In order to resolve a delinquent balance, the account must be paid. However, there are situations where a customer may not owe some or all of the taxes outstanding—for example, if you are being taxed on a watercraft, such as boats, motors, or jet skis, that you no longer own. Here are a few things you can do to evaluate your tax bill:
If you owned the watercraft during the tax years in question...
Ensure that you are in agreement with the watercraft's value, which can be found on your tax bill. For any other assistance with values, you may contact the Beaufort County Auditor's Office online or by calling 843-255-2500. They are the team that assesses values on all business and personal property.
If you did not own the watercraft during the tax years in question...
Contact the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to confirm that their records indicate that you no longer own the watercraft. If they do not, they may ask you to complete a Request for Status Change form. Once filed, DNR will communicate any valuation changes with the Auditor's Office, who may adjust the values on your tax bill and the amounts due.
If these actions result in an adjustment of your watercraft's value or your taxes due, the Treasurer's Office will automatically update or remove the balance due from the Setoff Debt Program.