Property tax bills/Reassessment appeals

IF YOU CAN’T REACH US BY PHONE: The Auditor, Assessor and Treasurer Offices are experiencing an extremely high volume of phone calls, and are aware that not everyone is getting through.  It is important to us to address each caller’s concerns and provide individuals with explanations and answers they deserve. The County has prepared a list of the frequently asked questions staff is receiving, so please review the answers below before calling.

If you have read the frequently asked questions and still have further questions, we ask for your patience at this time and encourage you to keep trying to reach us. 

• In order to speed up the process, please have the following information handy when you call:

  • PIN formerly called Parcel ID/PID (left side of bill, a few lines down)

  • Street address of the property

  • Summary of the issue you want to discuss

If there is no PIN (Parcel ID) on the bill, do not call the Assessor’s Office; you are looking at a personal property bill and need to call the Auditor’s Office.

ESCROW QUESTIONS:

• Taxpayers who have escrow accounts are calling with concerns that the bills may not have gone to their mortgage company. 

• The Charleston County Treasurer’s Office reassures citizens that copies of Charleston County real property tax bills have been sent to mortgage companies.

• Citizens with mortgage company questions should call the County at (843) 958-4369. This phone number is a hotline dedicated to calls about escrow accounts.

CARS, BOATS, BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY QUESTIONS:

• Call the Auditor’s Office at (843) 958-4200.

APPEAL QUESTIONS:

• Deadline to appeal

  • The appeal period for reassessment closed September 28, 2011 for the 2011 tax year. If you have not already filed an objection (appeal) for this tax year, it is too late to do so.

  • You may appeal next year after January 17, 2012 by writing the Assessor’s Office (no faxes, no emails, and your original signature is required).

• Progress of appeal:

  • As anticipated, and noted in the flier sent with the initial reassessment notices - approximately half the objections filed were mailed to the Assessor’s Office immediately prior to the deadline.

  • The flier encouraged taxpayers to file within the first month because those filing later would face delays due to volume. Appeals are handled primarily in the order received, and are being processed as rapidly as possible.

• Paying your tax bill while under appeal:

  • All objections (appeals) received were acknowledged in writing, and information on paying tax bills while under appeal was included in our response.

  • If your appeal has not been resolved by the time the bill is due, you must pay your bill as issued no later than the due date.

  • If you do not pay your bill on time, the law requires that additional charges (interest and penalties) be applied that cannot be waived.

  • If a change is made after the bill is due that reduces the bill, a refund will be issued.

LEGAL RESIDENCE QUESTIONS:

If your concern about 4% is based on a change (increase) in your bill, look at the ASSESSMENT RATIO box at the top of the bill. If this box says “QR4”, your property is at 4%.

The file for billing reflected applications approved and processed by mid November 2011. Very high volumes are received late in the third quarter and during the fourth quarter of the year, resulting in a backlog. Approvals are processed and posted daily, including updates to the web bills.

If you have filed an application and your bill is due, you must pay the bill as issued and await a refund if your application for legal residence is approved.

If you do not pay your bill on time, the law requires that additional charges (interest and penalties) be applied that cannot be waived.  

If the Assessor’s Office has questions about your application or needs additional information, you will be contacted about specific issues in writing.