Rock Hill's 2026 property tax levy is 425 mills, or 209.9 for an owner-occupied home. Bills are due by Jan. 15. Tax collection: 803-684-8527.
Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Facts on this page come from York County’s Tax Information page, the 2026 Millage Levies and the Tax Collection FAQs.
York County bills and collects property taxes for every property in Rock Hill, including the city’s share; you get one bill. Three county offices handle different parts of it, so it helps to know which one to call.
Who to call
- Your bill, payments, due dates: York County Tax Collection, 803-684-8527 or 803-909-7272. Pay online or by phone at 866-541-4097
- Your home’s value, the 4% legal residence rate, mailing address: Assessor’s Office, 803-684-8526
- Vehicles, homestead exemption, millage questions: Auditor’s Office, 803-684-8501 or 803-909-7171
- In person in Rock Hill: York County Complex, 1070 Heckle Blvd. (check drop box beside the Tax Collection door)
When taxes are due
According to the county’s Tax Collection FAQs, real estate taxes are payable starting Sept. 30 each year and can be paid without a penalty through Jan. 15 of the following year. For this year’s bills, that deadline is Friday, Jan. 15, 2027.
- The county mails one notice to the owner of record as of Jan. 1. If you bought this year, the bill may still be in the seller’s name; ask your closing attorney how it was split.
- The county does not accept partial payments.
- Vehicle taxes are due the day your license tag expires.
- Unpaid real estate is advertised in The Herald for three weeks and sold at the county’s tax sale, held in October or November each year.
You can pay in person (cash, check or card), by mail (processing goes by the postmark), online or by phone. Card payments carry a convenience fee; e-check is free, according to the Tax Collection page. Check-only drop boxes are at the York County Complex, 1070 Heckle Blvd. in Rock Hill, and at the Government Center, 6 S. Congress St. in York.
The 2026 tax rate in Rock Hill
South Carolina taxes property in mills, dollars per $1,000 of assessed value. Most homes in the city are in tax district RH, where the 2026 Millage Levies add up as follows:
| Levy | Mills |
|---|---|
| City of Rock Hill | 94.7 |
| Rock Hill School District 3 operations | 185.1 |
| Rock Hill School District 3 bonds | 47.0 |
| District 3 capital maintenance reserve | 1.0 |
| Countywide school levy | 30.0 |
| York County (general fund, sheriff, library, York Tech and others) | 67.2 |
| Total, 6% properties | 425.0 |
| Total, owner-occupied homes at 4% | 209.9 |
The owner-occupied rate is lower because a primary residence does not pay the school operating levy. Properties in the city’s special landscape district (RL) pay 5.8 more mills: 430.8 and 215.7. York County’s 2026 millage chart shows the District 3 total for Rock Hill addresses outside the city limits, 342.2 mills, or 127.1 for an owner-occupied home.
Chart: what each part of the levy pays for
How to estimate your bill
The county’s How to Estimate Real Estate Taxes sheet gives the formula: the Assessor’s tax value, times the assessment ratio (4% for a legal residence, 6% for everything else), times the millage.
As an illustration, a home with a tax value of $295,100 (the Census Bureau’s median home value for Rock Hill, 2020-2024) works out to about $2,478 a year as an owner-occupied legal residence ($295,100 x 0.04 x 0.2099), or about $7,525 as a rental or second home ($295,100 x 0.06 x 0.425). The bill from the county is the final word.
The 4% legal residence rate
If the home is your primary residence, apply to the Assessor’s Office for the 4% special assessment as legal residence. It is the biggest saving most owners get. Call 803-684-8526 to confirm your application was completed. Once it is accepted, the Auditor issues a new 4% bill and deletes the 6% one; if your mortgage company already paid the 6% amount, the difference is refunded to the mortgage company, which can take several weeks.
Homestead exemption
The state’s Homestead Exemption Program exempts the first $50,000 of fair market value of a primary residence from all property taxes. It is separate from the 4% rate. Homeowners who are 65 or older, blind or disabled apply through the Auditor’s Office at 803-684-8501.
How to appeal your value
The Assessor’s Office values real estate and reappraises every property every five years under state law. If you think your value is wrong, contact the Assessor first. If you disagree with the Assessor’s response, you can appeal to the County Board of Assessment Appeals by giving the Assessor written notice of intent to appeal within 30 days of the date of that response. Both sides exchange their evidence at least 15 days before the hearing, which is open to the public. The board can raise, lower or keep the value, and mails its decision within about 15 days. A party who disagrees can then ask for a contested case hearing before the Administrative Law Judge Division.
Car and boat values are a separate process through the Auditor, including high mileage appeals.
What this means for you
- Pay by Jan. 15, 2027, to avoid a penalty.
- If you live in the home, make sure the 4% rate is on your bill; on the same value it cuts the tax by about two-thirds.
- 65 or older, blind or disabled: ask the Auditor about the homestead exemption.
- Disagree with your value? Start with the Assessor, and watch the 30-day clock after the response.
Related guides: Rock Hill home prices, moving to Rock Hill and who to call at City Hall.
Frequently asked questions
When are York County property taxes due?
Real estate taxes are payable starting Sept. 30 each year and can be paid without a penalty through Jan. 15 of the following year.
What is the property tax rate in Rock Hill?
For 2026 the total levy inside the city of Rock Hill is 425 mills on properties assessed at 6%, and 209.9 mills on owner-occupied homes assessed at 4%. That includes 94.7 mills for the city.
How do I get the 4% legal residence rate in York County?
Apply to the York County Assessor’s Office, 803-684-8526. Once the application is accepted, the Auditor’s Office issues a new bill at the 4% assessment.
Who qualifies for the homestead exemption in York County?
Homeowners who are 65 or older, blind or disabled can apply through the York County Auditor’s Office. The state program exempts the first $50,000 of a primary residence’s fair market value from property taxes.
How do I appeal my property assessment in York County?
Start with the Assessor’s Office. If you disagree with the Assessor’s response, give written notice of intent to appeal within 30 days of that response, and the County Board of Assessment Appeals hears the case.
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