Beaufort County, SC Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum rental term without STRP permit
- 30 consecutive days
- ADUs per lot under 3 acres
- 1
- ADUs per lot 3+ acres
- 2
- ADU size cap
- No larger than primary dwelling
- Extra parking (conventional zones)
- 1 space
- Governing section
- CDC § 4.2.30(H)
Summary
Accessory dwelling units in unincorporated Beaufort County cannot be leased for stays under 30 consecutive days unless the property first obtains a Short-Term Rental Property Permit under Community Development Code Section 4.2.30(H), a limit layered onto the county's one-ADU-per-lot density cap.
H.Rental. Accessory dwelling units shall not be leased or rented for tenancies of less than 30 consecutive days, unless approved as a Short-Term Rental Property (STRP) following the requirements and procedures of Division 4.1.360.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 55 Update 1 | Community Development Code: Supplement 16).
Full Breakdown
30 governs accessory or secondary dwelling units county-wide, whether attached or detached, and permits them only as accessory to single-family detached dwellings. Density is capped at one ADU per lot under three acres, or two ADUs on lots of three acres or more. An ADU cannot exceed the primary dwelling's heated square footage; in the T2 transect zone and conventional zones it must be between 300 and 1,000 heated square feet or built as a carriage house type, while in every other transect zone it must be a carriage house type.
The unit must match the architectural design, style, and character of the principal dwelling, and conventional zones require one additional off-street parking space beyond what the primary house needs. An ADU cannot be sold apart from the principal dwelling on the same lot, and recreational vehicles and travel trailers cannot serve as ADUs. 360, which requires its own permit, business license, and annual renewal. That cross-reference means an ADU owner who wants to rent nightly or weekly must go through the full STRP application process rather than simply leasing the unit short-term.
Violations & Fines
An ADU rented for stays under 30 consecutive days without an STRP permit is an unpermitted short-term rental use under Section 4.2.30(H), enforced through the Community Development Department's permit compliance and site inspection process; the owner must obtain the required STRP permit and business license under Section 4.1.360 before the short-term rental can legally continue, or face the same administrative enforcement that applies to any unpermitted STRP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent my Beaufort County ADU out nightly on a booking platform?
How many accessory dwelling units can a Beaufort County lot have?
Can I sell my ADU separately from the main house in Beaufort County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Beaufort County
Compare Beaufort County to another location·View the South Carolina accessory structures overview
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