York County, SC Short-Term Rentals: Extended Home Share (2026)
Key Facts
- Long-term threshold
- 30+ consecutive days
- Governing section
- § 155.551(D)
- Exempt from
- STR permit, cap, occupancy rules
- Still subject to
- other zoning chapter requirements
- Misclassified stays risk
- $500 per day fine
Summary
York County treats short-term rental stays of 30 days or more as long-term occupancy, not short-term rental use, under Zoning Ordinance § 155.551(D). A homeowner who rents for a continuous period of 30 days or longer is exempt from the county's short-term rental permit, night-cap, and guest-limit rules, though the property must still meet other applicable zoning requirements.
(D) Maximum duration of stay. (1) A short-term rental may provide only short-term lodging, which will be considered overnight occupancy for a continuous period of less than 30 days. (2) Rentals with a duration of 30 days or more are considered long-term and are not subject to the regulations of this subpart but are required to comply with any other applicable regulations of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-49: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 3925, passed 6-16-25).
Full Breakdown
551(D) sets the dividing line between short-term and long-term rental use in York County's unincorporated area. 551(C). 33 even if the same unit is also rented short-term at other points in the year. 551(D)(2) only exempts the arrangement from the short-term rental subpart itself.
Violations & Fines
Because § 155.551(D)(2) exempts qualifying long-term rentals from Subpart 3.33 entirely, there is no short-term rental violation to enforce as long as the stay runs 30 days or more. An owner who advertises a rental as long-term but repeatedly books guests for stays under 30 days can be cited for operating an unpermitted short-term rental under § 155.9999, punishable as a misdemeanor with fines up to $500 per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I rent my home for a full month, do I need a short-term rental permit?
Can I mix short-term and long-term rentals at the same property?
Does converting to long-term rental exempt me from all county rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
Compare York County to another location·View the South Carolina short-term rentals overview
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