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

Greenville, 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 (Greenville Short-Term Rental Registration) before listing their property. Greenville 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 Greenville.

Registration Requirements

Registration Required: Greenville Short-Term Rental Registration. Registration fee: $100. Annual renewal: $100 annually. Register through the City of Greenville Planning and Development — Building Permits or City of Greenville Planning and Development Department. 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 Greenville: 1. STR registration required with Greenville Revenue Services 2. Property must meet City of Greenville property maintenance standards 3. Designated contact person required for complaint response 4. Maximum occupancy per Greenville Housing Code standards 5. South Carolina state and Greenville County hospitality taxes apply 6. STR registration number must appear on booking platform listings 7. Night noise violations — host responsible for guest conduct

• •STR registration required with Greenville Revenue Services
• •Property must meet City of Greenville property maintenance standards
• •Designated contact person required for complaint response
• •Maximum occupancy per Greenville Housing Code standards
• •South Carolina state and Greenville County hospitality taxes apply
• •STR registration number must appear on booking platform listings
• •Night noise violations — host responsible for guest conduct

Platform-Specific Rules

Platform-Specific Rules in Greenville: Airbnb: Airbnb collects South Carolina state sales tax (5%) and applicable Greenville County taxes. Host must provide registration number. VRBO: VRBO collects applicable South Carolina and Greenville County taxes. 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 Greenville: $500 per day for operating without STR registration; $250 fine for occupancy limit violations; Registration revocation for continued non-compliance or safety violations. Greenville 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.

• ⚠$500 per day for operating without STR registration
• ⚠$250 fine for occupancy limit violations
• ⚠Registration revocation for continued non-compliance or safety violations

Frequently Asked Questions