Short-term rental permit rules in Richland County, SC — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Yes. Since April 2024, short-term rentals in unincorporated Richland County must obtain a Richland County business license and register the property before renting. STRs are only allowed in certain zoning districts under the Land Development Code effective March 2024.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82 requires the owner or responsible local representative offering a property as a short-term rental to obtain a business license and comply with all county and state business-license and revenue laws. The rental must also be registered through the county's eTRAKiT web portal with owner contact and property details. The county's Land Development Code, effective March 1, 2024, only permits short-term rentals in certain zoning designations, so location determines eligibility. Inside Columbia, Forest Acres, Blythewood or other municipalities the city's own STR ordinance governs, not the county's.
Operating without the required business license and registration violates Sec. 16-82; the county may perform a compliance safety inspection and enforce county ordinances and revenue-collection laws.
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See how Richland County's permit requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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