SC · #23 by population

Buying a home in South Carolina

Costs and rules that are specific to South Carolina. Main city: Greenville.

In short

South Carolina taxes property sales through its deed recording fee, requires an attorney to close and requires a seller disclosure form. It forecloses through the courts and is not a community property state. Deadline to appeal a property tax assessment: 90 days from the mailing of the assessment notice; in years without a notice, in writing before the first penalty date.

Calculate for South Carolina

If you buy

South Carolina state transfer tax

Deed recording fee (S.C. Code 12-24-10): $1.85 per $500 of value, or fractional part of $500 ($3.70 per $1,000): $1.30 per $500 state and $0.55 per $500 county. Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$299,500
State transfer tax$1,108.15
Share of the price0.37% of the price
Who paysThe seller

Default price: the South Carolina median value of owner-occupied homes, $299,500 (Census ACS 2024). Rule: Divide value by $500, round up to the next whole unit, multiply by $1.85 (state $1.30 plus county $0.55, both set by statute). Value is what was paid, including debt assumed, minus any prior lien that stays on the property; the parties may elect the property tax fair market value. Who pays: The statute puts the fee on the grantor (seller), jointly and severally if several; the buyer is only secondarily liable. For deeds from a master-in-equity, governments or a tax-exempt retirement plan, the grantee owes it. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. South Carolina transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: South Carolina state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

South Carolina in short

Is there a real estate transfer tax in South Carolina?

South Carolina has no tax called a transfer tax but charges a deed recording fee of $1.85 per $500 of value, or $3.70 per $1,000 ($2.60 state and $1.10 county), which is $1,480 on a $400,000 sale. By law the seller owes it.

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How much is the state transfer tax on a $299,500 home in South Carolina?

On $299,500, the median value of owner-occupied homes in South Carolina (Census ACS 2024), the state deed recording fee comes to $1,108.15 ($1.85 per $500 of value, or fractional part of $500 ($3.70 per $1,000): $1.30 per $500 state and $0.55 per $500 county). County and city taxes are not included.

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What closing costs does South Carolina law set?

South Carolina has no official typical closing-cost total. The deed recording fee is $3.70 per $1,000 ($1,480 on $400,000) with the seller liable, and Greenville County charges $15 to file a deed and $25 to file a mortgage.

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How is property tax calculated in South Carolina?

In South Carolina a home you own and live in as your legal residence is assessed at 4% of fair market value (other real estate 6%) and is exempt from school operating taxes. In the City of Greenville the 2025 millage is 331.5 mills.

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What is the deadline to appeal a property tax assessment in South Carolina?

In South Carolina, give the county assessor written notice of objection within 90 days of the mailing of your assessment notice (S.C.

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Do you need a real estate attorney to close in South Carolina?

Yes. The South Carolina Supreme Court has held that all real estate and mortgage loan closings must be supervised by a licensed attorney (Matrix Financial Services Corp. v. Frazer, 2011).

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What must a home seller disclose in South Carolina?

South Carolina law requires most sellers of one- to four-unit homes to give the buyer the Real Estate Commission's disclosure form before the contract is signed (S.C. Code 27-50-50).

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How does foreclosure work in South Carolina?

South Carolina foreclosures go through the courts: a power of sale is not valid unless a court first establishes the debt or the borrower consents in writing after the loan matures. After a foreclosure sale, bidding stays open for 30 days.

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What first-time home buyer programs does South Carolina offer?

In South Carolina, SC Housing offers first-time buyers a $10,000 down payment loan that is fully forgiven after 15 years in the home. Its Palmetto Home Advantage program gives 0%, 3% or 4% of the loan amount and has no first-time requirement.

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Which natural hazards affect home insurance in South Carolina?

A standard South Carolina homeowners policy does not cover flood, including storm surge, and the Department of Insurance advises considering a flood policy whether or not the property lies in a mapped flood zone.

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How much tax when you sell a home in South Carolina?

The federal rule is the same in South Carolina as in every state: if you owned and lived in the home as your main home for at least 2 of the last 5 years, the first $250,000 of gain is excluded, $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly (Section 121, IRS Publication 523). Bought $400,000, sold $750,000: a single owner has $100,000 of taxable gain, $15,000 of federal tax at the 15% long-term rate; a couple filing jointly owes nothing. South Carolina income tax on the gain is not computed here.

Capital gains on a home sale

South Carolina guides

Greenville

Buying a home in Greenville, South Carolina

Professionals in South Carolina

All states · Federal guides