Can I Airbnb in Charleston, SC? (2026)

Short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) are legal in Charleston only at the owner's full-time primary residence (verified via the county 4% legal-residence tax exemption): the record owner must live there at least 183 days a year, must sleep on the property overnight while guests are present, and may host no more than 4 adults in a single STR unit per property. Every operator needs an annually renewed Short Term Rental Operational Permit ($345 zoning/application review fee since Jan 1, 2024, plus fire-review and business-license fees) and a city business license, and non-owner-occupied 'whole-house' investment rentals are effectively banned citywide. Always confirm current requirements with the city before operating.

What’s required: a Short Term Rental (STR) Operational Permit (Certificate of Operation), plus City of Charleston business license ($345) is required; rentals are limited to your primary residence; occupancy taxes apply; renew annual.