Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Rules in Charleston, SC (2026)

Charleston, SC allows short-term rentals — commonly listed on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO — subject to local regulations that have evolved significantly since 2015. Hosts must register with the city (Charleston Short-Term Rental License) before listing their property. Charleston regulates STRs to balance tourism revenue with neighborhood quality of life. Key rules cover primary residence requirements, nightly limits, occupancy caps, and tax collection obligations. Hosts who operate without required registration or in violation of city rules face substantial fines. Below are the current registration requirements, rules, platform-specific notes, and penalties for Charleston.

Registration Requirements

Registration Required: Charleston Short-Term Rental License. Registration fee: $200. Annual renewal: $200 annually. Register through the City of Charleston Building Inspections Division or City of Charleston Department of Planning, Preservation and Sustainability. Your registration number must be displayed on all platform listings. Failure to register before hosting is a violation subject to fines.

Operational Rules

Short-Term Rental Rules in Charleston: 1. STR license required from City of Charleston Revenue Division 2. Primary residence requirement for certain zones — owner must use property as primary residence and obtain Owner-Occupied STR license 3. Non-primary residence STRs restricted to Commercial STR License zones only (limited areas) 4. Property must pass life safety inspection before license issuance 5. Designated agent required for non-owner-managed STRs — available 24/7 within reasonable distance 6. Maximum occupancy: 2 guests per bedroom (4 maximum total in most residential zones) 7. South Carolina state and local hospitality taxes apply 8. STR license number must be displayed on all booking platform listings 9. No new Commercial STR licenses being issued in most historic residential areas as of 2022

• •STR license required from City of Charleston Revenue Division
• •Primary residence requirement for certain zones — owner must use property as primary residence and obtain Owner-Occupied STR license
• •Non-primary residence STRs restricted to Commercial STR License zones only (limited areas)
• •Property must pass life safety inspection before license issuance
• •Designated agent required for non-owner-managed STRs — available 24/7 within reasonable distance
• •Maximum occupancy: 2 guests per bedroom (4 maximum total in most residential zones)
• •South Carolina state and local hospitality taxes apply
• •STR license number must be displayed on all booking platform listings
• •No new Commercial STR licenses being issued in most historic residential areas as of 2022

Platform-Specific Rules

Platform-Specific Rules in Charleston: Airbnb: Airbnb collects South Carolina state sales tax (5%) and Charleston accommodation tax. Hosts must provide STR license number. VRBO: VRBO collects applicable South Carolina and Charleston taxes. Host must provide license number. Always verify current platform tax collection and remittance policies directly with your platform — these can change without advance notice to hosts.

Penalties for Violations

Penalties for STR Violations in Charleston: $1,000 per day for operating without STR license; $500 fine per violation for license condition violations; License revocation for safety violations or repeated non-compliance; Civil court action for continued illegal STR operation. Charleston has enforcement mechanisms to identify unlicensed short-term rental listings on platforms. Hosts should ensure all registrations are current and listings display valid registration numbers.

• ⚠$1,000 per day for operating without STR license
• ⚠$500 fine per violation for license condition violations
• ⚠License revocation for safety violations or repeated non-compliance
• ⚠Civil court action for continued illegal STR operation

Frequently Asked Questions