VA home loans · South Carolina
VA loans in South Carolina
A VA loan lets eligible veterans and service members buy a South Carolina home with $0 down and no monthly mortgage insurance. What's specific to South Carolina is its property tax exemption for totally and permanently disabled veterans and the 4% legal residence rate.
Monthly principal and interest
$2,319
- Total loan amount
- $357,525
- VA funding fee
- $7,525 (2.15%)
- Property tax and insurance
- Estimated total monthly payment
The funding fee is added to your loan by default, so it isn’t due at closing.
Example only. Not a quote, rate offer, or loan approval. Your rate and payment depend on your credit, the property, and lender approval.
Funding fee percentages from the VA funding fee chart effective April 7, 2023.
Check my VA eligibility in 60 seconds
Four questions. This doesn’t run your credit, and it isn’t an application or an approval.
Question 1 of 4
This check doesn’t run credit and isn’t an approval. A loan officer confirms eligibility against your COE.
Want a loan officer to follow up? Your answers go with your details, so you won’t have to repeat them. This part is optional.
How big is the VA market in South Carolina?
South Carolina has a large VA market for its size, with Fort Jackson, Shaw AFB, Joint Base Charleston, and Parris Island all in the state. The 2025 VA Lender Volume Report table published by Veterans United (data updated October 8, 2025) shows the following.
| Measure | South Carolina |
|---|---|
| Total VA loans | 18,061 |
| Purchase loans | 11,235 |
| Refinance loans | 6,826 |
| Total loan amount | $6.39 billion |
What VA costs are the same in South Carolina?
The VA funding fee doesn’t change by state. It is 2.15% on a first-use purchase with less than 5% down and 3.30% on subsequent use.
| Loan type | First use | Subsequent use |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase, under 5% down | 2.15% | 3.30% |
| Purchase, 5–9.99% down | 1.50% | 1.50% |
| Purchase, 10% or more down | 1.25% | 1.25% |
| Cash-out refinance | 2.15% | 3.30% |
| IRRRL (streamline refinance) | 0.50% | 0.50% |
| Exempt borrowers (see below) | 0% | 0% |
VA funding fee chart effective April 7, 2023.
What property tax relief do disabled veterans get in South Carolina?
A veteran who is totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected disability may apply for a property tax exemption on their dwelling home, plus a lot of up to five acres and up to two private passenger vehicles. It’s a state exemption filed with the SC Department of Revenue on Form PT-401, after the county approves the 4% legal residence rate.
What the application asks for:
- A certificate from the VA or your county service officer certifying total and permanent service-connected disability, with the effective date. A VA rating decision letter doesn’t meet the requirement.
- Your recorded deed.
- Documentation that the county assessor has granted the 4% owner-occupied ratio.
- Your marriage certificate if the home is jointly titled with a spouse.
A surviving spouse may apply for the home they solely own or acquired from the deceased spouse, as long as they remain unmarried, live in the home, and own it in fee or for life.
What is the 4% legal residence ratio?
South Carolina assesses a qualifying owner-occupied home at 4% of value instead of 6%, which lowers your tax bill. It isn’t automatic, so you apply with your county assessor after you buy.
The home must be your legal residence, and the county will ask for proof. Deadlines vary by county, so confirm yours with the assessor. It’s also a step toward the disabled veteran exemption above.
How do closings work in South Carolina?
South Carolina treats a residential closing as the practice of law, so a licensed attorney must be involved. The state’s deed recording fee, $1.85 per $500 of value, is customarily paid by the seller.
A $350,000 sale would carry $1,295 in deed recording fees. VA rules also limit which fees a veteran can be charged, so ask for your Loan Estimate before assuming a cost is yours.
VA loans by base and city in South Carolina
- Columbia — Fort Jackson
Blythewood, Lexington, Sumter corridor
- Charleston — Joint Base Charleston
Summerville, Goose Creek, Mount Pleasant · Guide coming soon
- Sumter — Shaw AFB
Dalzell, central SC · Guide coming soon
- Beaufort — Parris Island and MCAS Beaufort
Port Royal, Bluffton edge · Guide coming soon
- Myrtle Beach — Grand Strand veterans
Conway, Surfside, the Grand Strand · Guide coming soon
Frequently asked questions
How many VA loans are made in South Carolina?
The 2025 VA Lender Volume Report table published by Veterans United shows 18,061 VA loans in South Carolina totaling about $6.39 billion, with 11,235 purchases and 6,826 refinances. That table was last updated October 8, 2025.
Do disabled veterans pay property tax in South Carolina?
A veteran who is totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected disability may apply to the SC Department of Revenue for a property tax exemption on a dwelling home they own solely or jointly with a spouse, plus a lot of up to five acres and up to two private passenger vehicles. Certain unmarried surviving spouses may also qualify.
Is a VA rating decision letter enough for the South Carolina exemption?
No. The SC Department of Revenue says VA rating decision letters do not meet the requirement. You need a certificate from the VA or your county service officer certifying total and permanent service-connected disability, with the effective date.
What is the 4% legal residence ratio in South Carolina?
Owner-occupied homes that qualify as your legal residence are assessed at 4% instead of 6%, and the county assessor applies it only after you apply. The disabled veteran exemption also requires documentation that the 4% ratio has been granted.
Written by Sahaad Washington, licensed mortgage loan officer, NMLS #1446971. Licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Published · Last reviewed
Sources
- Veterans United: VA loan statistics, from the VA Lender Volume Report (2025 table, data updated October 8, 2025)
- SC Department of Revenue: Form PT-401 instructions (form signed June 2024; checked November 8, 2026)
- SC Department of Revenue: Property tax exemptions (checked November 8, 2026)
- Richland County: Legal residence (checked November 8, 2026)
- VA: Funding fee and closing costs (chart effective April 7, 2023; page updated October 5, 2026)
- True Homes: Closing costs for NC and SC buyers (checked November 8, 2026)
Buying in South Carolina with your VA benefit?
A loan officer can run the payment with your county’s taxes and any veteran property tax relief you qualify for.