Cherokee County pairs South Carolina’s pro-business tax structure with locally negotiated incentives to deliver a compelling bottom-line advantage from day one.
Cherokee County's Tier IV designation delivers $4,250–$5,250 per job per year over 5 years totaling up to $26,000 per job. Designate a multi-county park to maximize the credit.
Companies that increase R&D activity in SC earn a direct 5% credit on qualified research expenses against state income tax.
— Sales Tax
South Carolina Removes Tax
from What Manufacturers Need Most
From production machinery to R&D equipment, SC’s sweeping sales tax exemptions eliminate cost drag before your first day of operation. These aren’t narrow carve-outs — they’re comprehensive protections built for industrial investment.
Key Advantage
Projects investing $35M+ qualify for material handling equipment exemptions. $100M+ capital investments unlock construction material exemptions too.
No Sales Tax On:
Production machinery & repair parts
R&D equipment
Packaging materials
Long-distance & 800 telecom services
Construction materials ($100M+ capital investment)
Recycling equipment
Production-related fuels (electricity, gas)
Manufacturing materials in finished product
Pollution control equipment
Material handling equipment ($35M+ investment)
Technology-intensive & datacenter materials
Jobs Tax Credit — Tier IV County
$26,000
total per job over 5 years
Cherokee County’s Tier IV designation delivers $5,250 per net new job per year for 5 years totaling up to $26,250 per job created. Designate a multi-county industrial park to unlock the maximum rate and offset up to 50% of your annual state corporate income tax.
Minimum jobs to qualify
10 net new
Credit begins
Year 2
Carry forward unused credits
Up to 15 yrs
Tax liability offset per year
Up to 50%
Job Development Credit
Up to $6,000
per job created
Job Development Credits are a separate SC incentive that allows qualifying companies to withhold a portion of employee state income tax to reimburse certain approved costs, including infrastructure, building, and training expenses up to $6,000 per job.
Maximum credit
Up to $6,000 / job
Maximum credit
Employee withholding
Approved uses
Infrastructure, training, building
Administered by
Up to 50%
Property Tax
No Statewide Property Tax.
Local Rates. Negotiable Terms.
South Carolina levies no statewide property tax. Cherokee County’s competitive millage rates, combined with FILOT and SSRC programs, make industrial property some of the most affordable in the Southeast.
0%
Statewide Property Tax
SC levies zero statewide property tax — only local rates apply
10.5%
Manufacturer Assessment
Real & tangible personal property assessed at 10.5%
6%
FILOT Assessment Floor
Fee-in-Lieu agreement can reduce your rate to as low as 6%
FILOT — Fee-in-Lieu of Taxes
Negotiate Your Property Tax Rate Directly with the County
Cherokee County offers Fee-in-Lieu of Taxes (FILOT) agreements that can reduce your property assessment ratio to 6%, and as low as 4% for some qualified investments. Special Source Revenue Credits (SSRC) can also offset infrastructure costs — our team will help structure the right deal for your project
One of the Most Powerful
Incentives in the Southeast
Companies creating net new jobs in Cherokee County may qualify for a complete corporate income tax moratorium not a reduction, an elimination for up to 15 years. This isn’t a narrow program. It’s a transformational deal for large employers.
Certification through SC Coordinating Council for Economic Development
Project must deliver significant beneficial regional impact
Company enters contract with SC Department of Revenue
County re-ranking happens annually lock in your tier now