10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Richland County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Yes. Since April 2024, short-term rentals in unincorporated Richland County must obtain a Richland County business license and register the property before renting. STRs are only allowed in certain zoning districts under the Land Development Code effective March 2024.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82
The owner or responsible local representative offering a property or portion of a property as a short-term rental shall obtain a business license and comply with all business license and revenue collection laws of the Richland County and State of South Carolina.
Richland County's STR ordinance does not set a separate decibel limit for rentals. Sec. 16-82 requires the property to comply with all county ordinances at all times, so the county noise ordinance applies to short-term rentals just as it does to any residence.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82
The owner or responsible local representative of a permitted short-term rental shall ensure the short-term rental property complies with all county ordinances at all times...
Short-term rental guests pay South Carolina's 7% state accommodations tax (SC Code 12-36-920) plus Richland County's 3% local accommodations tax, remitted monthly. Operators also pay a county business-license fee based on gross receipts.
SC Code Section 12-36-920(A)
A sales tax equal to seven percent is imposed on the gross proceeds derived from the rental or charges for any rooms, campground spaces, lodgings, or sleeping accommodations furnished to transients...
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82 requires two designated parking spaces per short-term rental property, and guests must be notified of the parking plan and the maximum number of vehicles allowed.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82
Two (2) parking spaces per short-term rental property must be made available and designated, and guests must be notified of the parking plan and the maximum number of vehicles allowed.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82 caps overnight occupancy at two persons per bedroom (as defined in the International Building Code), excluding minor children, plus two additional people per dwelling unit.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82
The maximum overnight occupancy of a short-term rental shall not exceed two (2) persons, excluding minor children, per bedroom, as defined in the International Building Code, plus two (2) additional people per dwelling unit.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82 does not spell out a specific liability-insurance minimum, but it authorizes county safety inspections and requires ongoing compliance with all county ordinances. The county gives 24 hours' notice before most inspections.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82
A safety inspection to ensure compliance with the provisions of this article may be performed by the county or its designated third-party as deemed necessary by the county... providing the owner or responsible local representative with twenty-four (24) hours' notice unless a serious violation... exists and immediate remediation is necessary.
Richland County's STR ordinance sets no explicit annual cap on the number of nights a property may be rented. Instead, eligibility is controlled through zoning, the owner-occupancy residency test, and registration under Sec. 16-82.
Owners must register each unincorporated Richland County short-term rental through the county's eTRAKiT web portal, providing owner contact information and property details, in addition to holding a county business license. Allow up to about 10 business days for processing.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82
The property owner or responsible local representative must be willing to take phone calls at all times to address issues with the short-term rental, and the responsible local representative must be authorized to accept service of process on behalf of the owner.
Richland County does not require the host to be physically present during a stay, but Sec. 16-82 requires a responsible local representative who can take phone calls at all times and is authorized to accept service of process for the owner.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82
The property owner or responsible local representative must be willing to take phone calls at all times to address issues with the short-term rental, and the responsible local representative must be authorized to accept service of process on behalf of the owner.
Richland County's Land Development Code distinguishes owner-occupied from non-owner-occupied short-term rentals. Owner-occupied STRs require the owner to reside on the property at least 183 days per year, and non-owner-occupied STRs are not allowed in residential districts.
1 cities in Richland County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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