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South Carolina Sales Tax

On this page you will find handy sales and use tax information about South Carolina.

How to use this page:

We’ve pulled in the information from all our Charts for a consolidated view by state.  Here you can see the sales tax rates and if the state has remote seller nexus rules. You can also see any sales tax holidays or amnesty programs that may exist, though these do not apply to all states.

Below the chart you can find any News & Tip item we have published that relates to South Carolina that you can filter by topic. This will help you get informed on current and past legislation that has passed in the state.

State Sales Tax Rates
State Rate

6.000% The state has reduced rates for sales of certain types of items.
Range of Local Rates

0% – 3% Some local jurisdictions do not impose a sales tax.
Local Rates Apply to Use Tax

Yes
Remote Seller Nexus Rules
ECONOMIC NEXUS

11/1/2018 – see state notice
MARKETPLACE NEXUS

11/1/2018 administrative – see state notice

4/26/2019 legislation
Sales Tax Holidays
Annual Back to School Holiday

August 2-4, 2024

1. Clothing and certain clothing accessories (excluding rentals)
2. Footwear (excluding rentals)
3. School supplies
4. Computers, printers and printer supplies and computer software (excludes items used for commercial purposes)
5. Certain bed and bath items
Sales Tax Amnesty
Status

Future

Amnesty Filing Dates

Dates TBD

Go to South Carolina Amnesty Page
AMNESTY INCLUSION PERIODS

TBD

TAX TYPES AND CONDITIONS

TBD. More details.
AMNESTY BENEFITS

Interest and penalties waived.

Administration Information
Streamlined Sales Tax Status

Advisory State
NUMBER OF TAXING AUTHORITIES

45 Sales Tax Jurisdictions
HOME RULE AUTHORITIES

N/A
Sales Tax Sourcing (Intrastate)

Destination
Sales Tax Return Due Date

The 20th of the month following the reporting period
Exemption Information
RESALE CERTIFICATE

South Carolina Resale Certificate
TYPES OF EXEMPTIONS

Types of exemptions: government, business related (resale, manufacturing, fuels, many others), agricultural, educational, general public good, alternative energy; refer this link for a full listing

 

Entity types of exemptions: federal government; other exempt entity types are very limited in South Carolina

 

South Carolina Exemption Certificate Forms
History & Fun Facts
HISTORY

  • Sales and use taxes were adopted in South Carolina in 1951.
  • South Carolina’s annual sales tax holiday is different from other states’ sales tax holidays in that bed and bath items are exempt during South Carolina’s holiday.
FUN FACTS
  • South Carolina is somewhat unusual in that it does not provide a sales tax exemption for sales to its own state government agencies.

South Carolina Holds that Amazon Owes Tax on Pre-Wayfair Third Party Sales

A judge has held that Amazon owes uncollected taxes, penalties, and interest on third-party sales made pre-Wayfair.

State Notices & Resources for Remote Sellers

Use this state by state guide to find each state\’s initial guidance on how to proceed post-Wayfair, state resources such as FAQs, and any state activity such as going through a legislative process that impacts remote sellers.

Economic Nexus State by State Chart

Key information such as effective dates, thresholds, and includable sales for out-of-state sellers making sales into states that have enacted economic nexus legislation both before and after the South Dakota v. Wayfair Supreme Court decision.

South Carolina Extends COVID-19 Related Remote Employee Tax Relief

South Carolina extended the COVID-19 tax relief with regards to the nexus for income and sales tax created by employees that are temporarily working in another jurisdiction due to COVID-19.

South Carolina Court Denies Request for Injunction to Make Amazon Collect Tax on FBA Sales

A South Carolina Court did not grant a request for an injunction filed by the South Carolina Department of Revenue to make Amazon collect tax on FBA sales.

South Carolina Finalizes Economic and Marketplace Nexus Ruling

The South Carolina Department of Revenue will require remote sellers to collect and remit tax if they exceed the state’s economic nexus threshold, effective November 1, 2018.

House Introduces Online Sales Simplicity and Small Business Relief Act of 2018

On September 13, 2018, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and additional U.S. House members introduced the Online Sales Simplicity and Small Business Relief Act of 2018.

Remote Seller Resources

Comprehensive list of resources for remote sellers following the South Dakota v. Wayfair Supreme Court decision – including state notices, videos, articles, training opportunities, and more.

U.S. Supreme Court Issues Decision In South Dakota v. Wayfair

On June 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in the South Dakota v. Wayfair case, ruling in favor of South Dakota and overturning Quill’s physical presence rule.

South Dakota v. Wayfair Analysis & Predictions: Sales Tax Experts Weigh-In

Sales tax experts lend their insight into and predictions for one of the most important U.S. Supreme Court decisions regarding sales tax in decades, South Dakota v. Wayfair.

Record Number of Sellers Participate in 2017 MTC Amnesty Program

The volume of applicants for the 2017 online marketplace seller tax amnesty program overwhelmed the Multistate Tax Commission.

Multistate Tax Commission Announces Tax Amnesty Program for Online Sellers

The MTC organized a tax amnesty program for online sellers, running from August 17 to November 1, 2017. The voluntary disclosure program allowed sellers to start remitting sales tax on future sales without penalty or liability for unpaid, prior accumulated sales tax in 25 participating states.

No Regulation Without Representation Act of 2017 Introduced

Under the proposed House bill, a state may tax or regulate a person’s activity in interstate commerce only when the person is physically present in the state during the period in which the tax or regulation is imposed.

Congress Introduces Marketplace Fairness Act of 2017 and Remote Transactions Parity Act of 2017

Introduced on April 27, 2017, the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2017, if enacted, would authorize states meeting certain requirements to require remote sellers that do not meet a small seller exception to collect their state and local sales and use taxes.

Online Sales Simplification Act of 2016 Discussion Draft is Introduced

The proposed legislation would implement a “hybrid origin” approach for remote sales. States could impose sales tax on remote sales if the origin state participates in a clearinghouse.

No Regulation Without Representation Act of 2016 Introduced

Taking the opposite approach of the Marketplace Fairness Act and Remote Transactions Parity Act, the proposed bill would limit the ability of states to require remote sellers to collect use tax. However, the bill failed to pass.

South Carolina Nexus Safe Harbor for Distribution Facilities Expires January 1, 2016

South Carolina’s nexus safe harbor for certain distribution facilities expires 01/01/16. More…

House Introduces Remote Transactions Parity Act of 2015

U.S. House of Representatives introduced the Remote Transactions Parity Act of 2015 on 06/15/15. More…

Senate Introduces Marketplace Fairness Act of 2015

On March 10, 2015, a bipartisan group of senators introduced the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2015.

Federal Government Introduces New Remote Seller Bill

The federal Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 was introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate on February 14, 2013.

South Carolina’s New House Bill: Physical Presence not Sufficient for Nexus.

A South Carolina bill specifies that owning or using a distribution facility is not considered in determining nexus qualification. “Distribution facility” is defined as an establishment where shipments of tangible personal property are processed for delivery to customers. However, the…