Tax Collector

Location: County Courthouse, Room 110, 129 Screven Street
Phone: (843) 545-3096
Fax: (843) 545-3295
Email: Tax Collector
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00p.m. Monday through Friday, (except for legal holidays)
Mailing Address: P.O. Drawer 421270, Georgetown, S.C. 29442
Point of Contact: Loretta Washington, Delinquent Tax Collector

Department Functions:

To encourage voluntary compliance with the tax laws of the State of South Carolina and the tax ordinances of Georgetown County.

The Delinquent Tax Office investigates and collects delinquent real and personal taxes, assessments, penalties, and costs. The Department attempts to locate and notify taxpayers of taxes owed; and maintains an accurate, up-to-date account of monies collected. Unpaid Tax accounts by law become delinquent on March 17th each year. The County Treasurer issues a warrant of execution to the Delinquent Tax Office for collection. This execution commands the Tax Collector in the name of the State to levy by distress and sale on so much of the taxpayer’s property as is sufficient to satisfy the delinquent taxes, assessments, penalties, and costs. This execution is sufficient warrant for a levy by distress and sale.

The Delinquent Tax Office also works closely with the County Auditor and the County Assessor, and the County Treasurer.

Office Information

This office:


• Sends notification and collects delinquent Real and Personal property Taxes, and delinquent Georgetown County Water and Sewer assessments, (State Law provides for delinquent sewer assessments to be collected " in the same manner as taxes.")
• Collect and process delinquent tax payments,
• Seizes property for non-payment, in accordance with S.C. Code of Laws, Title 12,
• Plans, conducts and manages tax sales,
• Performs pre-sale and post-sale work such as title abstracting and lien holder research, as well as notifying lien holders as required by law,
• Accepts applications for change of address, but routes them to Auditor,
• Files Proofs of Claim with The Bankruptcy courts, and
• Issues Tax Deeds.


This Department does not:


• Accept payment of vehicle taxes. (See Treasurer)
• Accept applications for high mileage discount. (see Auditor)
• Accept payment for non-delinquent tax notices i.e. (current) see Treasurer
• Revise tax notices (see Auditor)
• Determine values on real property. (See Assessor)
• Determine values on personal property. (See Auditor)
• Accept applications for Homestead or disability exemption. (See Auditor)
• Accept applications for legal residence. (See Assessor)
• Accept applications for Mobile Home registration. (see Assessor)
• Abate tax, penalty, interest, or costs for reasonable cause. (See Auditor)

Additional Information

Tax Sale Deeds and/or Bills of Sale on property sold 11-5-2007

On December 9th, 1980, the Office of Tax Collector for Georgetown County, South Carolina was created by ordinance of Georgetown County Council. Before that time, the County Sheriff collected taxes. The Tax Collector was given "all necessary powers for collection of delinquent taxes formerly exercised by the Sheriff of Georgetown county, including the service of executions, levy and sale of property after due and legal advertisement, as provided under the General Laws of this State."

On August 11, 1981, Georgetown County Council adopted the alternate procedure for collection of property taxes as set forth in Title 12, Chapter 51 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina for 1976, for the year 1981 and subsequent years.

In 1990, Georgetown County became the second county in the State to hold a mobile home tax sale. Held every year since 1990, no backlog concerning mobile home tax sale has existed.