Hospitality Tax: Folly Beach's Extra Charge?

Folly Beach, South Carolina, has a combined sales tax rate of 9%, which includes state, county, and city sales tax rates. The breakdown of this is a 6% sales tax rate for South Carolina and a 1% sales tax rate for Folly Beach. While this information confirms that Folly Beach levies a tax on sales, there is no explicit mention of a hospitality tax specific to the city. However, it's worth noting that neighbouring towns, such as Surfside Beach, do have a hospitality tax in place, indicating that a similar tax structure could exist in Folly Beach as well. To conclusively determine whether Folly Beach has a hospitality tax, further investigation into the tax regulations specific to the city would be necessary.

Sales tax rate in Folly Beach, South Carolina

The sales tax rate in Folly Beach, South Carolina, is a minimum of 9%, as of 2025. This is the total of state, county, and city sales tax rates. The South Carolina sales tax rate is 6%, while the Folly Beach sales tax rate is 1%.

Sales tax rates can vary within a county, a city, or even a ZIP code. Using a street address helps to ensure more accurate rates and calculations when compared to relying on broader geographic indicators, like ZIP codes. For example, the sales tax rate in Folly Beach was 9% as of April 1, 2021, the same as the rate in February 2025.

It's important to note that tax rates are subject to change at any time. Therefore, it's recommended to use lookup and calculator tools or consult local government tax offices for the most accurate and up-to-date rates. These tools can provide street-level precision at the point of sale, eliminating the need to look up rates manually.

Sales tax in surrounding areas

Folly Beach, South Carolina, has a combined sales tax rate of 9%, which is made up of 6% state sales tax, 1% Folly Beach sales tax, and 2% special tax. This rate is higher than any other locality in South Carolina.

Located about 9 miles south of Charleston, Folly Beach is part of Charleston County. However, it's important to note that zip code boundaries don't always align with political boundaries, so zip codes alone may not provide precise sales tax rates for specific addresses. Charleston, for example, has a sales tax rate of 9%, which is the same as Folly Beach.

While I cannot provide a complete list of sales tax rates for all surrounding areas, you can refer to the sales tax rates for some nearby localities below:

• James Island, South Carolina: 9% sales tax rate, consisting of 6% state tax, 1% county tax, and 2% city tax.
• Johns Island, South Carolina: 8% sales tax rate, including 6% state tax and 2% county tax.
• North Charleston, South Carolina: 9% sales tax rate, comprising 6% state tax, 1% county tax, and 2% city tax.

Hospitality Tax in Surfside Beach, SC

Surfside Beach, SC, levies a hospitality tax on businesses in the town. The Hospitality Office is responsible for collecting the monthly filings and payments of the 1% hospitality tax from applicable businesses.

In addition to the hospitality tax, there is also a 0.5% local accommodation tax that specific businesses must pay to the town. The Accommodations Tax Committee, consisting of seven members, is responsible for making recommendations to the Town Council regarding revenue expenditure. A majority of the committee members are selected from the hospitality industry, with at least two members from the lodging industry. One member represents cultural organisations in the town or county.

The committee meets annually on the third Wednesday of January and holds other meetings as needed in the Town Civic Center at 829 Pine Drive, Surfside Beach, SC. Grant applications for the accommodations tax revenue are accepted year-round and can be submitted to the Town Hall or via mail to the Accommodations Tax Committee at the address: 210 U.S. Highway 17 South, Surfside Beach, SC 29575.

The Hospitality Office is located at 210 U.S. Highway 17 South, Surfside Beach, SC 29575, and can be contacted for further information on the hospitality tax.

Local Accommodation Tax in Surfside Beach

Surfside Beach, South Carolina, has a 0.5% Local Accommodation Tax that businesses are required to file to the Town of Surfside Beach on a monthly basis. The Hospitality Office is responsible for collecting these tax filings.

In June 2019, Surfside Beach passed a law allowing the collection of hospitality taxes. This came after a judge's ruling in an ongoing lawsuit that prevented Horry County from collecting hospitality and accommodation taxes in Myrtle Beach. It was unclear whether this ruling applied to Surfside Beach, and the county filed court paperwork asking the judge to reconsider.

The new tax collection in Myrtle Beach was set to take effect on July 1, 2019. City merchants and retailers would charge patrons a 3% accommodations tax on short-term rentals and a 2% hospitality tax on food and beverages. People visiting restaurants and tourist attractions in Myrtle Beach would see a drop in their taxes when paying their bills.

However, those in North Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach might get taxed twice due to the possibility of both the municipality and the county collecting hospitality fees. Horry County stated that only municipalities had the authority to collect taxes within their borders, while North Myrtle Beach officials claimed that the county had "absolutely no authority" to do so.

Total tax in Folly Beach

The minimum combined sales tax rate for Folly Beach, South Carolina, is 9%. This includes state, county, and city sales tax rates. The breakdown of this is as follows: the South Carolina sales tax rate is 6%, and the Folly Beach sales tax rate is 1%. It is important to note that tax rates can vary within a county, city, or ZIP code, so the rate for a specific address may differ.

The sales tax rate in Folly Beach was the same in 2020, with a total of 9% sales tax. This rate includes any state, county, city, and local sales taxes.

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