Homestead Exemption Finder
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South Carolina Homestead Exemption Calculator 2026 ($75,000)

For tax year 2026, South Carolina's homestead exemption for seniors, people who are totally and permanently disabled and people who are legally blind rises from $50,000 to $75,000 of fair market value. Enter your home's value and your millage to see what that's worth on your bill. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is saved.

What changed: budget Proviso 117.220 (H.5126, Act 259) adds a temporary $25,000 to the $50,000 exemption in S.C. Code Section 12-37-250, for a total of $75,000. It applies to the same real property taxes as the regular exemption. Source: SCDOR Information Letter #26-23, Oct. 1, 2026 (PDF) ↗.
How we calculate
  1. Exempt value = the smaller of your home's fair market value and the exemption ($50,000 regular, $75,000 for tax year 2026).
  2. Assessed value removed = exempt value × the assessment ratio (4% for a legal residence, per SCDOR).
  3. Tax saved = assessed value removed × millage ÷ 1,000.

Use the millage that actually applies to your home on your bill. Your county auditor applies the exemption, and your bill is the final word.

How to get it

  1. Already have the homestead exemption? Your county auditor decides whether the extra 2026 amount applies to your account (SCDOR). Check your 2026 bill or call the auditor's office.
  2. New to it? Apply with your county auditor. You must be a South Carolina resident for at least one year and 65 or older, totally and permanently disabled, or legally blind, and the home must be your legal residence (the 4% ratio is a separate application with your county assessor).
  3. Filing is free. Ignore mailers that charge a fee to file for you.

Largest South Carolina counties: Greenville · Charleston · Horry · Lexington · Anderson · all South Carolina relief

Sources

Related: South Carolina homestead exemption · savings estimator for any state · is my assessment too high? · SALT deduction calculator

Educational estimate only, not tax advice. Your county auditor determines eligibility and the amount on your bill.

How much is the South Carolina homestead exemption for 2026?

For tax year 2026 it is $75,000 of fair market value: the regular $50,000 exemption under S.C. Code Section 12-37-250 plus a temporary $25,000 added by budget Proviso 117.220 (Act 259), according to SC Department of Revenue Information Letter #26-23.

Who qualifies for the extra $25,000?

Anyone who already qualifies for the regular homestead exemption: a South Carolina resident for at least one year who is 65 or older, totally and permanently disabled, or legally blind, on their legal residence.

Do I need to reapply to get the $75,000?

SCDOR says your county auditor administers the exemption and determines whether the additional amount applies to your account. If you already have the homestead exemption, check with your county auditor that the 2026 amount is on your account. If you don't have it yet, apply with your county auditor.

Is the $75,000 permanent?

No. It comes from a temporary budget proviso for tax year 2026. Unless the General Assembly continues it, the exemption returns to $50,000.

How much tax does the extra $25,000 save?

At the 4% legal residence assessment ratio, each $25,000 of exempt value removes $1,000 of assessed value, so the extra exemption saves about $1 for every mill on your bill. For example, at 300 mills it saves about $300 a year, if your home's value is at least $75,000.

Is this calculator private?

Yes. It runs in your browser, and nothing you type is sent or saved.

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