Moving from Florida to Charleston

What about taxes?

I'll be straight with you: you'll pay state income tax again. Florida has none; South Carolina's 2026 rate is 1.99% on taxable income under $30,000 and 5.21% (minus $966) above it. Social Security isn't taxed here, and there are deductions for other retirement income (up to $10,000 per person from 65, plus an age 65 deduction), but pensions and IRA withdrawals above them are taxed. Property tax is the offset. Charleston County's effective rate on a primary home is 0.40%, against 0.72% to 0.84% in Florida's big counties, and South Carolina limits reassessment increases to 15% every five years while you own the home. Your Florida Save Our Homes savings can only be ported to another Florida homestead, so they end when you leave. Sales tax runs higher here, 9% versus 6.5% to 7.5% in most big Florida counties.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Talk with a tax professional about your situation.

Can I fly nonstop?

• Miami (MIA): American, daily
• Orlando (MCO), Tampa (TPA), Fort Myers (RSW) and Palm Beach (DJT): Breeze, less than daily
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL): Breeze and JetBlue, less than daily

From Charleston International’s nonstop list, checked November 8, 2026. Routes and seasons change, so check the current list before you plan around one.

What surprises people moving from Florida?

Flood insurance is a separate policy, and it takes 30 days

Standard homeowners policies don’t cover flood. A new National Flood Insurance Program policy usually has a 30-day wait before it starts (one bought along with a new mortgage can start at closing). Price it during your inspection period, not the week before closing. Look up a flood zone by address.

Wind and named-storm deductibles are a percentage

South Carolina homeowners policies may carry a separate hurricane, named-storm or wind deductible, set as a percentage of the dwelling coverage rather than a flat dollar amount. Ask for it in writing with every insurance quote. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30.

You have to apply for the 4% property tax rate

A home you live in can be assessed at 4% of its value and is exempt from school operating millage, but only after you apply to the county. Until then it’s taxed at the 6% rate that second homes and rentals pay. That 4% ratio is why Charleston County’s effective rate looks so low; a second home pays far more.

Save Our Homes stays in Florida

Florida's Save Our Homes cap limits a homestead's assessed value increase to 3% a year or inflation, and portability lets you carry the savings only to another Florida homestead. South Carolina has its own protection: a home's taxable value can't rise more than 15% in a five-year reassessment, but it resets to market value when you buy.

Same hurricanes, different insurance

Charleston gets hurricanes too, and many policies here carry a named-storm deductible set as a percentage of coverage. Flood insurance is a separate policy, just as in Florida. Price homeowners, wind and flood during your inspection period.

You'll file a state income tax return

South Carolina taxes income, including pensions and IRA withdrawals above its retirement deductions. Social Security isn't taxed. Have a tax professional estimate your first South Carolina return before you set a budget.

Your car gets a tax bill every year

South Carolina taxes vehicles as personal property, assessed at 6% of value and billed by the county every year. You pay the county first and bring the receipt to SCDMV before it will title and register the car.

Attorneys, not title companies, close

South Carolina requires residential closings to be performed or supervised by an SC-licensed attorney. You choose the closing attorney; I can give you names, and I don't take referral fees.

What do I need to do in my first 45 days?

1. Get your SC driver’s license. Within 45 days of moving. An 8-year license is $25, and you surrender your out-of-state license. SCDMV: moving to SC.
2. Pay the county vehicle tax, then register. Also within 45 days. Pay the county vehicle property tax first, then take the receipt to SCDMV. Plan on the one-time $250 Infrastructure Maintenance Fee per vehicle; a typical standard car runs about $305 in DMV fees plus the county tax. SCDMV: registering a vehicle.
3. Apply for the 4% owner-occupant rate. File with the county assessor once you’ve closed and moved in. Until it’s approved, the home is billed at the 6% rate, so don’t wait. Charleston County FAQs.
4. Register to vote, if you choose. South Carolina handles voter registration through the State Election Commission. scvotes.gov.
5. Set up utilities. Electric, water and sewer, and trash providers depend on the exact address, and some areas are served by a co-op or a separate water company. Ask the seller, or me, for the current providers before closing.

Where do people from Florida often look?

There's no single answer, so I sort it by what you want day to day.

