South Carolina Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Laws 2026
LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 15 jurisdictions across South Carolina. Select a city below for current permit requirements, tax rates, and compliance details.
South Carolina at a glance
- Places tracked
- 15 places: 4 active, 3 conditional, 8 restricted
- License or registration
- Required in all 14 local places
- Tax on stays
- Applies in all 14 local places
- State law
- South Carolina has no state short-term rental license and no state law found that limits local rules, so each city and county sets its own. Statewide rules ›
South Carolina short-term rental questions
Are short-term rentals legal in South Carolina?
In all 15 places we track in South Carolina, short-term rentals are allowed, 11 of them with permit conditions or limits.
Do I need a license for a short-term rental in South Carolina?
All 14 local places we track in South Carolina require a license, permit or registration. Check your city's page for its rules.
Is there a statewide short-term rental law in South Carolina?
South Carolina has no state short-term rental license and no state law found that limits local rules, so each city and county sets its own.
Which places in South Carolina have the strictest rules?
On our records: Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Folly Beach, North Charleston, Columbia, Kiawah Island.
Counties in South Carolina
Compare every South Carolina market
Status, licensing, fees, taxes, night caps and penalties for all 15 places in one table, with CSV export and full audits.
State Access →South Carolina Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview
The short-term rental regulatory landscape in South Carolina encompasses 15 tracked jurisdictions: 4 with active regulations, 3 where rentals are allowed with conditions, 8 with restrictions. Hosts operating on platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com should verify local requirements before listing, as rules vary significantly between cities and regions.
14 of 15 tracked jurisdictions in South Carolina require some form of permit, license, or registration for short-term rental operations. Requirements range from simple online registration to comprehensive permit applications with inspections.
Tax obligations apply in 15 of 15 jurisdictions. Common taxes include occupancy taxes, tourist levies, and sales taxes. Many jurisdictions require hosts to register for tax collection, and some platforms like Airbnb collect and remit taxes automatically in select locations.
Cities with significant restrictions on vacation rentals include Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Folly Beach. These jurisdictions typically impose permit caps, zoning limitations, or primary residence requirements.
LawfulStay monitors South Carolina STR regulations daily and updates this page as rules change. Each city page includes detailed permit requirements, fee schedules, tax rates, zoning rules, and penalty information sourced from official government websites.