How to buy a home on Hilton Head Island

Full-time home, second home, or rental: decide first

Decide how you'll use the home before you pick a neighborhood, because the answer sets your property tax rate, which communities will work, and what you'll have to file after closing. South Carolina taxes the same house very differently depending on who lives in it.

Full-time home (your legal residence)

If the home will be your legal residence, it can be assessed at 4% of its value instead of 6% (SC Code 12-43-220(c)). It's also exempt from all school operating millage, which on Hilton Head is the largest single piece of the tax bill (Act 388 of 2006, SC Code 12-37-220(B)(47)). Together those two rules cut the bill by roughly two thirds. To keep the 4% rate, you can't rent the home for more than 72 days in a calendar year. Beaufort County asks for your SC driver's license, SC vehicle registration, and SC income tax return as proof (Beaufort County Assessor). See 4% vs 6% in South Carolina.

Second home

A second home that you use yourself and don't rent much is still taxed at 6%, because only one legal residence per household can have the 4% rate. The 4% application is signed under penalty of perjury and includes a statement that no one in your household claims 4% anywhere else. If you plan to move here full time later, the change is simple: apply for 4% for the year the home becomes your legal residence. See second home property tax.

Rental or investment property

A home you rent out is taxed at 6%, and short-term rentals (under 30 days) also need a Town permit, a Town business license, and state and Town accommodations taxes. The bigger question for a rental is the community. Some POAs restrict rentals or charge their own registration fees, and Port Royal Plantation's association says it has "no commercial development or short-term rentals" (Port Royal Plantation). See rental rules below.

For a full-time home, any community works for tax purposes; look harder at drive times (US 278 is the only road on and off the island) and the POA's design review if you plan to renovate. For a second home with frequent guests, check the gate pass rules: Sea Pines charges daily visitors $10 a car (Sea Pines CSA). For a rental, start with communities where rentals are allowed and common, then check the house against the Town's parking and fire rules.

What it really costs to own a home on Hilton Head

The yearly cost of owning a Hilton Head home is property tax (at 4% or 6%), POA dues and any club dues, and insurance in up to three pieces (homeowners, wind, flood), plus rental permits and taxes if you rent. Of these, tax is the one you can calculate exactly before you buy.

How Hilton Head property tax is figured

The county multiplies the value by the assessment ratio (4% or 6%) to get the assessed value, then multiplies that by the millage rate and divides by 1,000. For tax year 2026, the Beaufort County Auditor's millage card gives these totals for districts inside the Town:

The 4% rate is so much lower because 4% homes don't pay school operating millage, which is 126.1 mills in district 510 by itself. That's why the shortcut some sites use (second home tax equals primary tax times 1.5) badly understates the bill.

Worked example: a $1,000,000 home in district 510

The same math gives $7,470 versus $2,458 on a $500,000 villa. Run your own numbers in the property tax calculator.

What happens to the value when you buy

A sale resets the taxable value to market value, so the seller's tax bill is not a good guide to yours. Between sales, South Carolina limits increases from countywide reassessment to 15% in five years (SC Code 12-37-3140), but that cap starts over at your purchase price. Beaufort County's last reassessment was 2023 and the next is scheduled for 2028.

Buyers of 6% property get one break. Under SC Code 12-37-3135, a 6% property that sells gets an exemption of 25% of the new market value, as long as the result isn't below the value already on the county's books. In the example above, if the county had the home at $700,000 before you paid $1,000,000, your taxable value would be $750,000 and the 6% bill about $11,205. You have to notify the assessor that the property will be 6% before January 31 of the first tax year you claim it. See point of sale reassessment.

POA dues and club dues

Every gated community and many non-gated ones have a property owners association with yearly dues. Get the current figure from the POA itself, not from a listing or an old blog. Two examples published by the associations for 2026: Sea Pines CSA's assessment is $2,065 for an improved lot (Sea Pines CSA), and Palmetto Hall's is $2,220 per home (Palmetto Hall POA). Villa regimes and clubs can add their own dues.

