Spartanburg County, SC Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Spartanburg County, SC, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- County STR permit
- None (no county STR zoning)
- City requirement
- Business license + zoning verification
- City allowed zones
- Commercial, downtown, mixed-use
- City residential zones
- STRs prohibited
- City contact
- 440 S Church St, Planning
Summary
Unincorporated Spartanburg County has no zoning permit for short-term rentals: the county's Planning Department does not regulate them. Inside the City of Spartanburg, STRs are treated like hotels/motels and need a business license plus zoning verification and certificate of occupancy.
The County Planning Department does not have zoning regulations pertaining to short-term rentals.
Full Breakdown
Spartanburg County confirms on its official FAQ that the Planning Department has no zoning regulations for short-term rentals, and the unincorporated county lacks traditional use-based zoning. So no county STR permit exists: operators still owe accommodations taxes. Within the City of Spartanburg, staff treat STRs as hotel/motel uses: they are permitted only in commercial, downtown, and mixed-use districts (not residential zones), and require a city business license, zoning verification, and certificate of occupancy from Building Inspections. Contact City Planning at 440 S Church St before listing.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unlicensed STR inside city limits, or in a prohibited residential zone, exposes the owner to zoning-enforcement and business-license penalties from the City of Spartanburg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Spartanburg County require an STR permit?
Can I run an Airbnb in a City of Spartanburg neighborhood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spartanburg County
How Spartanburg County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Spartanburg County to another location·View the South Carolina short-term rentals overview
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