Credit card processing and merchant services in Columbia, SC
Richland County's sales tax is 8% and Lexington County's is 7%, according to the Department of Revenue's May 2026 chart. Around Columbia, where you deliver usually decides which one you charge.
Columbia had 147,035 residents in the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate, up 7.5% from the April 2020 estimates base of 136,725. Most of the city is in Richland County, and the Department of Revenue's ST-500 chart, effective May 1, 2026, puts Richland's total sales tax at 8%: the state's 6% plus 2% in local taxes.
The same chart lists Lexington County at 7%, and that one-point gap matters for any Columbia business that delivers. The Department of Revenue's local tax manual says local tax follows the point of delivery, and that when you deliver in your own vehicle, delivery takes place at the customer's location. So a furniture store with an 8% counter rate charges 7% on a sofa it drops off in Lexington County, and 9% on one that goes to Charleston County. Shipping terms such as FOB shipping point put delivery at your store instead, so check how your terms read. Set your POS and online checkout to tax by delivery address, and give each rate its own code.
Card fees are the simpler part. South Carolina has no surcharge statute we've found, so the card networks set the limits: 3% or your merchant discount rate for Visa, 4% or your average effective rate for Mastercard, nothing on debit or prepaid cards, and notice at the entrance, at checkout and on the receipt. On a $150 order taxed at 8%, a 3% surcharge adds $4.50 on top of $12 in tax. Some customers won't blink; regulars might.
Our South Carolina page covers the state rules, and our Charleston page covers that county's 9% rate. Clearo prices on interchange-plus with no long-term contract or cancellation fee, and a free statement review shows what you're paying today.
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Common questions
What sales tax rate applies in Columbia, South Carolina?
For addresses in Richland County, 8%: the 6% state rate plus 2% in local taxes, according to the Department of Revenue's ST-500 chart effective May 1, 2026. The same chart lists Lexington County at 7%, so confirm the county for each address you sell from or deliver to.
Which county rate do I charge when my Columbia store delivers?
The rate where the delivery takes place. The Department of Revenue's local tax manual says that when you deliver in your own vehicle, delivery happens at the customer's location, so a Richland County store delivering to a Lexington County customer charges Lexington's 7% instead of Richland's 8%. A delivery to Charleston County would carry its 9% rate. Under FOB shipping point terms, delivery happens at your store, so your own county's rate applies.
Why is Richland County's rate 8% when the state rate is 6%?
Counties can add a 1% local sales tax with voter approval, and many levy other local taxes as well. Richland's local taxes total 2%, per the ST-500 chart effective May 1, 2026. The chart lists the local tax designations for every county, so check it before you open a second location.
How should a Columbia online store handle sales tax at checkout?
In most cases, tax each order by where it's delivered, not by your store's address. Per the Department of Revenue's May 2026 chart, a customer in Richland County pays 8%, one in Lexington County 7%, and one in Charleston County 9%. Make sure the platform behind your checkout calculates tax from the shipping address, and ask the Department of Revenue or your accountant if your shipping terms put delivery at your store. We handle the payment side with a hosted checkout or gateway integration through our online payments service.
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Disclaimer: general information, not professional advice
This page is general educational information, not legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Rules and rates vary by place and change, so confirm them with the official source and a qualified professional before you act. Full terms are in our Terms of Service.
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