Insurance

Insurance is the cost that varies most from house to house. A Hilton Head home can need three policies: homeowners, wind and hail (if the homeowners policy excludes it), and flood. We don't quote "typical" premiums because they depend on the home's elevation, age, roof, and location. Get quotes during your inspection period. See insurance below.

Choose a neighborhood: gated or not

Hilton Head's neighborhoods split into gated communities, most of them planned developments with their own POA, gate, and design rules, and neighborhoods without gates, which are mostly older Town streets near the beach and the island's historic Gullah neighborhoods. Neither is better. They come with different rules and costs.

Behind a gate, expect guest passes, POA dues, architectural review for exterior changes, and community rules on rentals, boats, and parking. Ten communities are Planned Unit Developments in the Town's zoning (Hilton Head Plantation, Indigo Run, Long Cove Club, Palmetto Dunes, Palmetto Hall, Port Royal Plantation, Sea Pines, Shipyard, Spanish Wells, and Wexford). Outside the gates, you'll usually deal with the Town directly. For example, single-family lots in the Folly Field and Forest Beach overlay buffers can need a Town permit to remove trees, while most single-family lots inside a PUD don't (Town of Hilton Head Island).

Gated communities

• Sea Pines: the gate is run by Sea Pines Community Services Associates, which is separate from The Sea Pines Resort.
• Palmetto Dunes: the POA counts 2,173 properties, 1,241 of them villas, and charges buyers a 0.5% Community Enhancement Fee at closing.
• Shipyard: about 800 acres with golf, tennis, and beach, according to the POA.
• Port Royal Plantation: more than 970 homes on over 1,000 acres, with no short-term rentals.
• Hilton Head Plantation: more than 4,300 properties on more than 4,000 acres, according to the POA.
• Long Cove Club: just over 600 acres; home lot sales began in August 1980.
• Wexford: its harbor sits behind a lock that holds the water at about 8 feet deep, with 280 boat slips, 138 of them behind homes.
• Palmetto Hall: 523 lots on 750 acres; club membership is required and a $3,400 capital reserve fee is due at closing on a home.
• Indigo Run: 1,780 acres and 974 home sites behind five security gates.
• Windmill Harbour: 172 acres, 428 residences, and 258 slips in a locked harbor.
• Spanish Wells: the private plantation community shares its name with one of the Town's 13 historic Gullah neighborhoods, so check which one a listing means.
• Leamington: 306 homes plus oceanfront villas, with the island's historic Rear Range Lighthouse; it isn't one of the Town's PUDs.

Neighborhoods without gates

• North Forest Beach: single-family lots here fall in the Forest Beach overlay, where tree removal can need a Town permit.
• South Forest Beach: Coligny, where the Town's beach parking is still free, is at its north end.
• Folly Field: home to one of the Town's beach parks, and in its own tree overlay buffer.
• Mid-island: much of the middle of the island gets water and sewer from the Hilton Head Public Service District, while Palmetto Dunes and Shelter Cove are served by Broad Creek PSD, so check which utility serves a home.
• Historic Gullah neighborhoods: the Town lists 13, settled in the late 1860s and clustered on the north end, with special Town rules for family compounds and subdivisions.

Check the flood zone before you fall for the house

Look up the flood zone and get the elevation certificate before you make an offer, because together they drive your flood insurance cost, what you can build or renovate, and your risk in a storm. Hilton Head uses five zones on its current flood maps, effective March 23, 2021: X (low risk), shaded X (0.2% annual chance), AE (1% annual chance), VE (1% annual chance with wave action), and AO (shallow flooding).

