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The Coastal SC STR Rules Data Pack: every rule on this site as a spreadsheet (CSV and Excel) with source links, a renewal deadline calendar (.ics) with reminders, and a 1-page quick start. $19.
Get the data packPermits, caps and wait lists, owner-occupancy, occupancy and parking limits, taxes and the latest changes for 12 Lowcountry and Grand Strand jurisdictions. Every fact links to an official source. Last verified 2026-10-25.
Get the monthly briefNot legal advice. This is a plain-language summary of public sources, last checked 2026-10-25. Rules change, and some items are pending. Always verify with the municipality or county before you buy, list, or renew. Each fact links to its official source.
| Area | Cap or wait list | Owner must live there? | Change status | Key takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Charleston | No number cap | Yes, residential STRs | Pending (hearing Oct 27, 2026) | Owner must live on site for residential STRs; a bedroom-based guest limit and a $1M insurance rule are up for a City Council public hearing on Oct 27, 2026. |
| Charleston County (unincorporated) | Day caps: 72 (LHR), 144 (EHR) | LHR only | Adopted Oct 13, 2026 | Three permit types with 72-day and 144-day caps; new Oct 13, 2026 rules tie parking to every bedroom and sleeping area and bar tents, RVs and boats. |
| Mount Pleasant | 400 units, wait list | Room rentals only | Recodified Jan 14, 2025 | Hard cap of 400 STRs, a wait list, a 2-permit limit per owner, and one STR per street block segment. |
| Folly Beach | 800 cap struck down; moratorium to Feb 19, 2027 | OSTR only (72 days) | In flux (appeal) | A judge struck down the 800-license cap and the registration fee on Aug 14, 2026; a moratorium on new licenses runs to Feb 19, 2027 while the city appeals. |
| Isle of Palms | None found | No | None confirmed | No cap, but strict occupancy (2 per bedroom plus 2, max 12 overnight) and an 11pm to 9am vehicle limit; total tax 14%. |
| Sullivan's Island | Closed to new rentals | n/a (6% assessed) | None confirmed | New vacation rentals are prohibited; only rentals lawfully operating before Nov 21, 2000 may continue. |
| Kiawah Island | R1/R2 capped, 92 left | No | Count update Oct 16, 2026 | Capped licenses in R1 and R2 are first come, first served; 92 capped licenses were left as of Oct 16, 2026. |
| Seabrook Island | 557 overlay / 110 outside | No | Caps since May 1, 2025 | Caps of 557 permits inside the STR Overlay and 110 outside; 55 and 7 left as of Oct 21, 2026, with no wait list. |
| Edisto Beach | None found | No | Fee schedule May 1, 2026 | No separate STR permit found, just an annual rental business license; 12% total tax on stays of 30 days or less. |
| North Charleston | 60 per council district | No | Amended 2025 | 60 permits per council district; districts 5, 6, 8 and 10 are full, so new applicants wait for openings. |
| Summerville | None found | Yes, most residential zones | Proposed (workshop Oct 15, 2026) | In most residential zones the owner must live on site and be present while guests are registered; a clarifying UDO rewrite was workshopped Oct 15, 2026. |
| Myrtle Beach and Horry County | Zoning only | No | None confirmed | Myrtle Beach allows STRs only in pink-shaded zones on its map (most neighborhoods are not), and short term there means under 90 days. |
| Jurisdiction | Local accommodations rate | Total on a stay | Collected by |
|---|---|---|---|
| State of SC (everywhere) | 5% state sales plus 2% state accommodations, plus county local sales taxes of 1% to 3% (8% to 10% in these areas) | SCDOR | |
| Charleston County (all Charleston County areas, including the Charleston County parts of North Charleston and Summerville) | County 2% | 12% unincorporated | Charleston County Revenue Collections |
| Berkeley County parts (including the Berkeley parts of North Charleston and Summerville) | Berkeley County 2%, applies inside towns too | 14% in North Charleston | Berkeley County Treasurer |
| Dorchester County parts (North Charleston, Summerville) | County lodging rate unknown (its 2% hospitality tax is food and drink only) | unknown | unknown |
| City of Charleston, Folly Beach | City 2% on top of the county 2% | 14% (Charleston County part of the City) | Charleston County |
| North Charleston | City 2% in every county part, on top of the county fee | 14% Charleston County part, 14% Berkeley part | Charleston County (City 2%) |
| Isle of Palms | 1% accommodations plus 1% beach preservation, on top of the county 2% | 14% | Charleston County |
| Mount Pleasant, Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, Sullivan's Island | 1% on top of the county 2% | 13% | Charleston County |
| Edisto Beach (Colleton County) | Town 2% plus Colleton County 1% | 12% | Town and County |
| Myrtle Beach | City 0.5% accommodations and 1% hospitality fee, plus Horry County hospitality fee 1.5% | 13% | City of Myrtle Beach and Horry County |
| Unincorporated Horry County | Horry County hospitality fee and local accommodations tax 3% | 12% | Horry County Hospitality Fee Dept |
Summerville's Town rate is not confirmed, so its total is unknown; see the Summerville page. Totals and parts come from each area page.
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Simple spreadsheets and printables for running a rental. Instant download.
The Coastal SC STR Rules Data Pack: every rule on this site as a spreadsheet (CSV and Excel) with source links, a renewal deadline calendar (.ics) with reminders, and a 1-page quick start. $19.
Get the data packIncome tracker, turnover schedule, house rules and Wi-Fi signs in one download.
Get itOccupancy, ADR, net income by month and a Schedule E summary. Handy for the gross receipts your license renewal asks for.
Get itTurnaround windows, cleaner status and pay, and a supplies reorder list.
Get itFillable house rules and Wi-Fi signs. Post your occupancy, parking and quiet hours where guests will see them.
Get itGet a free score out of 100 and your top 3 fixes in under a minute with ListingLift by Keel & Charter. Want the full report? The $39 ListingLift Full Report Kit is an instant download that builds title options, an amenity gap list, a house rules check and a 30-day plan.
Score my listing freeMost local codes here use stays under 30 consecutive days (Charleston County caps a stay at 29 days). Myrtle Beach and SC sales and accommodations tax rules use under 90 days.
SCDOR applies 5% state sales tax plus the 2% state accommodations tax to rentals under 90 continuous days, plus any local sales taxes it collects for the county. Required cleaning fees are taxable. Local accommodations taxes come on top.
Every source page is re-checked monthly with an automated change detector, and changes go out in the monthly brief.