Owner-occupied only
This city requires the owner to live at the property. If you do not, you do not qualify at any price.
| Application fee one-time | $345.00 |
| STR permit / registration same charge as application fee | included |
| Business licence annual | $64.00 |
| Inspection one-time | $40.00 |
| First-year total | $449.00 |
| 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
- Property must be owner's primary residence (4% tax rate). Must provide 3 off-street parking spaces (2 for residential, 1 for STR). Host must sleep overnight at the property whenever it is being rented. In the part of the city inside Berkeley County the accommodations tax totals 12%, not 14%. Fire inspection is a $40 application fee, a $32.61 plan review fee and a $32.61 inspection fee ($105.22 in all); only the $40 is in the totals above. The residential application's sworn affidavit requires liability insurance of no less than $1,000,000 per occurrence (personal injury and property damage).
- Liability cover of at least $1,000,000.00 required.
Source: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18524/Short-Term-Rental-Tri-Fold-Application-Guide?bidId=
Checked 2026-10-07 · Sections 54-208 and 54-227