S.C. Code Ann. § 12-60-2150 — Filing claim for a refund; contents

(A) Subject to the limitations in Section 12-60-1750, and within the time limitation of Section 12-54-85(F), a property taxpayer may seek a refund of property taxes paid and assessed by the department by filing a claim for refund with the department if it originally assessed the property or the taxpayer believes the property is exempt, other than from the homestead exemption, from property taxes.
(B) The department shall notify the counties affected by the claim for refund by notifying the chief executive officer, auditor, assessor, and treasurer of each affected county. A county auditor, upon notification, shall notify the chief administrative official of any local governing bodies affected by the claim for refund.
(C) The claim for refund under this section must be mailed or delivered to the department, and must include the information required in Section 12-60-450(B), the fair market value, special use value, if applicable, and property classification of the property the taxpayer believes correct. If the claim for refund states the property is exempt, the claim for refund must state the basis on which exemption is claimed.
(D) The appropriate division of the department shall determine what refund is due, if any, and give the taxpayer written notice of its determination as soon as practicable after a claim has been filed, but not later than six months after the date the claim for refund was filed with the department. If the department fails to timely issue a written notice of its determination, that failure is considered a written denial of the claim for refund.
(E) A taxpayer may appeal the division's decision by filing a written protest with the department following the procedures provided in Section 12-60-2110. For purposes of complying with the provisions of Section 12-60-2110, the written denial of any part of a claim for refund is the equivalent of a property tax assessment notice.
(F) The department shall consider the written protest, determine the correct property tax assessment, and issue a department determination in accordance with the provisions of Section 12-60-450(E). All appeals before the department must be conducted as provided in Section 12-60-450(C) through (E).
(G) Even if a taxpayer has not filed a claim for refund, where no question of fact or law is involved, and it appears from the record that money has been erroneously or illegally collected from a taxpayer or other person under a mistake of fact or law, the department may, subject to the limitations in Section 12-60-1750, within the period specified in Section 12-54-85 and upon making a record in writing of its reasons, order a refund to the taxpayer or other person.
(H) A property taxpayer or the local governing body who disagrees with the department determination may request a contested case hearing before the Administrative Law Court by filing the request in accordance with the Administrative Law Court rules within thirty days of the date of the department determination.
If a taxpayer requests a contested case hearing before the Administrative Law Court without exhausting his prehearing remedy because he failed to file a protest, the administrative law judge shall dismiss the action without prejudice. If the taxpayer failed to provide the department with the facts, law, and other authority supporting his position, he shall provide the department with the facts, law, and other authority he failed to present to the department earlier. The administrative law judge shall then remand the case to the department for reconsideration in light of the new facts or issues unless the department elects to forego the remand.
Upon remand the department has thirty days, or a longer period ordered by the administrative law judge, to consider the new facts and issues and amend its department determination. The department shall issue its amended department determination in the same manner as the original. The taxpayer has thirty days after the date the department amended determination was sent by first class mail or delivered to the taxpayer to again request a contested case hearing. Requests for a hearing before the Administrative Law Court must be made in accordance with its rules. If the department fails to issue its amended department determination within thirty days of the date of the remand, or a longer period ordered by the administrative law judge, the taxpayer can again request a contested case hearing. At the new hearing the facts, law, and other authority presented at the original hearing must be deemed to have been presented in a timely manner for purposes of exhausting the taxpayer's prehearing remedy. The statute of limitations remains suspended by Section 12-54-85(G) during this process.