South Carolina delinquent tax lists by county
Short answer: South Carolina is a lien state, so a winning bidder gets a tax lien certificate, which pays interest if the owner redeems and can be foreclosed into ownership if they do not. Fall county tax sales return 3 to 12% by redemption quarter with a 1 year owner redemption. Each county publishes its own delinquent roll through the County Delinquent Tax Collector. Below is every South Carolina county we cover, with the live count of distressed owners in each.
Counties covered
46
Every one has its own ranked list and county-level rules page.
Flagged owners statewide
21,185
Carrying at least one distress signal in public records, refreshed daily.
Sale type
Lien
Fall county tax sales return 3 to 12% by redemption quarter with a 1 year owner redemption.
Every South Carolina county we cover
Sorted largest first. Each county page carries the official list source, the sale rules and the live ranked list of owners under pressure right now.
South Carolina tax sale rules
| Tax sale system | South Carolina is a lien state. A winning bidder gets a tax lien certificate, which pays interest if the owner redeems and can be foreclosed into ownership if they do not. |
|---|---|
| Rate and cadence | Fall county tax sales return 3 to 12% by redemption quarter with a 1 year owner redemption. |
| Who publishes the list | The County Delinquent Tax Collector in each county. |
| Foreclosure path | Judicial, typically 5 to 9 months from filing to sale. |
| Deficiency after sale | Allowed, often waived to close bidding at the sale. |
| Local note | Cases run through a Master-in-Equity, keeping timelines steadier than most judicial states. |
The South Carolina delinquency clock
South Carolina delinquent tax list FAQ
Is South Carolina a tax lien or tax deed state?
South Carolina is a lien state. A winning bidder gets a tax lien certificate, which pays interest if the owner redeems and can be foreclosed into ownership if they do not. Fall county tax sales return 3 to 12% by redemption quarter with a 1 year owner redemption.
Where do I find the South Carolina delinquent tax list?
Each county publishes its own list through the County Delinquent Tax Collector, usually as a PDF before a scheduled sale. Pick your county below for the official source plus the year-round ranked list of distressed owners in that area.
How long does an owner have to redeem in South Carolina?
Fall county tax sales return 3 to 12% by redemption quarter with a 1 year owner redemption. That window is the single biggest thing separating a good tax-sale trade from a bad one, because it decides how long your money sits before you can act.
How many tax-delinquent properties are there in South Carolina?
Across the 46 South Carolina counties we track, roughly 21,185 properties currently carry at least one distress signal in public records, including tax delinquency, foreclosure filings, vacancy and long-distance ownership. The counts refresh daily.
Can I buy South Carolina tax-delinquent property before the auction?
Yes. The delinquency appears in the public record months before any sale is scheduled, and during that window the owner can still sell normally. That is the whole opportunity: no bidding war, an inspection is possible, and an owner with equity walks away with money instead of nothing.