Updated October 5, 2026. Quick answer: No. South Carolina has no gift tax for a gift made in 2026. The Department of Revenue’s Moving to SC guide says “South Carolina does not have an estate tax or a gift tax”. The federal annual exclusion is $19,000 per recipient for 2026.
Putting a loan in writing? The interest limit, the signing rules and the time limit to sue, from the state’s own statutes: South Carolina promissory note.
South Carolina gift tax at a glance
| Item | What the documents say |
|---|---|
| State gift tax | None |
| What the documents say | The Department of Revenue’s Moving to SC guide says South Carolina does not have an estate tax or a gift tax |
| State estate or inheritance tax | None: the Department says no estate tax for decedents dying on or after January 1, 2005 |
| Federal annual exclusion, 2026 | $19,000 per recipient |
| Federal basic exclusion amount, 2026 | $15,000,000 |
| Source | South Carolina Department of Revenue; IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 |
What the South Carolina documents say
The statement closes the guide’s section on state taxes, after its description of property and sales taxes. The Department’s estate tax page, for its part, says “no Estate Tax for decedents dying on or after January 1, 2005”.
What applies to a gift from a South Carolina resident
Federal gift tax is separate and applies wherever you live. The IRS says gifts “not more than the annual exclusion for the calendar year” are generally not taxable gifts, and Revenue Procedure 2025-32 sets the 2026 annual exclusion at “the first $19,000 of gifts to any person”. The same procedure puts the basic exclusion amount at “$15,000,000 for calendar year 2026”. The IRS adds that “The donor is generally responsible for paying the gift tax”.
An illustration: a $50,000 gift to one child in 2026 is $31,000 above the federal annual exclusion, and South Carolina adds no gift tax of its own on top of that. CMG’s gift tax limit and Form 709 who must file pages explain the federal side, and how South Carolina taxes 401(k) and IRA withdrawals covers a gift of retirement money.
What the documents do not say
- The gift tax statement is a one-sentence summary in a guide for new residents, not a statute or a tax form page; no statute on gift tax was read.
Common mistakes
- Looking for a South Carolina gift tax return; the Department’s guide says the state has no gift tax.
- Assuming the state answer settles the federal one, or the answer for a gift of property located in another state.
Related: the federal gift tax limit, gift tax by state, estate tax by state, and South Carolina probate cost.
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Answer againSources
- Fiduciary (Estate Tax section): https://dor.sc.gov/tax/estate
- Moving to SC Guide: https://dor.sc.gov/tax-education/guides-flyers/moving-sc-guide
- Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (Internal Revenue Service): https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-25-32.pdf
- Frequently asked questions on gift taxes (Internal Revenue Service): https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/frequently-asked-questions-on-gift-taxes
Sources: the primary documents linked above, read on October 5, 2026. General information, not tax advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and a tax professional or the state agency itself is the right place to confirm anything consequential.