Is my Charleston rental legal? Checklist

Permit / license / registration

• Categories: Category 1: Old & Historic District (building must be individually on the National Register). Category 2: rest of the peninsula (building 50+ years old). Category 3: off-peninsula. Each allows 1 STR unit per property and 1 extra off-street parking space. Commercial STR / B&B permits only in the STR Overlay Zone.
• Renewals: STR permits renew annually by original issue date; business license renews by Feb 1. License number must appear in the unit and in all ads.

Zoning, where allowed & definitions

• Primary residence: Residential STRs (under 30 days) are allowed only in the owner's primary residence (4% assessment), with both a City STR permit and a business license.

Night limits, minimum stays & occupancy

• Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Fees, penalties & pending changes

• Penalties: State law allows civil penalties of $500 to $2,000 for each 7 days rented without collecting accommodations tax.

Taxes & who collects them

• Register / account for SC state sales tax (5%)
• Register / account for SC state accommodations tax (2%)
• Register / account for Local option sales tax (1%)
• Register / account for County transportation tax (1%)
• Register / account for School district/education tax (1%)
• Register / account for Charleston County accommodations tax (2%)
• Register / account for City of Charleston accommodations tax (2%)
• What Airbnb collects: Per the City, some platforms collect only state accommodations tax and not the local taxes; confirm and remit any local tax yourself.
• Vrbo and direct bookings: check which taxes Vrbo collects in your area; for direct bookings you collect and remit all of them yourself.

Total rate: 14%. City table: 14% total in Charleston County; 12% for city properties in Berkeley County (no county accommodations tax). Collection rules depend on primary (4%) vs secondary (6%) residence and days rented: verify. Calculate.

HOA / condo check

• Read your declaration, bylaws and rules for rental bans, minimum terms, caps and approval requirements.
• Get any association sign-off or approval letter your city or association requires.
• See our HOA & condo guide.

Insurance

• Confirm your homeowner/condo policy covers short-term rental use, or add a short-term rental policy. Platform host protection is not a substitute for insurance.
• Ask your association whether it requires specific liability coverage.

Deadlines

• Renew city/county permits or registrations on their schedule (often annually): confirm the date with the office that issued it.
• File state and local lodging tax returns on the schedule your tax office assigns.

Official sources

• City of Charleston: Accommodations tax for STRs
• City of Charleston: STR categories
• City of Charleston: STR permit information
• SCDOR: Accommodations

Want it done for you?

Get a personalized STR Compliance Check ($49) for your exact address in any US city: the permits, registrations and tax accounts you need, with official sources, delivered by email in 48 business hours. Not legal advice.

Stay Compliant: $4.99/month

Rules, tax rates and Airbnb/Vrbo policies can change without warning, and hosts who miss a change can be fined. Get alerts when your city, county or state changes, deadline reminders, a pending-bill watch list and a monthly host brief (even in quiet months: "we checked on [date]; no changes"). Compare plans.