Mission Statement:

The Darlington County Tax Collector's key function is the collection of delinquent taxes, which includes real estate, merchant inventory, mobile homes, and the filing of bankruptcies.

General Information:

The Darlington County Delinquent Tax Sale for real estate and mobile homes is held in December, beginning at 10 a.m., in the gymnasium at Darlington Middle School, located at 150 Pinedale Drive, Darlington, SC 29532. For the exact sale date, please call the Tax Collector's Office at 843-398-4170.

Advertisement of Properties

Real property and mobile homes scheduled to be sold are advertised in the Darlington News & Press. Notices for real property are published for three consecutive weeks, beginning three weeks before the delinquent tax sale. Notices for mobile homes scheduled to be sold are published for two consecutive weeks, beginning two weeks before the delinquent tax sale.

Registration And Payment Requirements

  • Bidder registration: Bidders cannot register on the day of the sale. 

  • Payment of delinquent taxes: Delinquent taxes on any parcel scheduled for the delinquent tax sale auction must be paid by 5:00 p.m. on the day before the tax sale. Payments cannot be made on the day of the sale for properties scheduled for the delinquent tax sale auction.

  • Payment of winning bid: All winning bids must be paid in full by 5:00 p.m. on the day of the delinquent tax sale. Accepted forms of payment are cash, cashier's check, or money order. A receipt will be issued for each bid.

  • Failure to pay: A $500 fine will be charged for each bid that is not paid in full on the day of the delinquent tax sale.

Tax Deeds / Titles

Successful bidders must wait at least one year and one day before acquiring a vested interest in the property won at the delinquent tax sale. Successful bidders will then have to wait an additional four (4) to eight (8) months before receiving the tax deed/title. Please note that a tax deed is not a warranty deed/title. Bidders are buying at their own risk. Bidder's money will remain in the county's bank account for eighteen (18) or more months.

Delinquent Tax Collection

  • Delinquent taxes are turned over to the Tax Collector for collection on March 17. At that time, additional cost and a 15% penalty are added to the outstanding taxes.
  • All delinquent taxes must be paid before current tax payments are accepted.
  • Delinquent taxes are paid at the Delinquent Tax Collector's Office located at 1 Public Square, Room 207, Darlington, SC 29532.
Hours of Operation

The Delinquent Tax Collector's Office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am. to 5:00 p.m. (excluding holidays)



FAQ

Once taxes become delinquent, late cost fees are added at three different times. The first late cost of $20 is added on March 17th.  The second late cost of $40 is added on July 1st. The final late cost of $60 is added on September 1st, bringing the total late costs to $120.
A property owner whose property was sold at the Tax Sale has one year and one day to redeem their property. For example, the 2014 Real Estate Tax Sale took place on December 7, 2015. The deadline to redeem the property is December 8, 2016.

Successful bidders must wait at least one year and one day before acquiring a vested interest in the property won at the tax sale. After that period, bidders must wait an additional four (4) to eight (8) months before receiving the tax deed/title. A tax deed is not a warranty deed. Please be aware that bidders’ money will remain in the county’s bank account for eighteen (18) months or longer.