South Carolina Real Estate Transfer Tax

Figures verified November 12, 2026 against SC Department of Revenue, deed recording fee · Update log

Short answer

South Carolina's deed recording fee is $1.85 per $500 (0.37%). The seller (the grantor) is liable for both the state and county parts. On a $500,000 home, it comes to about $1,850. An executor's deed handing an inherited house to an heir owes none.

Free calculator

South Carolina transfer tax calculator

Enter the sale price to see each tax, who pays it, and the total. Amounts like 650k or 2.5m work.

Sale price

Property

South Carolina

Transfer tax: $1,850 (0.37% of the price)

State deed recording feeSeller$1,300
County deed recording feeSeller$550

Seller pays: $1,850
Buyer pays: $0

Giving the house to an heir instead of selling it? The executor's deed to an heir is exempt here. How it works in South Carolina

An estimate from the rates on our South Carolina page. The title company or closing attorney works out the final figure; recording fees and the agent's commission aren't included.

South Carolina transfer tax rates

Tax	Rate	Who pays
State deed recording fee	$1.30 per $500 (0.26%)	Seller
County deed recording fee	$0.55 per $500 (0.11%)	Seller

Who pays the transfer tax in South Carolina?

The seller (the grantor) is liable for both the state and county parts.

Whatever the custom, the purchase contract can shift the tax to the other side, so check it before you agree a price. The closing agent collects the tax from the sale money and pays it when the deed is recorded.

Selling an inherited house in South Carolina

An inherited house reaches the heirs in one of three ways, and the transfer tax depends on which:

The executor deeds the house to the heirs. A deed of distribution to a person entitled to the property from an estate isn't subject to the fee.
The house passes outside probate, to a surviving joint owner or under a transfer-on-death deed. There is no sale and no new deed from the estate, so no transfer tax; the new owner records a death certificate or affidavit.
The executor sells the house. When the executor sells the house to an outside buyer, the transfer tax is due as on any sale. The estate pays the seller's share out of the sale proceeds, and the closing agent usually collects it.

The heirs or the estate also owe income tax only on any rise in value after the death, because the house gets a stepped-up basis. The seller's transfer tax counts as a selling expense and lowers that gain. See what's left for each heir in the inherited house net proceeds calculator.

Do it yourself, correctly

The Executor's Final Tax Returns Kit

An estate pays 37% on income above $16,000. Paid out to the heirs on time, the same income is taxed at their rates, often 12%. The kit shows how, and is $49.

Buy for $49Instant download: 46-page PDF workbook and calculator spreadsheet. 30-day refund, no questions asked.

Every federal tax filing after a death, in the order you do them: the estate's EIN, Form 56, the final Form 1040, the estate's Form 1041, the K-1s and a clean close.

46-page workbook
Form 1041, line by line
Both returns worked

Which returns this estate owes, from five yes-or-no questions
The final 1040 and Form 1041 explained line by line, with one family's returns fully worked
How to split each 1099 at the date of death so the IRS match does not trigger a letter
A spreadsheet for deadlines, the Form 1041 estimate and each heir's K-1, plus five letters to copy

Buy for $49

Optional: get help filing

Get a flat-fee quote for the estate's tax returns

The final Form 1040, the estate's Form 1041 and any state return are the parts executors most often hand off. Leave your email and the rough estate size, and a CPA or Enrolled Agent who prepares estate returns will reply with a fixed price. Free, and no obligation.

State where the person lived

Rough value of the estate

Add details (optional, helps the CPA price it)

What do you need help with?

You are

Month of death

First name

Anything else?

We pass your request to an independent CPA or Enrolled Agent who prepares these returns. We may be paid a referral fee by the professional; it never changes the price you are quoted. This is not legal or tax advice.

Transfer taxes in other states

Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming

Or compare them all in the 50-state table.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the transfer tax in South Carolina?

Deed recording fee: $1.85 per $500 (0.37%). On a $500,000 home, that comes to about $1,850 in total.

Who pays the transfer tax in South Carolina, the buyer or the seller?

The seller (the grantor) is liable for both the state and county parts.

Do you pay transfer tax when you inherit a house in South Carolina?

A deed of distribution to a person entitled to the property from an estate isn't subject to the fee.

Does an estate pay transfer tax when it sells a house in South Carolina?

When the executor sells the house to an outside buyer, the transfer tax is due as on any sale. The estate pays the seller's share out of the sale proceeds, and the closing agent usually collects it.

Is transfer tax deductible?

Not as a tax deduction, but the seller's share counts as a selling expense: it lowers the amount realized, and so the taxable gain on the sale. The buyer's share is added to the buyer's cost basis.

Sources

This information is provided for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal or tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.