Short-Term Rentals in Columbia, SC (2026)
5 verified short-term rentals rules for Columbia, South Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Short-Term Rental Permits
No dwelling in Columbia may operate as a short-term rental without a current annual STR permit from the city. Permits are non-transferable, tied to one address, and limited to owners or agents based within 45 miles of the property.
Columbia Short-Term Rental Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsColumbia, SC Code of Ordinances Sec. 5-403(a)
(a)No dwelling unit in the city shall be operated as a short-term rental without a current STR permit issued by the City of Columbia. The permitting process shall begin 30 days after enactment of this article. Current owners of a STR must obtain a permit within 120 days of the beginning of the permitting process. Permits are to be issued and renewed on an annual basis and will only be issued or...
Taxes & Fees
Columbia charges a $50 non-refundable application fee for every STR permit, plus a $100 registration fee for owner-occupied units or $250 for non-owner-occupied units, with a $100 late fee for renewals filed after July 1.
Columbia STR Permit Fees and Charges
Some RestrictionsColumbia, SC Code of Ordinances Sec. 5-404(b)
(b)The permit fees shall be paid at the time of application submission. These fees are established by city council and may be changed from time to time. These fees include the following:(1)A non-refundable application fee of $50.00; and(2)For an owner-occupied STR, a non-refundable STR permit registration fee of $100.00; or(3)For a non-owner-occupied STR, a non-refundable STR permit registratio...
Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Columbia requires two designated parking spaces per short-term rental dwelling unit in residential districts. Hosts must tell guests where to park and how many vehicles are allowed, with a narrow administrative exemption for lots that physically cannot fit the spaces.
Columbia STR Parking Space Requirements
Some RestrictionsColumbia, SC Code of Ordinances Sec. 5-402(12)
(12)Parking spaces required. Two parking spaces per dwelling unit must be made available and designated on an STR property, within residential districts, as defined in section 17-3.2. Guests must be notified of the parking plan and the maximum number of vehicles allowed.a.Exemption. The police chief or his/her designee may make an administrative adjustment to the parking requirement if it is de...
Occupancy Limits
Sec. 5-402(13) limits every permitted short-term rental in Columbia to two overnight guests per bedroom, excluding minor children, plus two more people for the whole dwelling unit. The cap sits alongside the two-parking-space rule and 18-and-older booking-guest requirement that govern every STR permit in the city.
Columbia Caps Short-Term Rental Overnight Occupancy
Some RestrictionsColumbia, SC Code of Ordinances § 5-402(13)
Maximum occupancy. The maximum overnight occupancy of an STR shall not exceed two persons, excluding minor children, per bedroom, plus two additional people per dwelling unit.
Repeat Violator Strikes
Columbia runs a points-based strike system against STR permits: one point for a first violation, five for each repeat within 12 months, and ten for a serious safety violation, with revocation proceedings triggered at 15 points.
Columbia STR Points System and Revocation
Significant RestrictionsColumbia, SC Code of Ordinances Sec. 5-407(c)
(c)In the event a citation or violation takes place at an STR or dwelling unit regulated by this article, such violation shall be grounds for the accumulation of points as follows:(1)For one or more written warnings given in any 24-hour period for one or more of the violations listed above, points will be assessed on the permit for that STR or dwelling unit in accordance with following:a.First ...
Looking for Richland County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Columbia city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Richland County →