Mount Pleasant, SC Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Mount Pleasant, SC, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Application fee, owner-occupied
- $250, non-refundable
- Application fee, whole-house/ADU
- $500, non-refundable
- Citywide cap
- 400 STR permits, § 156.518
- Renewal window
- Nov 15 to Dec 15 annually
- Unpermitted operation penalty
- Up to $500 fine, 30 days, $1,000 civil penalty
Summary
Operating a short-term rental in the Town of Mount Pleasant requires an annual STR permit under § 156.519, backed by a $250 non-refundable application fee for owner-occupied units or $500 for whole-house rentals and ADUs. The Town caps total STR permits townwide at 400 under § 156.518.
(A) To operate each STR, one must obtain an STR permit, which must be applied for on an annual basis as follows: (1) STR permit requirements. The following requirements must be met prior to issuance of an STR permit: (a) The approved STR application; (b) Payment of STR permit application fees; and (c) Payment of business license fees for STR permits held during the previous year. ... (C) Permit application fee. At the time of the application, a non-refundable application fee of $250 shall be paid for owner-occupied STRs. In the case of whole-house rentals and ADUs, a non-refundable application fee of $500 shall be paid.
Full Breakdown
519(A) requires anyone operating an STR to obtain a permit applied for annually, conditioned on an approved application, payment of the permit application fee, and payment of business license fees owed for the previous year. 518, while late renewals and new applicants compete for any remaining slots starting January 1. An application from an operator who ran an STR illegally the prior year draws a $500 penalty fee on top of standard permit fees. Permits do not transfer with a sale of the property, except to a surviving joint tenant who is an immediate family member.
519(C) sets the fee schedule: $250 for owner-occupied STRs and $500 for whole-house rentals or accessory dwelling unit rentals, both non-refundable and set by Town Council. A business license under Chapter 110, administered after the STR permit issues, is also required and must be renewed yearly, with the license number and maximum occupancy posted inside the unit.
Violations & Fines
Operating an STR without a valid permit is punishable, upon conviction, by a fine of not more than $500, imprisonment of not more than 30 days, or both, plus a civil penalty of up to $1,000 under § 156.522(C); an owner convicted or assessed that civil penalty cannot apply for any STR permit for one year. Graduated penalties for permitted operators run from written warnings on the first two violations to a $500 penalty on the third and permit revocation with business license revocation proceedings on the fourth, per § 156.522(B).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a short-term rental permit cost in Mount Pleasant?
Is there a limit on how many short-term rentals Mount Pleasant allows?
What happens if I operate a short-term rental without a permit in Mount Pleasant?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Pleasant
How Mount Pleasant compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Mount Pleasant to another location·View the South Carolina short-term rentals overview
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Short-Term Rental Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Charleston County handle short-term rental permits.