S.C. Code Ann. § 12-60-2940 — Claim for refund of personal property tax; request for contested case hearing following denial of claim

(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 assessed by the county auditor and paid, other than taxes paid on property the taxpayer claims is exempt unless the exemption is the homestead exemption, by filing a claim for refund with the county auditor who made the personal property tax assessment on the property for which the tax refund is sought. The auditor upon receipt of a claim for refund shall immediately notify the county treasurer and county assessor. A majority of these three officials shall determine the taxpayer's refund, if any, and shall notify the taxpayer in writing of their decision.
(B) A taxpayer may appeal the decision by requesting a contested case hearing before the Administrative Law Court in accordance with its rules within thirty days of the written denial of the claim for refund.
(C) If a taxpayer requests a contested case hearing before the Administrative Law Court without exhausting his prehearing remedy because he failed to file a claim for refund, the administrative law judge shall dismiss the action without prejudice. If the taxpayer failed to provide the auditor with the facts, law, and other authority supporting his position, he shall provide the representative of the county at the hearing with the facts, law, and other authority he failed to present to the auditor earlier. The administrative law judge shall then remand the case to the three county officials for reconsideration in light of the new facts or issues unless the representative of the county at the hearing elects to forego the remand.
Upon remand the three county officials have thirty days, or a longer period ordered by the administrative law judge, to consider the new facts and issues and amend their decision. The three county officials shall issue their amended decision in the same manner as the original. The taxpayer has thirty days after the date the taxpayer was notified of the amended decision 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 three county officials fail to issue their amended decision 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.