Short-term rental & Airbnb taxes in Charleston, SC (2026)
Short-term rental guests in Charleston pay roughly 14% in combined occupancy and lodging taxes. Here's the itemized breakdown, who collects each one, and what you may need to remit yourself.
Itemized tax rates
| Tax | Rate | Who collects |
|---|---|---|
| SC State Sales TaxState-administered; Airbnb/Vrbo collect and remit for platform bookings. Hosts taking direct bookings must register with SC DOR and remit. | 5% | platform |
| SC State Accommodations TaxState-administered; collected by major platforms for platform bookings. | 2% | platform |
| Local Option Sales Tax (Charleston County)State-administered local tax; Airbnb collects local taxes administered by the state. | 1% | platform |
| Charleston County Transportation TaxState-administered local tax remitted to the state. | 1% | platform |
| School District / Education TaxState-administered local tax remitted to the state. | 1% | platform |
| Charleston County Local Accommodations TaxRemitted to Charleston County. Airbnb's SC tax page lists a 2% Charleston County accommodations fee it collects, but the city warns that not all platforms collect local accommodations taxes and the owner remains ultimately responsible. | 2% | varies |
| City of Charleston Local Accommodations TaxAirbnb lists the 2% City of Charleston local accommodations tax among taxes it collects, but the city states not all booking entities remit local accommodations tax on the host's behalf; owner is ultimately responsible. Total lodging tax load for city properties in Charleston County is 14.0% (12.0% for the Berkeley County portion of the city, which lacks the county-level add-ons). | 2% | varies |
What will guests pay on a Charleston stay?
Enter a nightly rate to see the itemized occupancy-tax cost.
Charleston occupancy tax calculator
| Gross rent | $450.00 |
| SC State Sales Tax (5%)· usually collected by platform | $22.50 |
| SC State Accommodations Tax (2%)· usually collected by platform | $9.00 |
| Local Option Sales Tax (Charleston County) (1%)· usually collected by platform | $4.50 |
| Charleston County Transportation Tax (1%)· usually collected by platform | $4.50 |
| School District / Education Tax (1%)· usually collected by platform | $4.50 |
| Charleston County Local Accommodations Tax (2%)· collection varies | $9.00 |
| City of Charleston Local Accommodations Tax (2%)· collection varies | $9.00 |
| Total tax (14%) | $63.00 |
| Guest pays | $513.00 |
Estimate only. Platform collection varies by listing site and agreement; verify rates with the taxing authorities.
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Verified July 10, 2026. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Tax rates and collection rules change; confirm current requirements with Charleston and your booking platform.