- Appeal of Vehicle Taxes – You may appeal any property tax on your vehicle by contacting the Auditor’s Office. You can apply for a reduction of taxes based on high mileage or you may have a dealership give you a written appraised on the over all condition of the vehicle. You may print off the form on our web page to take to the dealer for this purpose. According to state law, this appeal must be done by the last day of the month in which the tag expires. If you miss this deadline, you cannot appeal your bill for that year.
- Refund of Vehicle Taxes – If you sell a vehicle, you can surrender your tag and receive a refund on your taxes for the unused months. You must provide written proof of sale, which can be the following: copy of bill of sale from a private sale or dealer trade in or, copy of front and back of title signed over to new owner. You must also provide a receipt from the DMV showing the tags have been surrendered. If you move out of state, you can mail your South Carolina tag and proof of your registration in the new state to the Auditor’s Office to receive a refund for the unused months.
- All manufacturers, utility, fee-in-lieu agreements, property of merchants and certain businesses are required to file a return with the South Carolina Department of Revenue or the Berkeley County Auditor’s Office on all furniture, fixtures and unlicensed equipment. A return is mailed out each January and is to be filed by April 30th to avoid penalties. If you do not receive a Business Personal Property Return, please contact the Auditor’s Office.
- Personal property such as cars, trucks, motorcycles, campers and motor homes are also billed yearly and are taxed a year in advance.
- Temporary 45 Day License Tag – A person who newly acquires a vehicle may purchase a 45-day temporary tag from a South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles branch office.
- If you are moving into the state of South Carolina and want to register your motor vehicle, you must first pay property taxes on the vehicle. Bring or fax a copy of your title or registration card to the Auditor’s Office, and a tax bill will be prepared based on the value of the vehicle. After the taxes are paid, the paid receipt must be taken to the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles along with your out of state title and insurance information in order to obtain a South Carolina license tag and title. You have 45 days to register your vehicle.
- What do I do if I move to Berkeley County from another county in SC?
You will need to bring, fax,email or mail a copy of your current SC vehicle registration and proof of your Berkeley County address to the Auditor’s office to have a tax bill created. After paying your taxes at the Treasurer’s office, you will need to take your paid tax receipt to the DMV. At the DMV you will pay your tag renewal fee if it is due, and they will issue your new registration and sticker. - If you purchased a vehicle from an individual, the property taxes must be paid before you can register the vehicle. A copy of the title or bill of sale must be presented to or faxed to the Auditor’s Office and a tax bill will be prepared. The paid tax receipt must be taken to the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, along with your bill of sale and insurance information in order to obtain a South Carolina license plate and title. You have 45 days to register your vehicle.
- If you purchased a vehicle from a dealership, the dealer may pick up the new tags for you from the Department of Motor Vehicles before you are required to pay your property taxes. You will pay the dealer South Carolina Sales Tax and registration fees. By law, the Department of Motor Vehicles will provide the vehicle information to the Auditor’s Office. You will receive a Property Tax Bill which must be paid within 120 days of the date of purchase. If the taxes are not paid by the 120 day mark; your driver’s license will be suspended.
- At the time of purchasing a vehicle, you may prefer to transfer a license plate if the vehicle being purchased is in the same name. You will not be taxed on the new vehicle until it is time for the tag to be renewed. If the dealer is to transfer the tag and it has less than 4 months left on it; you might prefer to purchase a new tag as it will give you a longer time to pay the taxes on the new vehicle.