1. Find the zone. Search the address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or the Town's Flood Hazard Zone Search. See is Hilton Head in a flood zone.
2. Get the elevation certificate. Every certificate submitted to the Town since 1983 is public, and copies are free through the Town's online search (Town flood elevation certificates). It shows how high the lowest floor sits compared to the base flood elevation (BFE). See elevation certificates.
3. Compare it to the Town's freeboard rule. New homes, and homes that are substantially improved, must have the lowest floor at least 3 feet above BFE or 13 feet above mean sea level, whichever is higher. In VE zones that height is measured to the bottom of the lowest structural member, and the home must sit on pilings or columns with open space below (Town, Build Responsibly).
4. Check what's below the lowest floor. Enclosed space under an elevated home can be used only for parking, access, and limited storage. It can't be heated, cooled, or finished as living space.
5. Plan renovations around the 49% rule. If improvements (or storm repairs) cost 49% or more of the structure's market value, the whole house must be brought up to current flood rules, often meaning elevation. A detailed cost estimate is required once the cost passes 40%. Many articles say 50%; on Hilton Head it's 49% (Town, Substantial Improvement and Damage). See the 50% rule on Hilton Head.
6. Read the seller's flood answers. The state disclosure form asks about flood zones, flood insurance, past flood claims, uninsured flood repairs, and FEMA disaster aid.

The Town takes part in FEMA's Community Rating System at Class 5, which gives every NFIP flood policy in the Town a 25% discount, including policies outside the high-risk zones (FEMA list effective October 1, 2026). See the CRS discount. Beachfront buyers have one more check: property seaward of the state's setback line must have a disclosure in the sales contract (oceanfront setback line).

Insurance: flood, wind, and the hurricane deductible

Get insurance quotes before your inspection period ends, because on Hilton Head insurance can change whether a house works for your budget. A standard homeowners policy doesn't cover flood, and some don't cover wind, so you may be pricing three policies.

Flood insurance

Every property in the Town can buy NFIP flood insurance, with or without a mortgage. If you have a federally backed mortgage on a home in a high-risk zone (AE or VE), the lender will require it. There's usually a 30-day wait before a new policy takes effect, except when it's bought in connection with a new mortgage (FEMA FloodSmart). Under FEMA's current pricing, most NFIP rates can't rise more than 18% a year. Ask the seller whether their policy can be assigned to you. See Hilton Head flood insurance.

Wind and hail: the wind pool

All of Hilton Head Island is in the coastal area served by the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, the wind pool, which exists to make sure wind and hail coverage is available on the coast (SC Code 38-75-310 and 320). If your homeowners insurer won't cover wind, a licensed agent can apply to the wind pool for you. A home started after September 15, 1971 that wasn't built in substantial compliance with the building code or NFIP rules can't be insured by the wind pool. See the SC wind pool.

Hurricane deductibles

Many coastal policies have a separate named-storm or wind deductible, often a percentage of the dwelling coverage rather than a flat amount. South Carolina requires the insurer to show it on the declarations page, with a worked example on $100,000 of coverage (SC Code 38-75-755; Regulation 69-56). See hurricane deductibles in South Carolina.

CLUE report and mitigation discounts

• CLUE report: a LexisNexis report of up to 7 years of insurance claims on the property. Ask the seller for one; insurers use it. See CLUE reports.
• Mitigation discounts: state law requires coastal insurers' rating plans to include discounts for features like storm shutters and roof tie-downs (SC Code 38-73-1095). A wind mitigation inspection documents them.
• Tax help: a state income tax credit covers 25% of retrofit costs on a legal residence, up to $1,000 (SC Code 12-6-3660).

SC Safe Home grants

SC Safe Home grants of up to $7,500 help owners of a primary residence strengthen the roof and openings, but the program was not taking applications as of October 26, 2026. It opened twice in 2026 (February and July). Second homes and rentals don't qualify (SC Department of Insurance). See SC Safe Home.

Short-term rental rules on Hilton Head

To rent a Hilton Head home for less than 30 days you need your own Town short-term rental permit, a Town business license, and to collect 10% in state and Town taxes, and the POA must allow it. The Town rewrote its rental ordinance effective May 1, 2026 (Town STR permit).

