Local Government Taxes

Government

North Myrtle Beach is under county-management form of government. City council appoints a city manager who hires all budgeted positions, except for those non-classified positions appointed directly by city council. The North Myrtle Beach city council consists of the mayor and six council members. Regular council meetings are held at the city’s municipal complex located at 1018 2nd Avenue South in North Myrtle Beach. Schedules, agendas, and reports can be found online at www.nmb.us.

Taxes

Horry County is among the counties with the lowest tax rate in South Carolina.

Sales Tax

Total non-food retail sales tax is 8% which consists of 6% from the state and 2% from Horry County. Unprepared food taxes are 1%. Prescriptions, dental procedures and hearing aides are exempt from the sales tax. Those over the age of 85 are exempt from 1% of the standard sales tax. A maximum sales tax of $500 is imposed on all motorized vehicles, which includes cards, RVs, motorcycles and airplanes. There are other variable taxes on county and local levels. The total state and local taxes for accommodations are 12%, amusements 7.5%, and restaurants 10.5% The hospitality tax is included on food, beverages, amusements, and private passenger vehicle rentals.

Property Tax and Millage Rates

City and county property taxes on real estate are taxed at the rate of 4% on primary residences and 6% for secondary residences and vacation homes. These taxes are collected to meet the budget of a school district, county, city or other political subdivision. A millage rate is used to determine the amount of your property tax. One mill equals 1/1000 of a dollar (.001). Millage rates are subject to change to calculate your estimated property taxes, take the following three steps.

1. Divide appraised house value by 1,000
2. Multiply that by 226.8
3. Multiply that by 4% (if permanent residence) or…6% (if not permanent residence)

*Source: Horry County Auditor

Personal Property Tax

Personal property taxes are collected on items such as cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, and airplane. Businesses can be taxed on items such as furniture, fixtures, and equipment. This is the largest source of revenue for the state’s public schools. But schools are not the only beneficiaries; police, fire protection and public libraries are also run and maintained by your personal property taxes. You may obtain additional information by contacting: Horry County Treasurer, 107 Highway 57 North, Little River, S.C. 29566 or calling (843) 915-5473.