Mount Pleasant, SC Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- ADU rental allowed
- Yes, if owner lives on site or rents only one unit
- Dual rental
- Prohibited unless owner-occupied
- Max occupants in ADU
- 3 persons
- Application fee
- $500, non-refundable (ADU/whole-house rate)
- Governing cap
- 400 total STR permits, § 156.518
Summary
In the Town of Mount Pleasant, an owner with a legally established accessory dwelling unit may rent the ADU or the principal dwelling to one STR guest, but § 156.519(B)(1)(b)3 bars renting both separately unless the owner lives on site. ADU occupancy under this scenario is capped at three persons.
3. Where there is a legally established accessory dwelling unit, an STR operator may rent their accessory dwelling unit, in its entirety, to one "guest" or "entity," or an STR operator may rent their principal residential dwelling unit, in its entirety, to one "guest" or "entity." If the owner does not live on site, in no case shall the ADU and principal residential dwelling unit be rented separately. Occupancy of an accessory dwelling unit is limited to no more than three persons;
Full Breakdown
519(B)(1)(b) defines three scenarios that qualify as an individual residential dwelling unit for STR permitting purposes, and the third governs properties with a legally established accessory dwelling unit. Under that scenario, an STR operator may rent the ADU in its entirety to one guest or entity, or rent the principal residential dwelling unit in its entirety to one guest or entity, but if the owner does not live on site, the ADU and the principal dwelling can never be rented out separately at the same time.
521(D). 519(C), rather than the $250 owner-occupied rate. 519(A), a Chapter 110 business license, and at least one additional off-street parking space for the unit rented. 518, so an ADU rental competes for a permit slot the same as any other STR type in the Town.
Violations & Fines
Renting the ADU and the principal dwelling unit separately without the owner living on site violates § 156.519(B)(1)(b)3 and is treated as operating outside the permit's authorized scenario, a violation under § 156.522(A)(1)-(2) subject to graduated penalties culminating in permit revocation on a fourth violation. Operating either dwelling as an STR without any valid permit carries the § 156.522(C) penalty of a fine up to $500, imprisonment up to 30 days, and a civil penalty up to $1,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent my ADU and my main house separately as short-term rentals in Mount Pleasant?
How many people can stay in an accessory dwelling unit STR in Mount Pleasant?
What does an ADU short-term rental permit cost in Mount Pleasant?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Pleasant
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