Conway SC Property Tax Records
Conway property tax records are managed by Horry County, which maintains assessment, billing, and payment data for every parcel within the city. As the county seat of Horry County, Conway is home to the offices that administer property taxes for all of Horry County, including the coastal resort areas to the east. The Horry County Assessor values property, the County Auditor calculates the bill, and the County Treasurer collects payment. Searching Conway property tax records gives owners and researchers access to assessed values, payment status, parcel identification numbers, and tax history for any Conway address.
Conway Property Tax Quick Facts
Horry County Tax Offices in Conway
All three offices that handle Conway property taxes sit in Conway, the Horry County seat. The Horry County Assessor at (843) 915-5040 determines fair market value for each Conway parcel. The County Auditor at (843) 915-5050 takes that value, applies the appropriate assessment ratio, and subtracts any qualified exemptions to produce the taxable value. The County Treasurer at (843) 915-5470 then generates the tax bill and collects payment. Conway City Hall is located at 428 Main St, Conway, SC 29526, and can direct residents to the correct county office for property tax questions.
Conway sits along the Waccamaw River and has a well-established historic downtown district with older residential properties that have been on the tax rolls for decades. These properties often have lower assessed values than newer construction on the outskirts of the city. The county assessor's records reflect that range, from historic Waccamaw River homes to recently built subdivisions near the US-501 corridor. Searching the Horry County parcel data by street address is the fastest way to locate a Conway property record.
The South Carolina Department of Revenue publishes statewide property tax guidelines that apply to Conway just as they do to every other South Carolina municipality. Local rates are set by Horry County and the City of Conway independently but both operate within the framework established by state law.
Note: Conway property owners whose bills are paid through a mortgage escrow account should still verify that the county has the correct mailing address on file, since the county mails a copy of the bill to the property owner as well as to the lender.
Conway Property Assessment Ratios and Valuation
South Carolina law determines the assessment ratio applied to each Conway property based on its use. Under S.C. Code Ann. Title 12, Chapter 43, a primary residence occupied by its owner is assessed at 4% of fair market value. A Conway home valued at $250,000 would carry an assessed value of $10,000, and millage is then applied to that $10,000 figure. Non-primary residential property, rental homes, and commercial parcels carry a 6% ratio, producing an assessed value of $15,000 on that same $250,000 property.
Conway has a mix of property types that reflects its role as both a residential community and an active commercial center. Downtown Conway includes retail storefronts, office buildings, and mixed-use properties that fall under the 6% commercial ratio. Residential neighborhoods on the north and west sides of the city are predominantly owner-occupied and benefit from the 4% rate. Properties used for manufacturing or industrial purposes are assessed at 10.5% of value, which applies to some industrial parcels near the city's outer edges.
Horry County completes a full countywide reassessment every five years under S.C. Code Ann. Section 12-43-217. Between cycles, the assessor adjusts individual values only when a property is sold, significantly improved, or successfully appealed. Conway property owners who purchase a home between reassessment years will typically see their assessed value updated at the time of sale to reflect the purchase price.
Paying Conway Property Taxes Online
The Horry County Treasurer operates an online payment portal at horrycountytreasurer.qpaybill.com, where Conway property owners can pay tax bills, view balances, and print receipts. The portal accepts major credit cards and electronic checks.
The payment portal allows Conway property owners to look up balances by parcel number or address and confirms payment instantly, which is useful when verifying that an escrow payment from a mortgage lender has been applied correctly.
Conway property tax bills are due January 15 each year. A 3% penalty is added to any unpaid balance on January 16. An additional 7% penalty attaches on February 2, and a 5% penalty follows on March 16. These penalties are cumulative under S.C. Code Ann. Title 12, Chapter 51, so waiting two months past the due date can add 15% in penalties on top of the original tax amount. In-person payments are accepted at the Horry County Treasurer's office in Conway. Mail-in payments must be postmarked by January 15.
Owners with multiple Conway parcels should pay each one separately by its parcel ID number. The online portal links payments directly to parcel records, so misidentified payments can create accounting errors that are time-consuming to correct. The treasurer's office encourages owners to use the parcel number rather than the street address as the primary identifier when making online payments.
Conway Homestead Exemption and Senior Relief
South Carolina's Homestead Exemption eliminates the first $50,000 of fair market value from the tax base for eligible Conway property owners. Under S.C. Code Ann. Title 12, Chapter 37, the exemption is available to owners who are 65 or older, permanently disabled, or legally blind and who occupy the property as their primary residence. The application is filed with the Horry County Auditor, not with the county assessor or treasurer.
For a Conway homeowner with a property valued at $180,000, the Homestead Exemption reduces the taxable fair market value to $130,000 before the 4% assessment ratio is applied. That translates to an assessed value of $5,200 instead of $7,200, lowering the effective tax bill by roughly $75 to $125 per year depending on the combined millage rate. While modest in absolute terms, the exemption is worth applying for because it renews automatically once approved as long as the owner continues to qualify.
New residents moving to Conway from another state should apply for the Homestead Exemption in the year they establish primary residency. Applications submitted after the audit deadline for a given tax year take effect the following year. The Horry County Auditor's office can confirm the current application deadline.
Note: Conway seniors who recently moved from a higher-cost state should check whether they also qualify for the 4% Legal Residence rate, since qualifying for both the 4% rate and the Homestead Exemption produces the greatest tax reduction.
Conway Tax Appeals and the Assessment Process
Conway property owners who believe the Horry County Assessor has overvalued their parcel have the right to appeal. The appeal must be filed within 90 days of the date shown on the assessment notice. Most appeals proceed first through an informal review with the assessor's office, where the owner presents comparable sales data or a recent independent appraisal. If that review does not resolve the dispute, the owner can carry the appeal to the Horry County Board of Assessment Appeals.
Successful appeals reduce the assessed value for the current year and may be used as a baseline for future years until the next reassessment cycle. Conway property owners contemplating an appeal should gather recent sales of comparable homes in their neighborhood, focusing on properties with similar square footage, age, and condition. The Horry County Assessor's office can provide a list of comparable properties used to determine the current assessed value, which gives the owner a starting point for building a counter-argument.
The South Carolina Association of Counties publishes general guidance on the appeal process that applies statewide. Each county has its own forms and deadlines, so Conway owners should contact the Horry County Assessor directly at (843) 915-5040 to confirm the current procedures and filing requirements.
Conway Property Tax Liens and Tax Sales
A property tax lien attaches to every Conway parcel on December 31 if taxes for that year remain unpaid. The lien is a public record and can affect the owner's ability to sell or refinance the property. Horry County conducts an annual tax sale for properties with delinquent taxes. Once a parcel is sold at tax sale, the original owner has a 12-month redemption window under Chapter 51 to reclaim the property by paying the delinquent taxes, penalties, and interest.
Redemption interest accrues at 3% per quarter, reaching a maximum of 12% over the full 12-month period. For a Conway property with $2,000 in unpaid taxes, redemption within the first three months would require approximately $2,060 plus any administrative fees. Waiting the full year would cost closer to $2,240. Owners who fail to redeem within 12 months lose the right to recover the property, and the tax sale purchaser can apply for a tax deed. Conway property owners who receive any delinquency notice from Horry County should contact the treasurer's office promptly to prevent a sale.
Nearby Cities
Researchers and property owners near Conway may also need records from other communities in the Grand Strand and surrounding Horry County area.
Parent County
Property taxes in Conway are administered by Horry County. The county assessor, auditor, and treasurer handle valuation, billing, and collection for all properties within Conway.