Columbia, SC Short-Term Rentals: Repeat Violator Strikes (2026)

City Code Sec. 5-407(c) lays out a graduated points ladder tied to citations, violations, or offenses connected to a short-term rental. A first occurrence draws one point under Sec. 5-407(c)(1)a. A second occurrence, and every occurrence after it within the last 12 months, draws five points under Sec. 5-407(c)(1)b. A 'serious offense,' defined as one that could cause serious bodily injury or death, or a failure to comply with an emergency or executive order addressing a health or safety concern such as a pandemic, natural disaster, or terrorist act, draws ten points under Sec.

5-407(c)(1)c. Each time points are assessed, Sec. 5-407(c)(2) requires the police chief or designee to send a written warning by regular mail identifying the ordinance violated, and Sec. 00 per point, due within 30 days of assessment or by the next renewal. If a person is found not guilty or the case is dismissed, Sec. 5-407(c)(4) removes the point as if it were never assessed. Once a permit accumulates 15 or more points within a 12-month period, Sec. 5-408(a) triggers formal revocation proceedings: written notice to show cause, a 15-day window to request a hearing before the Property Maintenance Board of Appeals, and, if no timely request is made, automatic revocation on the 21st day after service.

Sec. 5-409 bars a revoked owner from reapplying for six months, and the city will never reissue a permit for a dwelling unit revoked more than once. STR owners can also self-correct: Sec. 5-341 lets a permit holder propose a city-approved remediation plan that suspends point accrual during compliance and erases prior points on successful completion.