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Short-term rental permit cost in Charleston, SC

Every figure below comes from the city itself, checked 2026-09-23.

Permitted, with conditions

This city requires the owner to live at the property. If you do not, you do not qualify at any price.

First year
Application fee one-time$200.00
STR permit / registration annual$345.00
Business licence annual$64.00
Inspection one-time$40.00
First-year total$649.00
Every year after
Permit renewal annual$345.00
Business licence annual$64.00
Recurring annual$409.00

Combined lodging tax: 14.0% of revenue. Charged on what you earn, so it is not in the totals above.

Conditions attached

Source: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18524/Short-Term-Rental-Tri-Fold-Application-Guide?bidId=
Checked 2026-09-23 · Sections 54-208 and 54-227

Check with the city before you buy anything. Rules change, and a page that was right last month can be wrong today. This is a starting point for the right questions, not legal advice.