South Carolina S 538: Agricultural Property

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 538 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 03, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 538

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 12-37-220, RELATING TO GENERAL EXEMPTION FROM TAXES, SO AS TO DEFINE 
FARM BUILDING AND STRUCTURES QUALIFYING FOR THE EXEMPTION TO BE BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES 
LOCATED ON PROPERTY THAT RECEIVES THE AGRICULTRUAL ASSESSMENT RATIO; AND BY 
AMENDING SECTION 12-43-220, RELATING TO TAX CLASSIFICATIONS SO AS TO ALLOW FOR 
A TAXPAYER TO APPLY FOR A REFUND OF PROPERTY TAXES OVERPAID BECAUSE THE 
PROPERTY WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE AGRICULTURAL ASSESSMENT RATIO.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 12-37-220(B)(14) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (14)(a) all farm buildings and agricultural structures owned 
by a producer in this State used to house livestock, poultry, crops, farm 
equipment, or farm supplies and all farm machinery and equipment including 
self-propelled farm machinery and equipment except for motor vehicles licensed 
for use on the highways. For the purpose of this section "self-propelled farm 
machinery and equipment" means farm machinery or equipment which contains 
within itself the means for its own locomotion. For purposes of this item, farm 
equipment includes greenhouses;

 (b) farm buildings and structures 
qualifying for the exemption allowed pursuant to subitem (a) must be located on 
property that meets the requirements set forth in Sections 12-43-220(d), 
12-43-230, and 12-43-232 and must be receiving the agricultural exemption 
provided for in Section 12-43-220(d)(1);

SECTION 2. Section 12-43-220 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 (h) Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, a taxpayer may apply for a refund of property taxes overpaid 
because the property was eligible for the agricultural assessment ratio. The 
application must be made in accordance with Section 12-60-2560. The taxpayer 
must establish that the property in question was in fact used for agricultural 
purposes.

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on April 03, 2025 at 11:38 AM