South Carolina: tax incentives, credits and advisors
South Carolina has one of the few state income tax credits for solar energy systems a taxpayer owns, worth 25% of installed cost with an annual cap.
Facts checked 2026-10-26 against the official sources linked below.
State incentives
Renewable energy items we cover in depth; the full catalog by category follows.
Solar energy system credit
A credit equal to 25% of the cost of purchasing and installing a solar energy system on a facility in South Carolina owned by the taxpayer. The credit in any year may not exceed $3,500 per facility or 50% of the taxpayer's tax liability, whichever is less, and the excess can be carried forward for up to ten years. The system must be certified for performance.
Sources: South Carolina Code §12-6-3587
Below are the major South Carolina incentives we could verify against an official source, grouped by type. This is not an exhaustive list of every state program. Credits flagged Transferable can be sold or assigned to another taxpayer under state rules; see transferable state tax credits. Each row shows the date we last checked it.
South Carolina film and media incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motion picture investment credit | Credit | Investors in SC motion picture production or facility companies | 20% of the investment, up to $100,000 for motion picture projects; 15-year carryforward | Not stated | No; 15-year carryforward; combined state credits cannot cut liability by more than 50% | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3570 (Title 12, Chapter 6) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
South Carolina historic and building rehabilitation incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Historic rehabilitation credit | Credit | Taxpayers allowed the federal IRC §47 credit for a certified historic structure in South Carolina | 10% of expenditures that qualify for the federal credit, or an elected 25% capped at $1 million per structure; taken over three years; 5-year carryforward | No (the statute has no sale provision; pass-through allocation is allowed) | No; unused installments carried forward 5 years | Active | SC Revenue Ruling 24-6; S.C. Code §12-6-3535 (Title 12, Chapter 6) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
| Certified historic residential structure credit | Credit | Taxpayers rehabilitating a certified historic residence | 25% of restoration expenses over $15,000 within 36 months, taken over three years; 5-year carryforward | Not stated | Not stated | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms Last verified 2026-10-26 |
South Carolina brownfield and redevelopment incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abandoned building revitalization credit | Credit (income tax or property tax) | Taxpayers rehabilitating abandoned building sites after filing a Notice of Intent | 25% of actual rehabilitation expenses, capped at 25% of 125% of estimated expenses; income tax or local property tax credit, not both | Transferable: Limited: may be transferred to a lessee or purchaser of the rehabilitated portion of the site | No; taken in equal installments over three years; unused credit carried forward 5 years | New rules for Notices of Intent filed on or after June 1, 2026; repeal date December 31, 2035 | SC Revenue Ruling 26-1; S.C. Code §12-67-140 (Title 12, Chapter 67) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
| Textile mill revitalization credit | Credit (income tax or property tax) | Taxpayers rehabilitating abandoned textile mill sites after filing a Notice of Intent | 25% of actual rehabilitation expenses (based on 125% of estimate if exceeded) | Transferable: Limited: the income tax credit can transfer to a lessee or purchaser of the site or phase | No; taken in equal installments over five years; unused credit carried forward 5 years | Active | SC Revenue Ruling 25-1 (Revised and Amended); S.C. Code Title 12, Chapter 65 (Textiles Communities Revitalization Act) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
| Brownfields cleanup credit | Credit | Participants in the Brownfields Voluntary Cleanup Program | 50% of cleanup expenses, up to $50,000 a year; 5-year carryforward limited to $100,000 | Not stated | No; unused credit, up to $100,000 in total, carried forward 5 years | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3550 (Title 12, Chapter 6) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
South Carolina jobs, investment and enterprise zones incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New jobs credit | Credit | Employers creating 10 or more new full-time jobs | Per-job amounts based on year and county; limited to 50% of liability; 15-year carryforward | Transferable: Limited: unused credits continue with a successor in a merger or reorganization, or may be assigned with a transfer of all or substantially all assets of the business that earned them; no open-market sale | No; limited to 50% of liability; unused credit carried forward 15 years | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3360 (Title 12, Chapter 6); SCDOR, Schedule TC-4 New Jobs Credit Last verified 2026-10-29 |
