Pass H.3858: LOWER BOAT TAXES!

South Carolina boat owners pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation — often five times more than neighboring states. Only a small number of states even impose a property tax on boats, yet South Carolina’s rates lead the country.

House Bill 3858, which has already passed the House and a Senate subcommittee with bipartisan support, would provide meaningful tax relief and fix the double taxation tied to outboard engine titling.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD: Complete the form below to urge your Senator to support H.3858 and deliver property tax relief for South Carolina boaters.

Dear [Lawmaker],

As your constituent, I am writing to urge your support for H.3858. The bill most recently cleared the Property Tax Subcommittee unanimously and is up for a hearing in Senate Finance this week. We urge you to ask your colleagues to support this bill and get it through the Senate.

Boat owners in South Carolina face a tax burden unlike anywhere else in the country. While only a handful of states impose a property tax on boats, South Carolina charges the highest boat property taxes in the nation, often five or more times higher than neighboring states. For many families, this has turned boat ownership into an annual penalty rather than a benefit of living in a state defined by its waterways.

To put this into perspective, a modest family pontoon boat valued between $40,000 and $50,000 costs roughly $2,800 per year in property taxes in Richland County. That same boat would cost about $378 in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina, and $422 in Hart County, Georgia. If a family uses that boat just ten times per year, the tax alone equals $280 per trip.

That is simply not reasonable.

H.3858 passed the House 89–7 with bipartisan support and would significantly reduce this burden while also addressing unfair double taxation tied to outboard engine titling. Passage of this bill could save my family hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

I respectfully ask that you support H.3858 and help move it forward in the Senate.

Thank you for your time and service.

Sincerely,
______

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