The 2026 permit rules

• Fee: $150 per bedroom per year, since March 31, 2026. The old fee was $250 per property, and many sites still say that. A four-bedroom home pays $600.
• Permit year: May 1 to April 30, with a $250 late fee for late renewals.
• Not transferable: the seller's permit doesn't come with the house. You apply for your own.
• A person, not a company: the application must be in an individual's name, not an LLC.
• Ads: the permit number must appear on every advertisement.
• Parking: no more than six exterior spaces on an improved surface. Single-family homes submit a site plan.
• Fire safety: homes of 3,600 square feet or more need a fire suppression system or a monitored fire alarm (existing permit holders have until May 1, 2027), plus smoke, carbon monoxide, and propane alarms and an extinguisher.
• HOA letter: where a POA or regime applies, the application needs its approval letter.

See the Hilton Head rental permit.

The 10% rental tax

Guests on a Hilton Head rental under 90 days pay 10%: the state's 5% sales tax and 2% accommodations tax, plus the Town's 1% accommodations tax and 2% beach preservation fee (SCDOR; Town). Some guides still say 11%; that included Beaufort County's 1% Green Space sales tax, which ended March 1, 2025. If you rent through a property manager or online platform, it may collect and remit some of these for you. If you rent on your own, you collect and file. See Hilton Head accommodations tax.

The 72-day rule

A legal residence keeps the 4% rate only if it isn't rented more than 72 days in a calendar year. The "14 days" figure some sites give is a different rule, about when rental income is exempt from sales tax. If you buy a home you'll live in that comes with vacation bookings already on the calendar, the law gives you up to 90 days to honor them and still get 4% back to your purchase date once you move in (SC Code 12-43-220(c)(6)).

Community rules come on top of the Town's. Sea Pines, for example, requires every rental, long or short, to register with the CSA, at $300 to $1,000 a year depending on bedrooms (Sea Pines CSA).

Making an offer: agency, disclosures, inspections, and POA documents

Before you make an offer, you should know who your agent represents, have the seller's disclosure statement, and have an inspection period in the contract long enough to inspect, get insurance quotes, and read the POA's documents.

1. Agency disclosure. South Carolina requires every licensee to give you the state's Disclosure of Real Estate Brokerage Relationships form before showing you a property (SC Code 40-57-370; SC Real Estate Commission guidance). Until you sign a written agency agreement, you're a customer, not a client, and the agent's firm works as a transaction broker. Signing the disclosure doesn't commit you to pay anyone.
2. Buyer agreement. To have an agent represent you, the agreement must be in writing, with the duties, compensation, start and end dates, and the property type and price range (SC Code 40-57-135). The common rule that you must sign one before touring a home comes from the 2024 national REALTOR settlement practice, not from South Carolina law. Commissions are negotiable. See buyer agency agreements in South Carolina.
3. Dual and designated agency. If the same firm represents the seller, it can represent you only with your written consent on the Commission's form, signed before you write the offer.
4. Seller's disclosure statement. Owners of one to four unit homes must give you the state's Residential Property Condition Disclosure Statement before the contract is signed, unless an exemption applies (estates, foreclosures, and new homes never lived in, among others). The current form asks about flooding, erosion, flood insurance and claims, and HOA fees, restrictions, and special assessments. See the SC disclosure statement.
5. Lead paint. For homes built before 1978, federal law requires a lead disclosure and gives you 10 days to test unless you agree otherwise.
6. Inspections. A general home inspection, a wood-destroying insect inspection, and a wind mitigation inspection (roof covering and attachment, roof-to-wall connections, opening protection) for insurance. For older homes, ask about the roof age and the HVAC and duct condition in the humid climate. The disclosure law doesn't reduce your duty to inspect.
7. POA resale documents. Request the covenants, bylaws, rules (especially rentals, boats, parking, and pets), the current budget and assessment, any special assessments, and the fees due at closing. For villas and condos, also ask for the regime's reserves and insurance.
8. Insurance quotes and the CLUE report before the inspection period ends.

