Charleston regulates short-term rentals through a city operational permit with a $345 zoning and application review fee. Eligibility depends on which of three residential categories the property falls in, and each property may hold only one short-term rental unit. The city lists 14% in total taxes on accommodations in Charleston County and notes that online marketplaces do not all collect the local portion.
Facts
| Field | Value | Stated by |
|---|---|---|
| Place | Charleston | - |
| State | SC | - |
| Jurisdiction type | city | - |
| Permit required | Yes | Source 2 |
| Permit name | Short Term Rental (STR) Operational Permit | - |
| Permit fee (USD) | $345 | Source 1 |
| Fee notes | $345 zoning and application review fee effective January 1, 2024, collected at application; inspection fees and a business license are separate. | - |
| Renewal period | unknown | - |
| Non-owner-occupied rental allowed | unknown | - |
| Caps and zoning limits | Three residential categories by area; a property holds no more than 1 short term rental unit; commercial STRs are tied to the STR Overlay Zone. | Source 3 |
| Annual night cap | unknown | - |
| Local lodging tax | 2% | Source 4 |
| State lodging tax | 7% | Source 5 |
| Platform collects tax | unknown | - |
| Tax notes | 2% is the City of Charleston Accommodations Tax only; Charleston County adds its own tax and the city table totals 14% in Charleston County including state and local sales taxes. 7% state = 5% sales tax + 2% accommodations tax (SCDOR). The city page says not all online marketplaces collect and remit the local accommodations tax. | - |
| Penalties | unknown | - |
| Fields not confirmed | Renewal period; Non-owner-occupied rental allowed; Annual night cap; Platform collects tax; Penalties | - |
| Last checked | 2026-10-07 | - |
| Dataset row id | charleston-sc | - |
"unknown" means the value was not found on the official pages read on the check date, not that no such rule exists. "Stated by" points to the numbered source below.
Sources
- City of Charleston: Applicable Fees
- City of Charleston: Application Materials. Published on www.charleston-sc.gov. Address: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/1871/Application-Materials
- City of Charleston: Category Criteria. Published on www.charleston-sc.gov. Address: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/2316/Category-Criteria
- City of Charleston: Accommodations Tax for STRs. Published on www.charleston-sc.gov. Address: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/2339/Accommodations-Tax-for-STRs
- South Carolina Department of Revenue: Accommodations. Published on dor.sc.gov. Address: https://dor.sc.gov/tax/accommodations
At most one official page per place is linked; every other source is cited as text with its full address.
Sources last checked: 2026-10-07