| Small business jobs credit | Credit | Businesses with 99 or fewer employees creating 2 or more new full-time jobs | Per-job amounts based on year, county and wages; limited to 50% of liability; 15-year carryforward | Transferable: Limited: unused credits continue with a successor in a merger or reorganization, or may be assigned with a transfer of all or substantially all assets of the business that earned them; no open-market sale | No; limited to 50% of liability; unused credit carried forward 15 years | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3360 (Title 12, Chapter 6); SCDOR, Schedule TC-4SA Small Business Jobs Credit Last verified 2026-10-29 |
| Headquarters credit | Credit | Taxpayers establishing or expanding a South Carolina headquarters | 20% of qualifying investments (real property cost at least $50,000); 10-year carryforward | Transferable: Limited: unused credit may be assigned to a successor that acquires all or substantially all assets and keeps the headquarters facility | No; nonrefundable; 10-year carryforward | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3410 (Title 12, Chapter 6) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
| Capital investment credit | Credit | Taxpayers placing manufacturing and productive equipment into service | 0.5% to 2.5% of aggregate basis depending on property class life; 10-year carryforward | Not stated | No; unused credit carried forward 10 years (and beyond), limited to 50% of liability in the first ten years and 25% after | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-14-60 (Title 12, Chapter 14) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
| Apprenticeship credit | Credit | Employers of registered apprentices | Greater of apprenticeship cost or $1,000 per apprentice, capped at $4,000 per apprentice ($6,000 youth), up to four years | No (the statute has no sale or transfer provision) | No; unused credit carried forward 3 years; $5 million statewide yearly cap | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3477 (Title 12, Chapter 6) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
| Veterans apprenticeship credit | Credit | Employers that hire a U.S. Armed Forces veteran into a registered apprenticeship validated by the U.S. Department of Labor (hired June 22, 2022 through December 31, 2026) | Per veteran apprentice: $3,000 for the first year of employment, $2,500 for the second and $1,000 for the third; first earned after 12 consecutive months of employment; each veteran can be claimed only once regardless of employer | Not stated | Not stated | Active for veterans hired through December 31, 2026 | SCDOR, Schedule TC-65 Veterans Apprenticeship Credit Last verified 2026-10-29 |
South Carolina research and development incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research expenses credit | Credit | Taxpayers claiming the federal research credit for South Carolina research | 5% of qualified South Carolina research expenses; limited to 50% of liability; 10-year carryforward | No (the statute has no sale or transfer provision) | No; limited to 50% of remaining liability; unused credit carried forward up to 10 years | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3415 (Title 12, Chapter 6) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
| Industry Partnership Fund credit | Credit | Contributors to the SC Research Authority Industry Partnership Fund | Up to $500,000 per taxpayer (can rise to $1 million), $12 million total | Transferable: Limited: unused credits may be transferred and continued by a succeeding corporation | No; nonrefundable; 10-year carryforward | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3585 (Title 12, Chapter 6); SCDOR, Schedule TC-36 Industry Partnership Fund Credit Last verified 2026-10-29 |
South Carolina angel and venture investment incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angel investor credit | Credit | Angel investors in businesses certified by the Secretary of State | 35% of qualified investments made 2013-2025 | Transferable: Yes; may be sold, exchanged or otherwise transferred to any taxpayer, but each credit only once | No; nonrefundable; 10-year carryforward | Repealed December 31, 2025; no credits for later investments, carryforwards still usable | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §11-44-40 (Title 11, Chapter 44); SCDOR, Schedule TC-56 Angel Investor Credit Last verified 2026-10-29 |
South Carolina housing incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina housing tax credit | Credit | Owners of low-income rental buildings placed in service 2020-2030 | Equal to the federal low-income housing credit, with a SC Housing eligibility statement; 5-year carryforward | No sale provision; the credit may be allocated among the owning entity's partners, members or shareholders in any agreed manner | No; unused credit carried forward 5 years | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3795 (Title 12, Chapter 6) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