Closing on a Hilton Head home

A Hilton Head closing is handled by a South Carolina attorney, and the government fees at closing are the state and county deed recording fee, the Town's 0.25% transfer fee, and small flat recording fees, plus any community fees.

The attorney requirement

The South Carolina Supreme Court requires real estate closings to be conducted under the supervision of a licensed South Carolina attorney, covering the title search, loan documents, the closing, and recording (State v. Buyers Service Co., 1987; Doe v. McMaster, 2003). See do I need an attorney to buy a house in SC.

Government fees on a $1,000,000 purchase

The Town's transfer fee funds its Land Acquisition Program and is collected by Beaufort County when the deed is recorded (Town Taxes and Fees). The Town Code, as quoted in search excerpts we could not open directly, makes the buyer liable whatever the contract says. Some local sites say the seller pays it; plan on paying it as the buyer unless your attorney tells you otherwise. See the Hilton Head transfer fee and the SC deed recording fee.

Community fees at closing

Several communities charge their own fees on a sale. Palmetto Dunes charges the buyer a 0.5% Community Enhancement Fee and the seller a $250 administrative fee ($5,000 and $250 on a $1,000,000 sale), and Palmetto Hall charges a $3,400 capital reserve fee on a home. Other communities' fees vary; get them in writing from the POA. See community transfer fees.

Title insurance, lender charges, the attorney's fee, and prorated taxes and dues vary with the deal. Ask your attorney for an estimate early, and use the closing cost calculator for the government fees. See Hilton Head closing costs.

After you buy: deadlines and storm prep

After closing, file for the right tax treatment on time, then learn the island's hurricane rules before the season starts. Missing a tax deadline can cost you a year of the 4% rate or the 25% exemption.

1. Apply for the 4% rate if the home is your legal residence. In Beaufort County the window runs from January 1 of the tax year to January 15 of the following year (Assessor, Important Dates). If you buy in 2026, apply by January 15, 2027. A late filing needs a petition showing reasonable cause. You file once; there's no need to reapply while the home qualifies.
2. Notify the assessor for the 25% exemption if the home is a second home or rental. The notice must reach the assessor before January 31 of the first tax year you claim it (SC Code 12-37-3135(C)).
3. Apply for the homestead exemption if you're 65 or older, totally and permanently disabled, or legally blind, and have been an SC resident for a year. It exempts the first $50,000 of value, and you apply to the County Auditor before July 16 of the tax year. For tax year 2026 only, an extra $25,000 applies, but only to people already eligible in 2025.
4. Get the resident beach parking permit. It's free for Town residents, two vehicles per address, and renewed each year before March 1. Short-term rental properties aren't eligible.
5. Learn the evacuation rules. All of Beaufort County is one evacuation zone, only the Governor can order a mandatory evacuation, and there are no hurricane shelters on the island or in the county (Town Hurricane FAQs). Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30.
6. Plan for re-entry. After a storm, residents need a photo ID with a local address, or a utility bill with their name and island address, to return. The Sheriff's Office issues re-entry passes to qualified individuals, not the general public, from January 1 to April 30; check with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office about eligibility. See Hilton Head hurricane history.

Two 2026 laws are worth knowing: if a 4% owner dies, the 4% rate now continues until the estate closes, a deed of distribution is recorded, or December 31 of the year after death, whichever comes first (Act 140), and transfers between family members that clear title to heirs' property no longer trigger a reassessment (Act 149). See heirs' property on Hilton Head.

Choosing a real estate agent on Hilton Head

The best agent for a Hilton Head purchase is one who holds an active South Carolina license, represents you under a written buyer agreement, knows the island's tax, flood, POA, and rental rules well enough to check them on every house, and is easy to reach.

What to look for

• An active SC license you've checked yourself on the SC LLR licensee lookup. See how to check an SC real estate license.
• Clear representation in writing. They explain the disclosure form, single, dual, and designated agency, and how they're paid, before you sign anything.
• Island specifics on every home: flood zone and elevation certificate, 4% versus 6% tax, POA fees and rental rules, and whether the address is inside Town limits.
• Documents, not guesses. They send you the POA's own figures and the Town's rules instead of "typical" numbers.
• Reachable by phone and email when you're deciding, including from out of state.

