South Carolina Business Personal Property Tax: County Returns and the PT-100
South Carolina Business Personal Property Tax: County Returns and the PT-100
Many new business owners focus on the Secretary of State filing and the sales tax permit, then get surprised by a county bill for the furniture, fixtures, and equipment they bought to open the doors. That bill is the business personal property tax, and the annual return that sets it up is the PT-100 or its electronic equivalent. This guide explains who has to file, where the return goes in your county, how the taxable value is figured, and what happens if you miss the deadline.
This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. County filing routes, tax rates, and agency procedures change, so confirm current details with the agency named in each section. For complex situations, such as large equipment purchases, property spread across several counties, or manufacturing operations, talk with a qualified CPA or attorney before you file.
What counts as business personal property
Business personal property is tangible property that a business uses to operate and that is not real estate. The return covers furniture, fixtures, and equipment. In practice that includes desks, chairs, shelving, display cases, point-of-sale systems, computers, machinery, and tools. Your depreciation records are a good starting point, because the same asset list drives the county return.
Manufacturers are handled differently. Manufacturers' property is assessed separately by the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR), so a manufacturing business should confirm with SCDOR how its equipment is reported.
Who has to file
All businesses must file a business personal property return, regardless of legal structure. That includes sole proprietorships, general partnerships, LLCs, and corporations. The obligation does not depend on whether you think your equipment is worth much.
Many owners assume that a fully depreciated machine drops off the books. It does not. Depreciation has a floor, explained below, so some taxable value always remains on property you still own.
Where the return goes: SCDOR or the county auditor
The office you file with depends on your county. In 41 counties, the return is filed with SCDOR, either electronically on MyDORWAY or on the paper PT-100. In the remaining counties, the return goes to the county auditor. The SCDOR list includes Greenville, Spartanburg, York, and Lexington, and Berkeley County joins that list for 2026. Beaufort County is also on the SCDOR list, except for rental property, so a business with rental property there should confirm the correct office before filing.
The table below shows examples only. Check the full county list with SCDOR before you file.
| County | Where the return is filed |
|---|---|
| Greenville | SCDOR, on MyDORWAY or PT-100 |
| Spartanburg | SCDOR, on MyDORWAY or PT-100 |
| York | SCDOR, on MyDORWAY or PT-100 |
| Lexington | SCDOR, on MyDORWAY or PT-100 |
| Berkeley | SCDOR, on MyDORWAY or PT-100 (new for 2026) |
| Beaufort | SCDOR, except rental property (confirm) |
| Charleston | County auditor |
| Richland | County auditor |
| Horry | County auditor |
If you are unsure which route applies, call the county auditor's office or SCDOR rather than guessing. A return sent to the wrong office can leave you short on the deadline.
The deadline
The return is due four months after your business's year end. For a calendar-year business, that date is April 30. If your fiscal year closes on another date, count four months forward from the close of that year. Put the date on your calendar when the year closes, not the week before it is due.
Missing the deadline has two consequences. First, a 10% penalty applies. Second, if you do not file, the county can make an estimated assessment of your property. That estimate replaces the figures you would have reported, so you lose control over the number used.
How the taxable value is figured
The county does not tax what you paid for equipment. It taxes net depreciated cost, and two rules control the result.
- Assessment ratio. Business personal property is assessed at 10.5% of net depreciated cost under S.C. Code Section 12-43-220(f).
- Depreciation cap. Depreciation is capped at 90%, so net depreciated cost never falls below 10% of original cost.
Consider a restaurant that buys $50,000 of kitchen equipment. After several years of depreciation, its net depreciated cost is $40,000. The assessed value is $40,000 multiplied by 10.5%, or $4,200. The county then applies its local tax rate to that assessed value. Confirm the current rate with the county auditor or SCDOR, because it varies by county and is not a figure to assume.
