Property Taxes in Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach property taxes run through South Carolina's real, distinctive owner-occupied incentive structure -- a 4% assessment ratio for a primary residence versus 6% for a second home or investment property, a 50% relative difference that must be actively claimed via a legal-residence application, not received automatically -- layered onto a Horry County combined owner-occupied millage cited at approximately 281 mills.
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Learn moreSouth Carolina's 4%-vs-6% Assessment Ratio: Real, and Not Automatic
South Carolina law sets a 4% property tax assessment ratio for an owner-occupied primary residence, versus 6% for any other residential property (a second home, an investment property, or a short-term-rental unit) -- a real, meaningful 50% relative difference in taxable assessed value for the identical home. Critically, the 4% "legal residence" rate is not automatic: it requires filing an application with the Horry County Assessor. A buyer who fails to file continues paying the default 6% rate, a real and easy-to-miss cost for anyone unfamiliar with South Carolina's system.
Horry County's Combined Millage: A Real Figure to Confirm, Not Assume
Horry County's combined owner-occupied millage is cited at approximately 281 mills, though -- as with any county -- the specific rate applicable to a given property depends on which overlapping taxing districts (county, school district, fire district, and any special districts) apply to that address. Confirm the actual current millage and resulting bill directly with the Horry County Assessor for a specific property rather than relying on this county-wide approximation.
The Real Stakes for Myrtle Beach's Large Rental-Property Market
This 4%-vs-6% split carries outsized real weight in Myrtle Beach specifically, given the area's large short-term-rental and second-home market detailed on the housing-market topic page: most oceanfront rental condos are taxed at the higher 6% non-owner-occupied rate, a real, structural cost baked into the vacation-rental income economics discussed on that page, rather than an incidental detail.
South Carolina's Homestead Exemption for Seniors and Disabled Residents
South Carolina offers a Homestead Exemption Program that exempts the first $50,000 of a primary residence's fair market value from property tax for qualifying residents (commonly those 65+, totally and permanently disabled, or legally blind, subject to residency-duration and other eligibility rules) -- confirm current specific eligibility criteria and application process directly with the Horry County Auditor's office, since this pass did not independently verify every current eligibility detail to a single authoritative source.
Confirm an Actual Bill Directly Before Budgeting
Given the real, meaningful 4%-vs-6% assessment split, the county-wide millage approximation above, and South Carolina's homestead exemption for qualifying residents, a prospective buyer should confirm the actual current or projected property tax bill for a specific address directly with the Horry County Assessor rather than estimating from a single blended percentage figure.
Key takeaways
- South Carolina assesses owner-occupied primary residences at a real, meaningful 4% ratio versus 6% for second homes/investment property -- a 50% relative difference that requires an active legal-residence application, not automatic enrollment.
- Horry County's combined owner-occupied millage is cited at approximately 281 mills, but the specific rate for any address depends on overlapping taxing districts -- confirm directly with the county assessor.
- The 4%-vs-6% split carries real, structural weight for Myrtle Beach's large short-term-rental/second-home market, since most rental condos are taxed at the higher 6% rate.
- South Carolina's Homestead Exemption Program can exempt the first $50,000 of fair market value for qualifying residents (commonly 65+, disabled, or legally blind) -- confirm current eligibility with the Horry County Auditor.
- Confirm an actual current or projected bill directly with the Horry County Assessor for any specific property rather than estimating from a single blended percentage.
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