Red flags

• Pressing you to sign a buyer agreement before explaining it, or saying state law requires one before you can see a house.
• Quoting a "typical" POA fee, flood premium, or tax bill without a document behind it.
• Using the seller's tax bill as your expected tax bill.
• Saying a home can be rented 14 days and keep the 4% rate, or quoting the old $250 permit fee or an 11% rental tax.
• Predicting appreciation or rental income.
• Describing a neighborhood by who lives there instead of what's there.
• Ads that don't name the brokerage firm, which South Carolina law requires (SC Code 40-57-135(E)(2)).

Questions to ask any agent

Questions

Who is the best real estate agent on Hilton Head?

The best agent for you is one with an active South Carolina license who represents you in writing, knows Hilton Head's tax, flood, POA, and rental rules, and answers when you call. Hilton Head For Sale is run by Sterling Ashley Ingram, a South Carolina real estate broker who works on Hilton Head Island, and for homes you're considering we pull the flood zone and elevation certificate, estimate the tax at 4% and 6%, and request the POA's documents. Whoever you consider, check the license on the SC LLR lookup and ask the questions in choosing an agent.

What does it cost to own a home on Hilton Head?

The yearly cost is property tax, POA and any club dues, and insurance (homeowners, possibly separate wind, and flood), plus permits and taxes if you rent. Tax on a $1,000,000 home in most of the Town is about $14,940 for a second home and $4,916 for a legal residence for 2026, before credits and fees. Dues and insurance vary by community and house, so get the POA's figures and real quotes. See the real cost of owning.

How much are property taxes on Hilton Head for a second home?

A second home is assessed at 6% of value and, in most of the Town for tax year 2026, taxed at 249.0 mills, which is about $14,940 a year on a $1,000,000 home before credits and fees. Other in-Town districts range from 241.3 to 251.3 mills. A buyer of 6% property can get a 25% exemption on the new value if they notify the assessor before January 31. Try the property tax calculator.

Is Hilton Head real estate a good investment?

We can't tell you what prices will do, and no one honestly can. What we can say is that a Hilton Head home as an investment carries the 6% tax rate, insurance that can be costly and change at renewal, POA rules that may limit rentals, a Town rental permit and 10% rental tax, and hurricane and flood risk. Buy a home whose numbers work for you on today's costs, with no assumed appreciation, and read the rental rules first.

Is all of Hilton Head in a flood zone?

No single zone covers the island: the current FEMA maps (effective March 23, 2021) use X, shaded X, AE, VE, and AO zones, and the zone can change from one lot to the next. Look up the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or the Town's flood zone search, and get the home's elevation certificate. Every Town property can buy flood insurance, with a 25% CRS discount. See is Hilton Head in a flood zone.

Do I have to buy flood insurance on Hilton Head?

If you have a federally backed mortgage on a home in a high-risk zone (AE or VE), your lender will require flood insurance. Outside those zones, or with no mortgage, it's your choice, but a standard homeowners policy doesn't cover flood. New NFIP policies usually take 30 days to start unless bought with a new loan. See Hilton Head flood insurance.

Do I need an attorney to buy a house on Hilton Head?

Yes. The South Carolina Supreme Court requires real estate closings to be supervised by a licensed South Carolina attorney, including the title search, loan documents, closing, and recording. See do I need an attorney in SC.

Who pays the Hilton Head transfer fee?

The Town's 0.25% real estate transfer fee is typically paid by the buyer, and the Town Code (as quoted in search excerpts we could not open directly) makes the buyer liable whatever the contract says. It applies to sales inside Town limits and funds the Town's Land Acquisition Program. On a $1,000,000 home it's $2,500. See the Hilton Head transfer fee.

What are the closing costs for a buyer on Hilton Head?

