Charleston, SC Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max occupancy
- 4 adults per STR unit
- Stay length
- 1 to 29 consecutive days
- Units per property
- 1 STR unit maximum
- Owner residency
- Owner must reside on-site overnight
- Liability insurance
- $1,000,000 minimum coverage
- Violation
- Misdemeanor; each day a separate offense
Summary
Charleston caps every residential short-term rental unit at four adults, defined as anyone 18 or older, for stays of one to 29 consecutive days. The limit applies identically under all three STR permit categories: Category 1 in the Old and Historic District, Category 2 on the peninsula outside that district, and Category 3 everywhere else off the peninsula, under Zoning Ordinance Sections 54-208.1 through 54-208.3.
a.An STR use may be established in a dwelling unit as an accessory to the principal residential use, on any property located within the Old and Historic District, where the zoning administrator, after reviewing an STR Permit application, finds that the following requirements are met:1.The property shall not contain more than one (1) STR unit. Each unit shall consist of one or more rooms arranged for the purpose of providing sleeping accommodations for occupancy for one (1) to twenty-nine (29) consecutive days by up to four (4) adults. For the purposes of this Section, an adult shall include any person eighteen (18) years of age or older; and
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 114 | Zoning: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
3 (Category 3, everywhere off the peninsula). Each of the three categories repeats the same headcount limit: no more than four adults, with 'adult' defined in the ordinance as anyone 18 years of age or older, for stays running one to 29 consecutive days. A property may hold only one STR unit, the unit must sit inside an existing structure, and Category 1 units must occupy a structure individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Beyond the occupancy figure, Section 54-208(b) requires the record owner to reside on-site overnight while guests are present, carry at least $1,000,000 in liability coverage, keep a guest register of names, addresses, phone numbers and dates of occupancy, and display the STR permit number on every listing and advertisement, including Airbnb and VRBO postings.
New applications require a notarized submission, an application fee, floor plans marking the sleeping rooms, and a 15-day posting period on the property before the zoning administrator can approve the permit, followed by a five-business-day appeal window before it issues.
Violations & Fines
Operating, expanding, or advertising an STR beyond the four-adult cap or without a valid permit is a misdemeanor under Section 54-208(e), punishable by a fine, incarceration, or both, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense. The zoning administrator can also revoke the STR permit outright for any violation, and a host whose permit was revoked in the prior 24 months is barred from receiving a new one under Sections 54-208.1 through 54-208.3.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Charleston's four-adult STR cap include children?
Can I rent out more than one short-term rental unit in Charleston?
Do I have to live at the property to operate an STR in Charleston?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston
Compare Charleston to another location·View the South Carolina short-term rentals overview
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Occupancy Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Charleston County handle occupancy limits.