Homestead exemption

2025-2026 Bill 768: Homestead exemption - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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S. 768
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Peeler, Alexander, Kimbrell, Verdin, Massey, Hembree, Turner, Williams, Rice, Stubbs, Davis, Garrett, Campsen, Martin, Leber, Zell, Grooms and Young
Companion/Similar bill(s): 223, 3427, 3511, 4690
Document Path: LC-0381DG26.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 13, 2026
Introduced in the House on February 24, 2026
Last Amended on February 19, 2026

Currently residing in the House Committee on
Ways and Means
Summary: Homestead exemption
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

1/13/2026

Senate

Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 46
)

1/13/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Finance
(
Senate Journal-page 46
)

1/21/2026

Senate

Committee report: Favorable with amendment
Finance
(
Senate Journal-page 15
)

1/22/2026

Scrivener's error corrected

2/11/2026

Senate

Committee Amendment Adopted (
Senate Journal-page 17
)

2/11/2026

Senate

Amended (
Senate Journal-page 17
)

2/11/2026

Senate

Debate interrupted (
Senate Journal-page 17
)

2/12/2026

Senate

Debate interrupted (
Senate Journal-page 21
)

2/18/2026

Senate

Amended (
Senate Journal-page 38
)

2/18/2026

Senate

Read second time (
Senate Journal-page 38
)

2/18/2026

Senate

Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (
Senate Journal-page 38
)

2/19/2026

Senate

Amended (
Senate Journal-page 11
)

2/19/2026

Senate

Read third time and sent to House (
Senate Journal-page 11
)

2/19/2026

Senate

Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (
Senate Journal-page 11
)

2/23/2026

Scrivener's error corrected

2/24/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 61
)

2/24/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Ways and Means
(
House Journal-page 61
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
01/13/2026
01/21/2026
01/22/2026
02/11/2026
02/18/2026
02/19/2026
02/23/2026

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

As Passed By The Senate

February 19, 2026

S. 768

Introduced by Senators Peeler, Alexander,
Kimbrell, Verdin, Massey, Hembree, Turner, Williams, Rice, Stubbs, Davis,
Garrett, Campsen, Martin, Leber, Zell, Grooms and Young

S. Printed 2/19/26--S. [SEC
2/23/2026 4:18 PM]

Read the first time January 13, 2026

_______
_

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING
SECTION
12-37-250
, RELATING TO THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, SO AS TO INCREASE THE
EXEMPTION TO ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND TO REDUCE THE AGE ELIGIBILITY TO
SIXTY; BY AMENDING SECTION
12-37-266
, RELATING TO THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, SO
AS TO MAKE A CONFORMING CHANGE; BY AMENDING SECTION
12-37-280
, RELATING TO THE
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, SO AS TO MAKE A CONFORMING CHANGE; BY AMENDING SECTION
12-37-290
, RELATING TO THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, so as to make a conforming
change; BY AMENDING SECTION
12-37-220
, RELATING TO GENERAL EXEMPTION FROM
TAXES, SO AS TO MAKE A CONFORMING CHANGE; BY AMENDING SECTION
11-11-150
,
RELATING TO DEDUCTIONS FOR THE TRUST FUND FOR TAX RELIEF, SO AS TO MAKE A
CONFORMING CHANGE; AND BY REPEALING SECTION
12-37-245
RELATING TO THE HOMESTEAD
EXEMPTION.

Amend Title To Conform

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
A
rticle 3, Chapter 37, Title 12 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:

S
ection
12-37-253
.
(
A) Any eligible person
may claim an exemption from county, municipal, school, and special assessment
real property taxes equal to an amount of the fair market value on the person's
dwelling place as set forth in subsection (C). A person may not claim this
exemption and the exemption set forth in Section
12-37-250
and a person must be
eligible for this exemption to claim the exemption set forth in Section
12-37-250
. For purposes of eligibility, application, and reimbursement, this
exemption must be administered in the same manner as the exemption allowed
pursuant to Section 12-37-250, including the application of other laws
affecting the exemption allowed pursuant to Section
12-37-250
, mutatis
mutandis. For a person eligible for this exemption pursuant to subsection
(B)(1), the previous application for the exemption allowed pursuant to Section
12-37-250
must be considered the application for this exemption.

(
B) A
person becomes eligible for this additional exemption:

(
1)
if the person was eligible to claim the exemption pursuant to Section
12-37-250

in Property Tax Year 2025 and otherwise qualifies;

(
2)
(
a) when the person meets the
requirements of Section
12-37-250
(A)(1)(i), (ii), or (iii); and

(
b)
when the person has been a resident of this State for at least five entire
property tax years and filed an individual income tax return for at least five
tax years in this State at any time before the application; or

(
3)
(
a) when the person meets the
requirements of Section
12-37-250
(A)(1)(i), (ii), or (iii); and

(
b)
when the person has been a resident of this State for at least ten entire property
tax years and filed an individual income tax return for at least ten tax years
in this State at any time before the application.

(
C) A
person who qualifies for this exemption pursuant to item (B)(1) or (B)(3)
qualifies for a one hundred fifty thousand dollar exemption. A person who
qualifies for this exemption pursuant to item (B)(2) qualifies for a
seventy-five thousand dollar exemption. The exemption amounts set forth in this
subsection are not cumulative and may not be combined.

(
D)
By ordinance, a governing body of a county may increase the exemption allowed
by this section, however, any taxes not collected as a result of the increase
in the exemption are not eligible for reimbursement.

S
ECTION 2.
S
ection
11-11-150
(A) of the S.C. Code is amended by
adding:

(
6) Section
12-37-270
for the
homestead exemption allowed pursuant to Section
12-37-253
;

S
ECTION 3. Section
12-37-245
of the S.C. Code is repealed.

S
ECTION 4.
C
hapter 45, Title 12 of the S.C. Code is amended by
adding:

S
ection
12-45-72
. In addition to the requirements provided in Section
12-60-2510
, a
property tax notice or assessment must include an itemized list of any
homestead exemption received by the taxpayer and a notation of State
Legislature Aiding in Saving Homes (SLASH), the amount in which the
individual's property tax bill was reduced, and in the amount, if any, in which
the State reimbursed the local taxing authorities on behalf of the individual.

S
ECTION 5. If any section, subsection,
paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this act is for
any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, the General Assembly hereby declares
that it would not have passed this act, without the sections, subsections,
paragraphs, subparagraphs, sentences, clauses, phrases, or words declared to be
unconstitutional, invalid, or otherwise ineffective.

S
ECTION 6. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor and first applies to property tax years beginning after 2025.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on February 23, 2026 at 4:19 PM