South Carolina law taxes rental housing at a higher rate than owner-occupied homes — and that cost is passed directly into every rent check. It's not a market problem. It's a policy choice. And we can fix it.
South Carolina's constitution sets the assessment rate — the percentage of a home's value subject to taxation. Owner-occupied homes are assessed at 4%. Rental properties at 6%. That assessed value is then multiplied by the local millage rate. But there's a second layer: owner-occupied homeowners receive a state sales tax credit that eliminates nearly all of their school tax obligation. Renters get no such credit — ever. The numbers below come from a real Lexington County tax bill at 446 mills.
* Based on a 2025 Lexington County tax bill at 446.1 mills. Owner-occupied figure reflects the SC sales tax credit applied to school operations millage. Rental properties are ineligible for this credit.
The 6% rate isn't a quirky local policy — it's written into South Carolina's constitution. Fixing it requires a constitutional amendment, which means a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly and a statewide vote. This is a serious fight that needs serious organizing.
Property taxes are an operating cost. Like any business expense, they get priced into what's charged — your rent. The higher the tax, the higher the floor on what landlords must charge. Renters absorb every penny of that difference.
Homeowners build equity, claim mortgage interest deductions, and benefit from appreciation. Renters get none of that — and under current SC law, they pay a structurally higher effective tax rate on top of it all. The system compounds inequality at every turn.
Constitutional reform in South Carolina is hard — but it happens when the public demands it. We need visible public support to give legislators the political cover to act. That starts with awareness. That starts here.
"The difference in assessment rates isn't a small technicality —
it's a structural tax on the choice to rent."
We're building a coalition to push for a constitutional amendment that equalizes the property tax assessment rate for all South Carolina residents — whether they own or rent.
Sign up and we'll reach out when it's time to make your voice heard: calling representatives, supporting legislation, or participating in the statewide vote when we get there.
Join South Carolinians working to end the rent tax.