Scotland County lowers property-tax rate to 69.9 cents after state law change

Scotland County commissioners voted July 13, 2026, in Laurinburg to lower the county property-tax rate for the 2026-27 fiscal year from 99 cents to 69.9 cents per $100 of assessed value. The decision followed a change in North Carolina law that allowed affected counties to revisit their 2026-27 budgets after the General Assembly changed the rules surrounding 2026 property reappraisals.

The immediate question for some residents is how the change will affect vehicle-tax bills for July, August and September that had already been issued using the earlier 99-cent rate, according to the Laurinburg Exchange. The newspaper reported that county officials were still determining how to handle those bills after the commissioners acted.

What commissioners approved

The Scotland County Board of Commissioners met at the Emergency Operations Center, 1403 West Boulevard in Laurinburg. The board’s official July 13 agenda listed a tax-rate resolution and fiscal-year 2027 budget amendments for consideration.

The Laurinburg Exchange reported that commissioners adopted the 69.9-cent county rate. The earlier 99-cent rate had been adopted before the General Assembly changed the rules affecting counties with 2026 reappraisals.

Why the county could revisit its budget

North Carolina Session Law 2026-47 was ratified July 2 and approved by Gov. Josh Stein on July 7, 2026. The law changed which counties were covered by the property-tax reappraisal moratorium established earlier in 2026.

Section 2 permits an affected local government to amend an already-passed 2026-27 budget ordinance under the state’s budget law as if, after July 1, it had received revenues substantially different from the amount anticipated. That provision gave Scotland County a legal path to revise its budget and tax rate after the legislative change.

The law was enacted, not merely proposed. The 69.9-cent figure is the commissioners’ adopted county rate for the 2026-27 fiscal year; it is separate from any future budget or tax decision.

Rate and assessed value are different

A tax rate is the amount charged per $100 of assessed value. It is only one part of an individual bill. The taxable value of a home, business, vehicle or other property also matters, as do any separate municipal, fire-district or other applicable levies.

Scotland County’s 2026 revaluation values became effective Jan. 1, 2026, and the county says they are reflected in tax bills received in July 2026. The rate change did not, by itself, reduce assessed property values. It changed the rate applied to taxable value.

Vehicle bills may require verification

The county says motor-vehicle bills are generated through North Carolina’s Tag and Tax Together program. The Laurinburg Exchange reported that the Division of Motor Vehicles prepares bills 90 to 100 days in advance, which meant some July, August and September vehicle-tax statements had been issued before the commissioners adopted the lower rate.

Because those bills were already in circulation, commissioners discussed how to handle payments already sent to taxpayers. The local report said officials considered contacting Richmond County, which had faced a similar issue, for guidance.

Residents should not assume that an affected bill will automatically be refunded, credited or reissued. Contact the Scotland County Tax Office for the current instructions before deciding how to pay or request an adjustment.

Where residents can check

Scotland County provides an online tax-bill search for real estate, business and personal-property statements. The county also lists the Tax Office at 507 West Covington Street in Laurinburg, with a phone number of 910-277-2566. The county tax page says statement requests may be emailed to taxinfo@scotlandcounty.org and should include identifying information such as the account number, taxpayer name, address and parcel number when available.

The lower rate will affect Scotland County’s budget planning for the current fiscal year. Commissioners and local reporting also described future pressure from operating costs and capital needs, but those broader questions remain separate from the immediate question of how previously issued vehicle-tax bills will be handled.

Sources

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