(a) For the purposes of this article, unless otherwise required by the context, the words "agricultural real property" shall mean any tract of real property which is used to raise, harvest or store crops, feed, breed or manage livestock, or to produce plants, trees, fowl or animals useful to man, including the preparation of the products raised thereon for man's use and disposed of by marketing or other means. It includes but is not limited to such real property used for agriculture, grazing, horticulture, forestry, dairying and mariculture. In the event at least fifty percent of a real property tract shall qualify as "agricultural real property", the entire tract shall be so classified, provided no other business for profit is being operated thereon. The term "agricultural real property" shall include real property used to provide free housing for farm laborers provided such housing is located on the tract of land that qualifies as agricultural real property.

The department shall provide by regulation for a more detailed definition of "agricultural real property" consistent with the general definition set forth in this section, to be used by county assessors in determining entitlement to special assessment under this article. Such regulations shall be designed to exclude from the special assessment that real property which is not bona fide agricultural real property for which the tax relief is intended.

(b) For the purposes of this article all mobile homes in this State and all improvements to leased real property made by the lessee shall be considered real property and shall be classified and assessed for ad valorem taxation in accordance with the provisions of Section 12-43-220. "Mobile homes" is defined as a portable unit designed and built to be towed on its own chassis, comprised of a frame and wheels, connected to utilities, and designed without a permanent foundation for year-round residential use. A mobile home may contain parts that may be folded or collapsed when being towed, and expanded on site to provide additional space. The term "mobile home" shall also include units in two or more separately towable components designed to be joined into one integral unit for use, and capable of being again separated into the components for repeated towing. It may also include two units which may be joined, on site, into a single residential unit.

(c) The department may further provide by regulation for definitions not inconsistent with general law for real property and personal property in order that such property must be assessed uniformly throughout the State.

(d) For purposes of this article, "homeowners' association property" means real and personal property owned by a homeowners' association if:

(1) property owned by the homeowners' association is held for the use, benefit, and enjoyment of members of the homeowners' association;

(2) each member of the homeowners' association has an irrevocable right to use and enjoy on an equal basis, property owned by the homeowners' association, subject to any restrictions imposed by the instruments conveying the right or the rules, regulations, or bylaws of the homeowners' association; and

(3) each irrevocable right to use and enjoy property owned by the homeowners' association is appurtenant to taxable real property owned by a member of the homeowners' association.

Subject to making the appropriate application pursuant to this subsection, a homeowners' association may designate one or any number of its qualifying tracts or parcels as homeowners' association property for purposes of the special valuation contained in Section 12-43-227.

As used in this subsection, "homeowners' association" means an organization which is organized and operated to provide for the acquisition, construction, management, and maintenance of property.

Homeowners' association property does not come within the provisions of this subsection unless the owners of the real property or their agents make a written application for it on or before the first penalty date for taxes due for the first tax year in which the special valuation is claimed. The application may be with respect to one or any number of tracts or parcels owned by the homeowners' association. The application for the special valuation must be made to the assessor of the county in which the special valuation property is located, on forms provided by the county and approved by the department which includes the reporting of nonqualified gross receipts, and failure to apply constitutes a waiver of the special valuation for that year. No additional annual filing is required while the property remains homeowners' association property and the ownership remains the same, unless the nonqualified gross receipts within the meaning of Section 12-43-227 for the most recent completed tax year either (i) exceed the amount of nonqualified gross receipts with respect to the property reported on the most recently filed application by ten percent or more or (ii) are less than ninety percent of the amount of nonqualified gross receipts with respect to the property reported on the most recently filed application. In that case, the owners of the real property or their agents must make additional written application with respect to the property and report the change in nonqualified gross receipts.

(e)(1) For ad valorem property tax purposes, an off-premises outdoor advertising sign must be classified as tangible personal property. The sign owner must file a business personal property tax return annually with the South Carolina Department of Revenue based upon the original cost of the sign structure less allowable depreciation. Any sign permit required by local, state, or federal law must be considered as intangible personal property for ad valorem property tax purposes.

(2)(a) If an off-premises outdoor advertising sign site is one-quarter of an acre or less, or is otherwise limited to an area large enough only to accommodate the necessary building structure, foundation, and provide for service or maintenance, is leased from an unrelated third party, or the sign is owned by the owner of the site, and the sign owner has filed a business personal property tax return with the Department of Revenue, then the off-premises outdoor advertising sign site real property must be assessed to the site owner at its value before the lease or construction of the sign without regard to the structure, the lease, or lease income, and no separate assessment may be issued for the sign company's lease or ownership interest. The lease or construction of such property does not constitute an assessable transfer of interest pursuant to Article 25, Chapter 37, Title 12, and the real property constituting the sign site must maintain its same property tax classification as commercial, manufacturing, agricultural, or utility property as it had before the lease.

(b) The provisions of this item do not apply to:

(i) real property whose property tax classification is subject to change due to the addition of buildings, structures, or other improvements subsequent to the erection of the sign on the property; and

(ii) real property whose property tax classification was changed due to the erection of an on-premises outdoor advertising sign on existing buildings, structures, or other improvements unless the existing buildings, structures, or other improvements qualify within the same property tax classification pursuant to Chapter 43 of this title.

(3) For purposes of this subsection:

(a) "Intangible personal property" has the same meaning as contained in Section 3(j), Article X, of the Constitution of this State.

(b) "Off-premises outdoor advertising sign" means a lawfully erected, permanent sign which relates in its subject matter to products, accommodations, services, or activities sold or offered elsewhere other than upon the premises on which the sign is located.

(c) "Sign owner" means the owner of an off-premises outdoor advertising sign.

HISTORY: 1975 (59) 248; 1976 Act No. 618 Section 7; 1979 Act No. 133 Section 1; 1996 Act No. 403, Section 2; 1998 Act No. 419, Part II, Section 61D; 2003 Act No. 69, Section 3.K, eff June 18, 2003; 2016 Act No. 167 (H.4712), Section 1, eff April 29, 2016.

Editor's Note

2016 Act No. 167, Section 2, provides as follows:

"SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and first applies to property tax years after 2014. Upon the site owner providing written or electronic notice to the county assessor that his affected property was assessed other than as provided by this act, county tax officials shall adjust values and assessment ratios to reflect the provisions of this act, but no refund is allowed on account of the provisions of this act."

Effect of Amendment

2016 Act No. 167, Section 1, added (e), relating to off-premises outdoor advertising signs.