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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
60 permits per council district; districts 5, 6, 8 and 10 are full, so new applicants wait for openings.
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 | Legally established dwelling units; RVs not eligible. Zone list: unknown (see Zoning Sec. 4-21). Source: www.northcharleston.org |
| Permit or license | City STR permit plus a business license (issued after preliminary approval). Building and fire inspections required. STR decal posted at the door; permit number and max occupancy in every listing. 24-hour contact on site within 30 minutes. Source: www.northcharleston.org |
| Fees | STR application fee $350 new, $250 renewal (non-refundable). Business license: amount unknown. Source: www.northcharleston.org |
| Caps or wait list | Cap of 60 STR permits per Council district (Sec. 4-21(f)(1)); room rentals in owner-occupied homes are exempt. Districts 5, 6, 8 and 10 are over 60; applications there are processed in order as permits drop below 60. Existing permits can renew even over the cap. Source: www.northcharleston.org |
| Owner-occupancy | Not required for whole-unit STRs; owner-occupied room rentals are exempt from the cap. Source: www.northcharleston.org |
| Occupancy limit | 2 persons per bedroom, maximum 8 (including children). No events; max 29 consecutive days per stay. 4th Notice of Violation in a year voids the permit. Source: www.northcharleston.org |
| Parking | 1 off-street or allocated space per 2 bedrooms rented, maximum 4 spaces. Source: www.northcharleston.org |
| Taxes on stays | Varies by county part. The City accommodations tax is 2% citywide (stays under 30 days), remitted monthly to Charleston County. Charleston County part, 14% 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% (remitted to Charleston County). Berkeley County part, 14% total: SCDOR 10% (state sales 5%, state accommodations 2%, education capital improvement 1%, transportation 1%, local option 1%); City 2%; Berkeley County accommodations fee 2% (Ord. 21-05-28, applies inside municipalities, remitted to the Berkeley County Treasurer by the 20th). Dorchester County part: at least 10% (SCDOR 8%: state sales 5%, state accommodations 2%, transportation 1%; City 2%); a Dorchester County local accommodations tax is unverified: the SC Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office lists a 2% county rate for FY 2023-24 as reported by the county (unaudited), but no county ordinance confirming the rate or whether it applies inside the city was reachable (the county site blocks automated access; its 2% hospitality tax covers prepared food and beverages only). Airbnb collects the SCDOR taxes and the City 2%; Vrbo collects in all Charleston County jurisdictions. Platform collection of the Berkeley County fee is unknown. 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 | STR permit renews annually by Feb 28; business license by Apr 30. HOA or POA approval required if applicable. Source: www.northcharleston.org 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) | May 26, 2022: ordinance adopted, effective Jan 1, 2023; amended in 2023 and 2025 (exact 2025 date unknown). Source: www.northcharleston.org |
Printable checklist. North Charleston short-term rental host checklist: the rules above as step by step boxes to tick, with sources.
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What will you keep after taxes and fees? Try the free North Charleston 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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