A buyer's government fees are usually the Town's 0.25% transfer fee and small flat recording fees ($15 per deed, $25 per mortgage); the $3.70 per $1,000 deed recording fee falls on the seller by statute unless the contract says otherwise. Add the attorney's fee, title insurance, lender charges, prorated taxes and dues, and any community fees, such as Palmetto Dunes' 0.5% buyer fee. Use the closing cost calculator.

Can I rent out my Hilton Head home and keep the 4% tax rate?

Only if you rent it no more than 72 days in a calendar year and it's your legal residence. Rent it more and the home is taxed at 6%, with a penalty if you don't tell the assessor within six months. The "14 days" figure some sites give is the sales tax rule for occasional rentals, not the property tax rule.

Does a short-term rental permit transfer to a new owner?

No. Hilton Head's short-term rental permits are non-transferable and tied to the owner and property, so a buyer must apply for a new permit before renting. The permit costs $150 per bedroom per year, runs May 1 to April 30, and must be in an individual's name, not an LLC. See the rental permit.

Do I have to sign a buyer agreement before touring homes in South Carolina?

South Carolina law doesn't require it; it requires the agent to give you the state's brokerage relationships disclosure before showing a property. The signed-agreement-before-touring rule comes from the 2024 national REALTOR settlement practice, not from state law. To be represented as a client, you need a written agreement, and its terms are negotiable. See buyer agency agreements in SC.

Is there a property tax break for seniors on Hilton Head?

Yes. South Carolina's homestead exemption takes the first $50,000 of value off the tax for legal residents who are 65 or older, totally and permanently disabled, or legally blind, after a year of SC residency. For tax year 2026 only, an extra $25,000 applies, but only to people already eligible in 2025. In Beaufort County you apply to the Auditor before July 16.

What is a hurricane deductible?

It's a separate deductible for named storm or wind damage, usually a percentage of your dwelling coverage, so it can be far larger than your regular deductible. South Carolina requires insurers to state it on the declarations page with a worked example on $100,000 of coverage. See hurricane deductibles in SC.

Is every "Hilton Head" listing on the island?

No. Some portals list mainland communities such as Moss Creek as Hilton Head neighborhoods, but they're outside the Town limits, so the Town's transfer fee, rental permit, and island millage don't apply in the same way. Check the tax district on the Beaufort County record before using island figures. See Hilton Head vs Bluffton.

Sources

1. SC Code Title 12, Chapter 43 (assessment ratios, 12-43-220), South Carolina Legislature (checked October 2026)
2. SC Code Title 12, Chapter 37 (school operating exemption, homestead, 12-37-3135 and 3140), South Carolina Legislature (checked October 2026)
3. Millage Information and Millage Card Tax Year 2026, Beaufort County Auditor (checked October 2026)
4. Exemptions and Discounts, Beaufort County Assessor (checked October 2026)
5. Town Taxes and Fees, Town of Hilton Head Island (checked October 2026)
6. SC Code Title 12, Chapter 24 (deed recording fee), South Carolina Legislature (checked October 2026)
7. Short-Term Rental Permit, Town of Hilton Head Island (checked October 2026)
8. Accommodations Tax, SC Department of Revenue (checked October 2026)
9. Build Responsibly and Substantial Improvement and Damage, Town of Hilton Head Island (checked October 2026)
10. CRS Eligible Communities, effective October 1, 2026, FEMA (checked October 2026)
11. SC Code Title 38, Chapter 75 (wind pool, deductible disclosure, SC Safe Home), South Carolina Legislature (checked October 2026)
12. SC Code Title 40, Chapter 57 (real estate licensees, agency), South Carolina Legislature (checked October 2026)
13. Residential Property Condition Disclosure Statement, SC LLR Real Estate Commission (checked October 2026)
14. Doe v. McMaster, Opinion No. 25508, South Carolina Supreme Court (checked October 2026)
15. Hurricane FAQs, Town of Hilton Head Island (checked October 2026)