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Charleston County, SC Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified July 2026

Key Facts

Insurance mandate
None in Article 6.8
Required instead
Building Safety Permit
Owner must contact
County Building Services
5+ bedrooms
Extra building-code review
Recommended
STR / landlord policy endorsement

Summary

Charleston County's Article 6.8 does not require a specific liability-insurance policy for short-term rentals. Instead, owners must comply with all county building-code requirements and obtain a Building Safety Permit; hosts should still confirm insurance with their carrier and platform.

City-specific rules exist: Charleston has its own insurance requirements rules that differ from Charleston County's county-level regulations. If you live in Charleston, check the city-specific page instead.

The property owner is responsible for contacting the Charleston County Building Services Department... to ensure the Short-Term Rental Property complies with all Charleston County Building Code requirements. This will include applying for and receiving a Building Safety Permit.

Full Breakdown

The STR permit application does not list a mandatory insurance amount. Its safety obligations are code-based: the owner is responsible for contacting the Charleston County Building Services Department to ensure the STR complies with all Charleston County Building Code requirements, which includes applying for and receiving a Building Safety Permit. Using five or more bedrooms for STR use may trigger additional building-code requirements. While Article 6.8 imposes no insurance mandate, standard homeowner policies often exclude commercial short-term rental activity, so operators typically add a short-term-rental or landlord endorsement and rely on any host-protection coverage offered by their booking platform.

Violations & Fines

Operating without required building-code compliance or a Building Safety Permit is enforced by Building Services and under Article 6.8.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Charleston County require STR insurance?
No. Article 6.8 sets no insurance minimum, but owners must meet building-code requirements and obtain a Building Safety Permit.
Is my homeowner policy enough?
Often not. Homeowner policies frequently exclude commercial rental use, so hosts usually add an STR or landlord endorsement and check platform coverage.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Charleston County

All Charleston County rules

Compare Charleston County to another location·View the South Carolina short-term rentals overview

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