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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 packNo pending change foundLast verified 2026-10-25
Hard cap of 400 STRs, a wait list, and a 2-permit limit per owner.
Not 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.
| Topic | What the official sources say |
|---|---|
| Allowed and where | Residential dwelling units townwide, except where recorded covenants prohibit STRs (Town Code Sec. 156.521(B)). Triplex, quadplex and multiplex dwellings are prohibited (Sec. 156.521(C)). Source: codelibrary.amlegal.com | tompsc.com |
| Permit or license | Annual Town STR permit (whole house, ADU, or up to 6 bedrooms with the operator living on site) plus a Town business license, issued only after the permit. Local agent must reach the site within 60 minutes. Permit and business license numbers must appear in ads. Source: codelibrary.amlegal.com | tompsc.com |
| Fees | Application fee $250 for owner-occupied STRs, $500 for whole-house and ADU rentals (non-refundable). $500 penalty fee for applications on properties that operated illegally the prior year. $100 review fee for a survivorship permit transfer. Business license per Chapter 110: amount unknown. Source: codelibrary.amlegal.com |
| Caps or wait list | Cap of 400 STR dwelling units (Sec. 156.518). Current operators who renew Nov 15 to Dec 15 are not subject to the cap. Wait list by email to [email protected]; openings go to the wait list from Jan 1. Max 2 STR permits per permitholder. The 2026 renewal period has ended. Source: codelibrary.amlegal.com | tompsc.com |
| Owner-occupancy | Not required for whole-house rentals. Required for renting bedrooms within a home (operator resides there). If the owner does not live on site, the ADU and main house may not be rented separately. Source: codelibrary.amlegal.com |
| Occupancy limit | 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 for a whole-house rental; ADU limited to 3 persons. Events above maximum overnight occupancy are prohibited. Source: codelibrary.amlegal.com |
| Parking | At least 1 additional off-street space per STR unit; operator must designate a maximum number of renter vehicles, submit a photo of the spaces, and disclose the vehicle limit in ads. Source: codelibrary.amlegal.com |
| Taxes on stays | 13% total: state sales 5%, state accommodations 2%, local option 1%, transportation 1%, education capital improvement 1% (10%, remitted to SCDOR per ST-575); Charleston County accommodations 2% and Town accommodations fee 1% (Town Code ch. 114; both remitted to Charleston County). Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit the state taxes and both accommodations fees here; the host still reports monthly gross receipts to the County. Mandatory cleaning and other required fees are part of the taxable rental charge; optional services the guest can decline are not (SCDOR Sales Tax Manual Ch. 11, Q6 to Q9). |
| Registration and renewal | Annual application to Planning, Land Use, and Neighborhoods with liability insurance, proof of at least 24 nights and 4 bookings, and covenants if any. Graduated penalties: $500 at the 3rd violation, revocation at the 4th in a rolling year; operating without a permit can mean a fine up to $500 and a civil penalty up to $1,000 and a 1-year bar. Source: codelibrary.amlegal.com Gross receipts for license and tax filings. The $19 Airbnb Host Tracker totals your gross rental income by month, for each property or all properties together: rent, cleaning and other guest fees from Airbnb, Vrbo and direct stays, before platform fees. Stays are counted in the month they check in. Take a look |
| Recent changes (dated) | Jan 14, 2025: STR rules recodified as Chapter 156 Part 6 (Secs. 156.515 to 156.524) with the 400-unit cap. 2026 renewals closed; remaining permits offered to the wait list. Source: codelibrary.amlegal.com | tompsc.com |
Printable checklist. Mount Pleasant short-term rental host checklist: the rules above as step by step boxes to tick, with sources.
Estimate the lodging tax on a booking in Mount Pleasant with the free Keel & Charter calculator.
What will you keep after taxes and fees? Try the free Mount Pleasant take-home calculator
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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 packPick your area and the permit type, renewal rule, tax stack and official link fill in. Type your expiry dates and each renewal turns red at 30 days or less, gold at 31 to 60. A Tax Filing Log and a Renewal Calendar with 17 published deadlines. Excel, works in Google Sheets.
Get the trackerThree tools in one download: the $19 Rules Data Pack, the $24 Permit and Renewal Tracker and the $39 ListingLift Full Report Kit, an offline tool that turns your own listing into a printable fix list. $33 less than buying all three.
Get the bundleIncome tracker, turnover schedule, house rules and Wi-Fi signs in one download.
Get itTurnaround windows, cleaner status and pay, and a supplies reorder list.
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. Get it with the Rules Data Pack and the Permit and Renewal Tracker in the $49 Coastal SC Host Bundle.
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