(A) Subject to the limitations in § 12-60-1750, and within the time limitation of § 12-54-85(F), a property taxpayer may seek a refund of property taxes assessed by the county auditor and paid, other than taxes paid on property the taxpayer claims is exempt unless the exemption is the homestead exemption, by filing a claim for refund with the county auditor who made the personal property tax assessment on the property for which the tax refund is sought. The auditor upon receipt of a claim for refund shall immediately notify the county treasurer and county assessor. A majority of these three officials shall determine the taxpayer’s refund, if any, and shall notify the taxpayer in writing of their decision.

(B) A taxpayer may appeal the decision by requesting a contested case hearing before the Administrative Law Court in accordance with its rules within thirty days of the written denial of the claim for refund.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 12-60-2940

  • Administrative Law Court: means the Administrative Law Court created by § 1-23-500. See South Carolina Code 12-60-30
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Assessment: means the department's recording the liability of the taxpayer in the office of the department, subject to the restrictions in § 12-60-440. See South Carolina Code 12-60-30
  • assessor: means a county officer or official who issues an official property tax assessment for real property. See South Carolina Code 12-60-30
  • auditor: means a county officer or official who issues an official property tax assessment for personal property. See South Carolina Code 12-60-30
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.
  • Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
  • Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
  • taxes: means taxes, licenses, permits, fees, or other amounts, including interest, regulatory and other penalties, and civil fines, imposed by this title, or subject to assessment or collection by the department. See South Carolina Code 12-60-30
  • Taxpayer: includes a licensee and an applicant for a license, issued by or administered by the department. See South Carolina Code 12-60-30

(C) If a taxpayer requests a contested case hearing before the Administrative Law Court without exhausting his prehearing remedy because he failed to file a claim for refund, the administrative law judge shall dismiss the action without prejudice. If the taxpayer failed to provide the auditor with the facts, law, and other authority supporting his position, he shall provide the representative of the county at the hearing with the facts, law, and other authority he failed to present to the auditor earlier. The administrative law judge shall then remand the case to the three county officials for reconsideration in light of the new facts or issues unless the representative of the county at the hearing elects to forego the remand.

Upon remand the three county officials have thirty days, or a longer period ordered by the administrative law judge, to consider the new facts and issues and amend their decision. The three county officials shall issue their amended decision in the same manner as the original. The taxpayer has thirty days after the date the taxpayer was notified of the amended decision to again request a contested case hearing. Requests for a hearing before the Administrative Law Court must be made in accordance with its rules. If the three county officials fail to issue their amended decision within thirty days of the date of the remand, or a longer period ordered by the administrative law judge, the taxpayer can again request a contested case hearing. At the new hearing the facts, law, and other authority presented at the original hearing must be deemed to have been presented in a timely manner for purposes of exhausting the taxpayer’s prehearing remedy. The statute of limitations remains suspended by § 12-54-85(G) during this process.