Application for the Beaufort County Homestead Exemption

  • Welcome to the Beaufort County Auditor's Office Application for the Homestead Exemption

  • The Homestead Exemption application is available for Beaufort County residents who qualify based on specific criteria. Before you begin, you will be asked a brief series of questions to determine your eligibility.

    Please make sure you also have access to a document scanner or some way to upload required documents to go with your Homestead application. Pictures from a smartphone are accepted as long as the information is legible. We accept either PDF or common image file formats, such as PNG or JPEG.

    If you do not have a way to upload your documents, visit our Auditor's office in either Beaufort or Bluffton with the required documentation. Our office hours and locations are listed on our website at beaufortcountyauditor.com.

  • To receive the Homestead Exemption, the applicant will first need to apply for the 4% Legal Residence tax rate with the Beaufort County Assessor's office. The Assessor's office can be reached at assessor@bcgov.net or 843-255-2400 (ext. 3), while their Legal Residence Application can be found on their webpage: Assessor's Office

  • To qualify for the Homestead Exemption, the applicant must reside in South Carolina as a full-time resident for one full calendar year. You are welcome to return to this application after the applicant's full calendar year of residency has been covered.

  • The Homestead Exemption is not applicable for heirs property. We apologize for the inconvenience.

  • Residents applying based on age must be on their 66th birth year or older to apply for the Homestead application. You are welcome to return to this application once the applicant is on their 66th birth year.

  • Instead of the Homestead, greater benefits for the applicant's house taxes may be available based on the approval of the South Carolina Department of Revenue (DOR). If approved, an award letter from DOR will be mailed to the applicant, and their award letter will need to be provided to the Beaufort County Assessor's office for processing. For questions about the benefits of this process, please contact the Assessor's office at assessor@bcgov.net or 843-255-2400 (extension 3). Additionally, DOR can be reached at Property.Exemptions@dor.sc.gov or 803-898-5700.

    If you were not approved or are not eligible for benefits through DOR, however, please proceed to the Homestead Exemption application.

  • The surviving spouse of a qualified or potentially qualified Homestead recipient may receive the benefit as a surviving spouse as long as the decedent was eligible for the Homestead Exemption at the time of death and the surviving spouse meets all of the following conditions:

    • The surviving spouse obtains complete fee simple title OR life estate OR is the beneficiary of a trust that holds title to their legal residence, within nine months after the death of the qualifying spouse
    • The surviving spouse lives in the home as their primary legal residence
    • The surviving spouse remains unmarried

  • Application for the Beaufort County Homestead Exemption

    Application for the Beaufort County Homestead Exemption
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  • * The applicant's PIN (Property ID) is an 18-digit number listed on the real property or house tax bill. If you do not have a copy of the house bill readily available, the PIN can be found using the county’s account lookup website here: Public Access (Propertymax)

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  • Format: (000) 000-0000.

  • Please complete the following information for the property co-owner(s).

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  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
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  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
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  • Format: (000) 000-0000.

  • REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (Applying based on Age)

    • Driver's license of the listed property owner(s). If driver's licenses are not available, either: South Carolina IDs; or photo IDs with Medicaid/Medicare Cards of the qualifying applicants; or photo IDs with Birth Certificates of the qualifying applicants.
    • If the property is held in one or more trusts, pages from the trust(s) naming the Trustees and the Income Beneficiaries. Providing a copy of the entire trust or trusts for review is recommended.
    • For married couples who do not share the same last name, include your marriage license.
    • If the property is listed in a business name, include your Articles of Organization.
    • Additional documents may be requested following the submission of your application.

  • REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (Applying based on Disability)

    • Driver's license of the listed property owner(s). If driver's licenses are not available, South Carolina IDs.
    • From Social Security, either the Third Party Query (TPQY) form OR the Benefits Planning Query (BPQY) form. Either form can be requested through Social Security on the phone at 866-254-3316 or in their local office at 646 Robert Smalls Pkwy, Beaufort, SC 29906.
    • If the property is held in one or more trusts, pages from the trust(s) naming the Trustees and the Income Beneficiaries. Providing a copy of the entire trust or trusts for review is recommended.
    • For married couples who do not share the same last name, include your marriage license.
    • If the property is listed in a business name, include your Articles of Organization.
    • Additional documents may be requested following the submission of your application.

  • REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (Applying due to Blindness)

    • Driver's license of the listed property owner(s). If driver's licenses are not available, South Carolina IDs.
    • A "confirmation of legal blindness" form signed by a licensed ophthalmologist.
    • If the property is held in one or more trusts, pages from the trust(s) naming the Trustees and the Income Beneficiaries. Providing a copy of the entire trust or trusts for review is recommended.
    • For married couples who do not share the same last name, include your marriage license.
    • If the property is listed in a business name, include your Articles of Organization.
    • Additional documents may be requested following the submission of your application.

  • ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (Applying as a surviving spouse)

    • A copy of the death certificate of the qualified or potentially qualified Homestead recipient.
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  • I (WE) DO HEREBY CERTIFY UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY THAT THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS TRUE AND CORRECT AND THAT I (WE) HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA FOR ONE YEAR AS OF 31 DECEMBER LAST, AND THAT THE ABOVE IDENTIFIED PROPERTY IS MY PERMANENT HOME AND LEGAL RESIDENCE AND I AM ENTITLED TO THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION; AND FURTHER THAT I (WE) HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR OR CLAIM EXEMPTION IN ANY OTHER COUNTY OR STATE. BY SIGNING THIS FORM, I (WE) ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ALL RELEVANT AND REQUESTED DOCUMENTATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED.

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