Short-term rental operators in Charleston must collect 6 percent city hotel occupancy tax on every booking under 30 nights, in addition to the 6 percent West Virginia hotel tax, and remit monthly to the Finance Department.
West Virginia Code Chapter 7 Article 18 authorizes municipal hotel occupancy taxes, and Charleston has adopted a 6 percent rate that applies to any rental of a room or dwelling for fewer than 30 consecutive days. The tax applies whether bookings come through Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, or direct rental, although platforms may collect the state portion automatically. Hosts file monthly returns with the city Finance Department and pay by the fifteenth of the following month. Failure to remit subjects operators to penalties, interest, and possible license revocation.
Failing to collect or remit hotel tax may trigger audit, back-tax with interest, civil penalties, and revocation of the business license under Chapter 10.
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