The floor matters for long-lived equipment. The same $50,000 of equipment cannot be depreciated below $5,000, which is 10% of cost. At the cap, the assessed value is $5,000 multiplied by 10.5%, or $525. Your tax depreciation may also differ from the method in your books. Ask SCDOR or the county which schedule to use before you rely on your bookkeeping numbers.
Key dates after you file
- April 30 (calendar-year businesses): the return is due. A late return brings the 10% penalty and possible estimated assessment.
- After September 1: the county tax bill is issued.
- January 15: the county bill is due.
When the bill arrives, review it against your asset list. The bill reflects the return and the county's assessment, so any difference should be resolved with the office that issued it.
Large investments and fee-in-lieu agreements
South Carolina counties can enter fee-in-lieu of tax agreements, often called FILOT agreements, for large investments. Under these agreements, the business and the county negotiate a payment arrangement in place of the standard calculation for qualifying property. The investment size, the agreement term, and the payment terms are set in each agreement, so this guide does not give a threshold.
If you are planning a major equipment or facility investment, raise the question with the county before you commit to the purchase. Agreements are negotiated, not automatic. Ask the county government whether an agreement is available for your project and what your filing obligations look like while it is in place.
Related local and state filings
The personal property return is one of several filings a South Carolina business may need. Track each one separately so no deadline gets lost.
- Local business license. South Carolina has no general statewide business license. Most cities levy local business license taxes, and only nine counties do: Beaufort, Charleston, Dorchester, Horry, Jasper, Marion, Orangeburg, Richland, and Sumter. The license year runs May 1 to April 30 and is due April 30. According to the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, renewals are handled at localblrenewal.com.
- Trade names (DBA). There is no state DBA filing. Record a trade name with your county or municipality, usually on your local business license, and list it on your IRS EIN application and your SCDOR Business Tax Application.
- Retail license. Sellers of tangible goods need a retail license from SCDOR. The one-time fee is a nonrefundable $50 per location, applied for through the Business Tax Application on MyDORWAY.
- LLC annual report. SCDOR states that an LLC not taxed as a corporation is not required to file an annual report or pay the corporate license fee. An LLC that elects corporate tax treatment has different obligations, so confirm them with SCDOR.
- Retail food permits. These come from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. DHEC was split in 2024, so do not look to DHEC for this permit.
- Contractor licensing. Commercial contractor licensing applies to work above $10,000, and residential specialty registration applies to work above $500.
For official information, start with the South Carolina Department of Revenue, which handles SCDOR filings, MyDORWAY, and the Business Tax Application. For entity formation and name filings, use the South Carolina Secretary of State.
Items to confirm with the agency
Several points depend on facts specific to your business, and this guide does not settle them. Confirm each one before you rely on it.
- The current local tax rate that applies to your assessed value. Ask the county auditor or SCDOR.
- Which office handles your return if you have rental property in Beaufort County. Ask SCDOR and the county.
- Whether your tax depreciation schedule must match the method in your books. Ask SCDOR.
- Whether a fee-in-lieu agreement is available for a planned investment, and what its terms require. Ask the county government.
- How an estimated assessment is appealed, and what rules apply beyond the 10% penalty. Ask the county auditor or SCDOR.
- How manufacturers' property is reported, and whether any of your equipment falls under SCDOR's separate assessment. Ask SCDOR.
A practical filing checklist
- Build an asset list now, with each item's purchase date, original cost, and current depreciation.
- Confirm your county and the correct filing office before the return is due.
- Calendar the deadline: April 30 for calendar-year businesses, or four months after your fiscal year end.
- Keep a copy of what you filed, and check the county bill against your records when it arrives after September 1.
- Mark January 15 as the payment date for the county bill.
Business personal property is manageable when you treat it as an annual task. Start your asset list early, confirm your county route once, and keep the April 30 and January 15 dates in front of you. If your equipment base is large, your business has manufacturing operations, or you are negotiating an incentive, bring in a CPA or attorney, because those decisions depend on your specific facts.