The sales tax rate in Newberry, SC is 7%. That total is the 6% South Carolina state sales tax plus a 1% county Capital Projects Tax that Newberry County voters approved, in effect since May 2024.1South Carolina Department of Revenue. Local Sales Taxes – Section: Capital Projects Tax Some third-party tax databases list Newberry at 8%, but the South Carolina Department of Revenue confirms 7% for all periods through July 1, 2025, and after.2South Carolina Department of Revenue. Sales and Use Tax Index
The state portion comes from Section 12-36-910 (the original 5%) and Section 12-36-1110 (an additional 1% effective June 2007).3South Carolina Department of Revenue. SC Revenue Ruling 18-11 – Sales of Boats, Boat Motors, and Boat Trailers The local 1% is authorized under Section 4-10-310, which lets a county impose a 1% sales and use tax by ordinance after a voter referendum.4South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Laws Title 4 Chapter 10 – Local Sales and Use Tax Capital Projects Tax revenue funds roads, bridges, public facilities, and water and sewer work. It runs for a limited time and a limited dollar amount, then either goes back on the ballot or expires.
What You Pay 7% On
Most retail sales of physical goods in Newberry carry the full 7%: clothing, furniture, electronics, appliances, and similar household items, whether bought in a store or shipped to a Newberry address from an online seller. South Carolina defines a taxable “sale” broadly enough to cover rentals, leases, and licenses to use, not just outright purchases.5South Carolina Department of Revenue. Sales Tax – Section: Subject to Sales and Use Tax
Prepared meals get the full 7% as well. If a restaurant, deli counter, or convenience store sells food ready to eat, the state treats it the same as any other taxable good.6South Carolina Department of Revenue. Chapter 21 – Unprepared Food Exemption The trigger is whether the business holds itself out as selling ready-to-eat food, provides seating or utensils, or offers hot food. A rotisserie chicken from the hot case is prepared food; a raw chicken from the meat aisle isn’t.
Groceries, Prescriptions, and Farm Supplies
Unprepared food that qualifies for purchase with SNAP benefits is exempt from the 6% state sales tax. The exemption does not automatically extend to local taxes, so unless Newberry County’s ordinance specifically exempts unprepared food, the 1% Capital Projects Tax still applies at the register.6South Carolina Department of Revenue. Chapter 21 – Unprepared Food Exemption In practice, expect a small tax charge on grocery items even though the state portion is waived.
Prescription medications, insulin, diabetic testing supplies, prosthetic devices (including dental prosthetics), and hearing aids are all exempt from state sales tax.7South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 12-36 – Sales and Use Tax Act The prescription exemption covers the medication plus disposable supplies like IV bags, tubing, and syringes dispensed by a pharmacist for at-home use. Over-the-counter medication is generally taxable unless donated to a qualifying free health clinic.
Agricultural buyers get wide exemptions. Feed for poultry and livestock, insecticides, fertilizers, seeds, seedlings, and nursery stock used solely in producing farm products for sale are exempt, as is livestock itself.7South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 12-36 – Sales and Use Tax Act The statute defines livestock narrowly as domesticated animals raised primarily as beasts of burden or for food, so dogs, cats, and reptiles don’t qualify.
$500 Cap on Vehicles and Other Big-Ticket Items
South Carolina caps the state sales tax at $500 per transaction on motor vehicles, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, boats, aircraft, large trailers, self-propelled light construction equipment, and horse trailers, regardless of the purchase price.8South Carolina Department of Revenue. Sales and Use Tax Guide for Automobile and Truck Dealers On a $35,000 truck in Newberry, that means $500 in state sales tax rather than the $2,100 a straight 6% calculation would produce. The cap kicks in once the purchase passes roughly $8,334.
August Tax-Free Weekend
South Carolina holds a sales tax holiday each August that suspends both state and local sales tax on qualifying items. In 2025 the dates are August 1 through August 3.9South Carolina Department of Revenue. South Carolinas 2025 Tax Free Weekend Starts Friday August 1 Four categories qualify:
- School supplies, including calculators, musical instruments, and headphones used for classroom or home assignments.
- Computers, printers, and software. Parts and accessories like monitors and keyboards are tax-free only when sold as a package with a computer.
- Clothing and footwear of all types, including uniforms, swimwear, athletic shoes, and graduation caps and gowns.
- Bedspreads, sheets, pillows, towels, and shower curtains.
South Carolina sets no per-item price cap during the holiday. A $2,000 laptop and a $5 notebook are both fully exempt, and items can be new or used. For Newberry shoppers, the weekend removes the full 7% on anything that qualifies.
Buying from Out of State
When you buy from a seller that doesn’t collect South Carolina sales tax, you owe use tax at the same 7% rate that would have applied at a Newberry register.10South Carolina Department of Revenue. Use Tax The obligation falls on individuals, not just businesses. If furniture is shipped to your Newberry home from a company that doesn’t charge South Carolina tax at checkout, you’re legally required to report and pay the 7% yourself through the Department of Revenue’s MyDORWAY portal. This most often comes up with small online sellers, private out-of-state transactions, or items brought home from a state with a lower rate.