How Simpsonville Handles Short-Term Rentals: A Practical Guide

Simpsonville maintains 100 local ordinances across all categories, and 10 of those deal specifically with short-term rentals. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Simpsonville falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Taxes & Fees

STR owners owe local, county, and state taxes, including accommodations taxes. South Carolina imposes a 7% state accommodations tax on transient rentals (SC Code 12-36-920). Simpsonville charges no application fee unless you were caught operating without approval, then a $250 fee applies.

Key details: State accommodations tax: 7% (SC Code 12-36-920). Local taxes: Owner liable, Sec. 10-296(c). Application fee: $250 if non-compliant. Compliant owners fee: No application fee. Taxes owed: Property, sales, use, accommodations.

Failure to pay owed taxes or operating without approval is enforced through misdemeanor penalties (Sec. 10-293/1-9); the $250 fee attaches to unapproved STRs found after the grace period.

Permit Requirements

Yes. Simpsonville requires a city permit before operating any short-term rental. Ordinance O-2025-08 (Chapter 10, Article VI, adopted October 2025) makes it unlawful to run an STR without a currently valid permit, issued only to licensed businesses.

Key details: Permit required: Yes, before operating. Ordinance: O-2025-08, Sec. 10-294. STR threshold: Rentals under 30 days. Business license: Required first. Adopted: October 14, 2025.

Operating without a permit is a misdemeanor (Sec. 10-293), punished under Sec. 1-9; each day is a separate offense. A $250 fee applies to STRs found operating without approval after the 120-day window.

Registration Rules

STR owners apply to the city with owner and agent contact info, proof of ownership, an insurance certificate, a signed acknowledgment of the STR rules, and a tenant agreement. Once issued, the permit and business license must be renewed annually.

Key details: Application section: Sec. 10-295. Renewal: Annually with business license. Transferable: No, non-transferable. HOA certification: Required if in an HOA. City inspection: Owner must grant access.

Permits can be denied, suspended, or revoked (Sec. 10-298) for lapsed insurance, uncorrected violations, or a lapsed business license. Three code-violation convictions in 12 months triggers an automatic 12-month suspension.

Parking Rules

Yes. The STR ordinance requires the owner-guest agreement to acknowledge that parking will be maintained per the city's provisions while the property is used as a short-term rental. Parking must be kept in compliance for the duration of each stay.

Key details: Rule section: Sec. 10-295(a)(10)(c). Requirement: Parking maintained per provisions. Written into: Owner-guest agreement. Agent monitors: Yes, responds to notices. Tied to: City parking/zoning rules.

Parking non-compliance is enforced as a code violation; the agent must respond to city notices (Sec. 10-297(d)). Repeat violations count toward the three-in-12-months suspension trigger (Sec. 10-298).

Occupancy Limits

Yes. Simpsonville's STR ordinance caps occupancy at no more than two adults per bedroom. The tenant agreement each guest signs must acknowledge this limit, and an "adult" is defined as anyone at least 21 years old.

Key details: Adults per bedroom: Maximum 2. Adult defined as: At least 21 years old. Rule section: Sec. 10-295(a)(10)(d). Bedroom count: Must be listed on application. Overcrowding: Agent must respond.

Exceeding occupancy is a code violation; the STR agent must respond to overcrowding notices (Sec. 10-297(d)). Three convictions in 12 months trigger a 12-month permit suspension (Sec. 10-298).

Night Caps

No. Simpsonville's STR ordinance (O-2025-08) sets no annual or per-year cap on how many nights a property may be rented. It defines a short-term rental as a stay of less than 30 days but does not limit the total number of booked nights.

Key details: Annual night cap: None in ordinance. STR defined as: Stay under 30 days. Minimum stay: None stated. HOA limits: May apply separately. Rule section: Sec. 10-292.

No night-cap violation exists; enforcement centers on permitting, occupancy, and code compliance (Sec. 10-298).

Noise Rules

Yes. STR owners must give each guest a written copy of Simpsonville's noise ordinance, and the tenant agreement must acknowledge receipt. The STR agent is required to respond to city notices about unreasonable noise or disturbances.

Key details: Noise ordinance copy: Given to each guest. Rule section: Sec. 10-295(a)(10)(b). Agent duty: Respond to noise notices. Quiet enjoyment: Owner best-efforts pledge. Applies: Citywide noise ordinance.

Noise violations fall under the city noise ordinance and STR enforcement. The agent must respond to disturbance notices; repeat convictions count toward the 12-month suspension trigger (Sec. 10-298).

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

No. Simpsonville does not require an STR to be the owner's primary residence. The ordinance is written for "unhosted" rentals where the owner vacates the property, so non-owner-occupied whole-home rentals are the norm, subject to permitting.

Key details: Primary-residence rule: No, not required. STR type covered: Unhosted (owner vacates). Local presence: Agent within 15 miles. Owner-occupied stays: Only as B&B inn. Rule section: Sec. 10-291, 10-297.

Not applicable as a stand-alone violation; standard STR operation without a permit is a misdemeanor under Sec. 10-293/1-9.

Host Presence Rule

Simpsonville draws a sharp line: "hosted" rentals where the owner stays on-site during the guest's stay are permitted only as a bed-and-breakfast inn where zoning allows. The standard STR permit is for "unhosted" rentals where the owner vacates.

Key details: Hosted STRs: Only as B&B inn. Zoning standard: Sec. 3.2.1 Bed & Breakfast. Unhosted STRs: Standard STR permit. On-site host: Not required for STR. Rule section: Sec. 10-291.

Running a hosted rental outside the B&B framework, or an unhosted STR without a permit, is a misdemeanor under Sec. 10-293 (penalty per Sec. 1-9).

Insurance Requirements

Yes. Simpsonville requires proof of property and liability insurance, including any prerequisite short-term rental rider, when you apply for an STR permit. Letting insurance lapse is grounds for automatic permit revocation.

Key details: Insurance required: Yes, property and liability. STR rider: Required if prerequisite. Rule section: Sec. 10-295(a)(6). Lapse consequence: Permit revocation. City liability: None assumed.

Lacking required insurance is grounds for permit denial, suspension, or revocation (Sec. 10-298(a)(2)).

The Bottom Line

Simpsonville's short-term rentals rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Simpsonville is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Simpsonville's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.