If you want: the water without the barrier island

Mount Pleasant, James Island and Johns Island put you near the harbor, marsh and creeks, with more choice than the beach towns. Mount Pleasant · James Island · Johns Island

If you want: single-level new construction

Summerville, Goose Creek and the big master plans have the most new one-story homes for the price. The trade-off is a longer drive into Charleston. Summerville · New construction directory

If you want: a 55+ community

Most of the area's age-restricted communities are in the Summerville area, with a few closer in at Point Hope and Carolina Park. 55+ communities

If you want: walk to dinner, coffee and the water

Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant's Old Village are the most walkable parts of the area, with older homes and higher prices per square foot. Downtown Charleston · Mount Pleasant

If you want: the beach out the door

Folly Beach, Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island. Check the flood zone and the short-term rental rules before you fall for a house. Folly Beach · Isle of Palms · Sullivan's Island

Not sure yet? My free Moving to Charleston guide compares ten areas honestly, and the flood zone lookup will tell you a lot about any address before you tour it.

Common questions

Will I pay more taxes in South Carolina than in Florida?

Usually more income tax and less property tax. Florida has no state income tax; South Carolina's 2026 rate tops out at 5.21%, though Social Security isn't taxed and retirement income gets deductions. On a primary home, Charleston County's effective property tax rate is 0.40%, versus 0.72% to 0.84% in Florida's big counties.

Can I keep my Florida Save Our Homes savings if I move to South Carolina?

No. Portability only transfers the Save Our Homes benefit to another Florida homestead. In South Carolina, your new home is taxed on its own value, with a 15% cap on increases at each five-year reassessment while you own it.

Is homeowners insurance cheaper in Charleston than in Florida?

It depends on the home and location more than the state. Coastal Charleston County homes can be expensive to insure: a July 2026 Insurify report put the county's average premium at about $5,491 a year. Get quotes for the specific home before you compare.

Can I fly nonstop between Charleston and Florida?

Yes. As of November 2026, American flies daily to Miami, and Breeze flies less than daily to Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach, with JetBlue less than daily to Fort Lauderdale. Check the airport's nonstop list before you book.

Sources

Checked November 8, 2026. Rates, routes and values change; confirm anything you’re relying on.

• Florida Department of Revenue: 2026 discretionary sales surtax rates (DR-15DSS) (floridarevenue.com)
• Miami-Dade Property Appraiser: Save Our Homes cap and portability (miamidade.gov)
• Charleston County Assessor: Definitions and Common Terms (15% reassessment cap) (charlestoncounty.gov)
• AARP: South Carolina state taxes (retirement and age 65 deductions) (aarp.org)
• The State via InsuranceNewsNet: Charleston ranks 10th-riskiest US county to insure (July 2026) (insurancenewsnet.com)
• NOAA NCEI: 1991-2020 normals, Orlando International Airport (USW00012815) (ncei.noaa.gov)
• NOAA NCEI: 1991-2020 normals, Tampa International Airport (USW00012842) (ncei.noaa.gov)
• SC Department of Revenue: information about H.4216 (2026 income tax) (dor.sc.gov)
• SC Department of Revenue: individual property taxes (4% and 6% assessment ratios) (dor.sc.gov)
• SC Department of Revenue: sales and use tax (dor.sc.gov)
• SCDMV: moving to SC (vehicles) (dmv.sc.gov)
• SCDMV: moving to SC (driver's licenses) (dmv.sc.gov)
• Tax Foundation: property taxes by county (2024 Census ACS data) (taxfoundation.org)
• Zillow Research: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), September 2026 (zillow.com)
• NOAA NCEI: U.S. climate normals, 1991–2020 (ncei.noaa.gov)
• NOAA National Hurricane Center: tropical cyclone climatology (nhc.noaa.gov)
• FloodSmart (NFIP): buying a flood policy (floodsmart.gov)
• SC Department of Insurance: Bulletin 009 (hurricane and named-storm deductibles) (online.doi.sc.gov)
• SC Bar: Ethics Advisory Opinion 26-01 (attorney-supervised closings) (scbar.org)
• Charleston International Airport: nonstop destinations (iflychs.com)
• OSRM / OpenStreetMap routing (road distance) (router.project-osrm.org)