| Residential hurricane retrofit credits | Credit | Individuals who retrofit their South Carolina legal residence with fortification measures (defined by the Department of Insurance) to resist hurricane, rising floodwater or catastrophic windstorm damage | Lesser of 25% of qualifying costs or $1,000, plus a separate credit for South Carolina sales or use tax paid on qualifying materials (6% of their price, up to $1,500); items bought with SC Hurricane Damage Mitigation Program grant funds do not qualify unless the grant is included in income | No (the statute has no sale or transfer provision) | Not stated | Active | S.C. Code §§12-6-3660 and 12-6-3665 (Title 12, Chapter 6); SCDOR, Schedule TC-43 Residential Retrofit Credit Last verified 2026-10-29 |
South Carolina charitable giving incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservation credit | Credit | Taxpayers who donate land or a qualified conservation easement in South Carolina | 25% of the value of the donated interest, up to $250 per acre; claims up to $52,500 per taxpayer per year; unlimited carryforward | Transferable: Yes; unused credit can be transferred, with or without consideration, after notice to the Department of Revenue | No; credit above the yearly limit or the tax liability is carried forward until used | Active | SC Revenue Procedure 08-1; S.C. Code §12-6-3515 (Title 12, Chapter 6) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
South Carolina renewable energy incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar, small hydropower or geothermal equipment credit | Credit | Owners installing qualifying systems | 25% of purchase and installation cost, up to $3,500 per facility or 50% of liability; 10-year carryforward | Not stated | No; yearly use capped at $3,500 per facility or 50% of liability; excess carried forward up to 10 years | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3587 (Title 12, Chapter 6) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
South Carolina agriculture incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agribusiness income tax credit | Credit | Agribusinesses increasing purchases of SC-grown products by 15% or more (2018-2027) | Up to $100,000; certified by the Coordinating Council for Economic Development | Not stated | No; nonrefundable; income tax excess carried forward 5 years, withholding excess 20 quarters | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3378 (Title 12, Chapter 6); SCDOR, Schedule TC-61 Agribusiness Income Tax Credit Last verified 2026-10-29 |
| Drip/trickle irrigation and conservation tillage credit | Credit | Buyers of conservation tillage, drip irrigation or truck-crane equipment | 25% of expenditures, up to $2,500 per measure; 5-year carryforward | No (the statute has no sale or transfer provision) | No; excess carried forward 5 years | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3340 (Title 12, Chapter 6) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
South Carolina vehicles and ev incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alternative motor vehicle credit | Credit | Individuals placing IRC §30B vehicles in service (not EVs or plug-in hybrids) | 20% of the federal credit before phase-out | No (the statute has no sale or transfer provision) | No; nonrefundable; 5-year carryforward | Active | SCDOR, Tax Credits & Forms; S.C. Code §12-6-3377 (Title 12, Chapter 6) Last verified 2026-10-29 |
Advisors located in South Carolina
No advisors in our directory list a South Carolina location yet. Browse all advisors, or list your firm.
Sponsors headquartered in South Carolina
- Fortified Solar, LLC Greenville, SC (HQ); states served not stated
Each sponsor page shows its evidence score and any public-record flags.
Related strategies
- Solar Investment Credits IRS scrutiny: Yellow/Orange
- Accelerated Depreciation IRS scrutiny: Yellow
- Donor-Advised Funds IRS scrutiny: Green
Related guides
- The solar investment tax credit in 2026: what current law says after the 2025 tax act
- Solar production credit (§45Y) vs investment credit (§48E): which fits an individual investor?
- Bonus depreciation and solar in 2026: 100% expensing, the basis haircut, and the passive loss limits
- How to find and vet a tax mitigation advisor: credentials, questions and red flags
- How state tax credit transfers work: minimum prices, notices, buyer limits and state examples
Common questions
How much is the South Carolina solar tax credit?
25% of the cost of purchasing and installing the system, limited each year to the lesser of $3,500 per facility or 50% of your tax liability, with a ten-year carryforward.
Does the South Carolina credit require certified equipment?
Yes. The system must be certified for performance by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation or a comparable entity endorsed by the State Energy Office.
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Education only; not tax, legal or investment advice. State rules change; confirm with the official source and a qualified professional.