Richland County, SC Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- On-site host required
- No
- Local representative
- Required, on call at all times
- Rep authority
- Accept service of process
- Owner-occupied residency
- 183 days/year (LDC)
- Governing law
- Richland County Code Sec. 16-82
Summary
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.
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.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-24: This supplement is current through Ordinance No. 033-25HR).
Full Breakdown
The county ordinance substitutes a reachable local contact for physical host presence. Under Sec. 16-82, the property owner or responsible local representative must be willing to take phone calls at all times to address issues, and the responsible local representative must be authorized to accept service of process on behalf of the owner. This means an absentee owner can operate a qualifying STR as long as a designated local agent is on call around the clock. Separately, owner-occupied STRs under the Land Development Code require the owner to live on the property at least 183 days per year, which is a residency test, not a nightly-presence rule.
Violations & Fines
Failing to maintain a reachable, service-of-process-authorized local representative violates Sec. 16-82 and undermines registration compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to live at my Richland County short-term rental?
Can an out-of-state owner run an STR here?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Richland County
Compare Richland County to another location·View the South Carolina short-term rentals overview
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