at 0.40% of home value, Berkeley at 0.49% and Dorchester at 0.60%, using 2024 Census data. Those figures describe typical owner-occupied homes. A rental or second home pays far more.
How and when to apply
Apply with the county assessor after you close and move in, using the county's legal residence application. The application asks for proof that it's your legal residence, such as your SC driver's license and vehicle registration at the address. Until it's approved, the county bills the home at 6%. Ask the assessor about the filing deadline for the current tax year; apply as soon as you've moved in rather than waiting for the first bill.
The 4% doesn't transfer with the house. The seller's 4% status ends at the sale, and you have to file your own.
Your bill won't match the seller's
South Carolina caps how much a home's taxable value can rise in a countywide reassessment at 15% every five years, so long-time owners are often taxed on a value well below the market. That cap resets when the home sells: the county revalues it to roughly the price you paid. A neighbor's bill tells you very little about yours. Base your budget on your price, not the listing's tax history.
This cuts the other way when you move within South Carolina. If you've owned your current home for years, your next one starts over at its new value, so your tax bill can jump even if the house costs about the same. My can I afford to move worksheet runs that math.
Extra breaks at 65
Once you've been a South Carolina legal resident for a full calendar year, homeowners 65 or older (or totally and permanently disabled, or legally blind) can apply for the homestead exemption, which exempts the first $50,000 of the home's fair market value from property tax. It's on top of the 4% ratio. Apply with the county auditor.
Don't forget the car tax
South Carolina also taxes vehicles as personal property, assessed at 6% of value and billed by the county every year. When you move here you pay the county vehicle tax first, then register the car with SCDMV within 45 days.
Common questions
What is the property tax rate in Charleston, SC?
It depends on the tax district and whether the home is your legal residence. The Tax Foundation's effective rate for owner-occupied homes in Charleston County is 0.40% of value. A second home or rental pays several times that, because it's assessed at 6% and pays school operating millage.
Can I get the 4% rate on a second home?
No. You can have only one legal residence, and it has to be where you actually live. Second homes, rentals and vacation homes are assessed at 6%.
Can I rent out part of my home and keep the 4% rate?
Renting the home can affect the 4% rate, and the limits are specific. Ask the county assessor before you rent any part of it, and check local short-term rental rules on my STR rules page.
Do I pay property tax at closing in South Carolina?
You and the seller split the current year's tax at closing. South Carolina bills property tax in arrears, so the seller credits you for their share of the year and you pay the bill when it comes in the fall.
Keep reading
- Nexton guide and tax estimator
- Carolina Park guide and tax estimator
- Daniel Island guide and tax estimator
- Can I afford to move? worksheet
- Retiring to Charleston: taxes, health care and housing
Sources
- SC Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office: Property tax FAQ (4% and 6% ratios)
- SC Department of Revenue: Homeowner's Guide to Legal Residence
- SC Department of Revenue: Homestead Exemption flyer
- Berkeley County Auditor: Property Tax Computation for 4% Residential Property, 2026/2027
- Berkeley County Auditor: Millage for 2026/2027
- Charleston County Auditor: 2026 Millage Levy breakdown
- Charleston County Assessor: Definitions and Common Terms (15% reassessment cap, assessable transfer of interest)
- Post and Courier: Charleston County reassessment and Act 388 (Jan. 2025)
- Tax Foundation: property taxes by county (2024 Census ACS data)
- SCDMV: moving to SC (vehicles)
Published November 8, 2026, last checked November 8, 2026. Fees, prices and road projects change, so confirm the current numbers for any specific home before you buy. More answers