South Carolina § 12-37-255 - Homestead exemption to continue; county auditor to be informed of change affecting eligibility.

§ 12-37-255. Homestead exemption to continue; county auditor to be informed of change affecting eligibility.

(A) The homestead exemption initially granted pursuant to Section 12-37-250 continues to be effective for successive years in which the ownership of the homestead or the other qualifications for the exemption remain unchanged. Notification of a change affecting eligibility must be given immediately to the county auditor.

(B) The notification must be given by the person liable for payment of the taxes on the homestead in the year of change and in each successive year that the exemption is improperly granted. The amount of a tax exemption granted by reason of the failure to give the notification and a penalty equal to twenty-five percent of the amount of the exemption is due and payable for each year in which the exemption is granted by reason of the failure to give notice. The penalty and the amount of tax must be added to the current year's duplicate and collected in the same manner as other taxes. A lien is created for the tax and penalty upon the property exempted by reason of the failure to give notification, which lien has priority over all other liens.

(C) The department must be notified by the county auditor of the amount of tax and penalty payable by reason of the failure to give the notification. The amount of the tax and penalty must be withheld by the department from the next disbursement of state funds to that county and, if it is a municipal tax, to the municipality.

HISTORY: 1976 Act No. 536, SECTIONS 1, 2; 1981 Act No. 93, SECTION 2; 2006 Act No. 386, SECTION 55.E, eff June 14, 2006.