SC tax refunds are taking longer this year. Here’s why and how long you may have to wait

You might want to start filing your taxes sooner rather than later. This season, 2025 SC tax refunds are expected to be processed much more slowly than usual.

On the South Carolina Department of Revenue’s website, there is a message at the very top, which says “2025 return processing is taking longer than usual because South Carolina currently does not conform to the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”

If you file your taxes online error-free, it should only take up to eight weeks to get your refund check back. With the delay due to the OBBBA, it may take even longer.

Here’s what you should know:

What is the One Big Beautiful Bill Act?

The passing of the OBBBA was a major legislative victory for President Trump. Signed into law in July 2025, it significantly affects federal taxes, credits and deductions, and focuses on extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts.

Key takeaways from the bill include tax deduction on tips, overtime and car loan interest, and an additional deduction for seniors who are 65 and older.

It’s a controversial bill, with critics saying it will increase the nation’s federal deficit and reduce benefits for lower-income families. You can read the bill’s provisions on the IRS website.

While the bill is federal law, certain states, such as SC, haven’t conformed to it yet, causing the longer wait for 2025 SC tax returns.

The SCDOR issued a statement explaining why the state’s not currently following the OBBBA. The 2025 SC Legislative Session adjourned in May 2025, right before the federal bill was passed. As a result, the SCDOR said the SC Legislature has not had the opportunity to address conformity.

Other reasons your refund arrival might be slowed

Small mistakes can lead to big delays. The SC Department of Revenue has a list of reasons why your refund may take longer to process.

• Filing by paper
• Choosing a paper check refund​
• Errors on your return
• Claims that require extra review
• Missing documents
• If this is your first time filing in South Carolina
• If you recently moved
• If you need to provide additional verification

You can check your refund status using the SC Department of Revenue’s Where’s My Refund? tool.

To check your status, you need to know your Social Security number and exact refund amount. If you refund status hasn’t changed in more than eight weeks or your refund status tells you to contact the SCDOR, you should call them at 1-844-898-8542

This story was originally published February 19, 2026 at 5:30 AM with the headline "SC tax refunds are taking longer this year. Here’s why and how long you may have to wait."