LicensedRental

Beaufort County, South Carolina

Beaufort, SC vacation rental requirements

The City of Beaufort caps short-term rentals at 4% of eligible parcels in its designated neighborhoods and 3% in the National Historic Landmark District, with a waitlist once a cap is reached. New rentals must be 300 feet from any other, keep a 2-night minimum, and have a monitored fire alarm. Tax is 10%.

Checked against official sources November 6, 2026

Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.

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Market
358 Airbnb listings
Beaufort postal area, including Lady’s Island (AirROI).Source
Cap
4% of parcels; 3% in the Historic District
In T3-S, T3-N, T4-HN, T4-N and T5-UC neighborhoods. Applications over the cap go on a waitlist.Source
Spacing
300 feet from another rental
Rentals licensed before April 28, 2026 are exempt until sold, revoked, or unrented for six months.Source
Minimum stay
2 nights
Taxes
10%
7% state + 3% city local accommodations fee.Source

Three strikes in 12 months: a written warning, then a $500 fine, then suspension or revocation of the business license. Operating without a license bars a new rental license for two years.

Narrow exceptions to the cap cover rehabilitated properties from the city’s abandoned or dilapidated list (bought January 1, 2025 to April 28, 2026), one inheritance, and multiple rentals on one parcel that were lawful before April 28, 2026.

The ordinance adds an annual short-term rental fee set by city council, but we didn’t find the amount. Ask the Business License Division.

Your licensing checklist

In order: the state, the county, then the town.

State of South Carolina

  1. Get a retail license for direct bookings

    If you take bookings yourself, you need a SCDOR retail license for each rental property and must file and pay electronically through MyDORWAY. If you rent only through a property manager or an online travel company that takes the payment, they remit the state tax and you don’t need a license. Rent no more than one week a quarter and you can file once a year instead.Source

    MyDORWAY →

  2. Know what the platform collects

    Airbnb collects the 5% sales tax, 2% accommodations tax, and the local sales taxes the state collects, on its bookings. It also collects some county and city accommodations taxes, but only in the places it lists. Everything else is yours to file.Source

  3. Register for local taxes

    Many counties and cities charge their own accommodations tax (up to 3%), a hospitality tax, or a beach preservation fee. They collect these directly, so you register with the county or city even if a platform pays your state tax.Source

  4. Check your property tax rate

    A home that is your legal residence keeps the 4% assessment ratio only if it is rented out 72 days or less a year. Rent it more and it is taxed as a 6% rental property. Ask your county assessor.Source

  5. Then your county and city

    Business licenses, rental permits, and zoning are where South Carolina towns differ most. Pick your area.

Beaufort County, South Carolina

  1. Find out who governs your address

    A Hilton Head, Bluffton, Beaufort, or Port Royal address may be outside town limits. If it is, the county’s permit, business license, and 3% accommodations tax apply instead. Check your parcel before you apply.

  2. Then your town or area

    Permits, caps, and fees differ in every town. Pick your area.

City of Beaufort

  1. Check the cap and spacing first

    Use the city’s interactive neighborhood map, then email the Business License Office to confirm a spot is open; the map doesn’t show pending applications. Only one rental is allowed per parcel, and it must be 300 feet from the nearest rental.Source

    City of Beaufort short-term rentals →

  2. Apply for the conditional use permit

    Submit the application with the $100 fee, a site plan showing parking at the side or rear (not the front yard), a property management plan, your rental agreement, and an HOA president’s letter if the home has covenants. Rentals found operating before approval pay a $1,000 post facto fee.Source

  3. Install a monitored fire alarm and pass inspection

    After approval, install a monitored fire alarm and send proof of the monitoring contract. Then pay the $50 safety inspection fee and call 843-525-7041 to schedule.Source

  4. Get the business license last

    The owner, and a property manager who isn’t the owner, need City of Beaufort business licenses. Don’t rent until the license is issued. The city then mails notice to all neighboring owners.Source

  5. Register for state and local taxes

    The state-collected tax on stays here is 7% (state sales and accommodations tax plus local sales taxes). Airbnb collects it on its bookings; for direct bookings, get a SCDOR retail license and file through MyDORWAY. Collect the city’s 3% local accommodations fee and send it to the city monthly by the 20th. Airbnb’s South Carolina tax article doesn’t list the City of Beaufort’s local accommodations tax, so plan to file it yourself, including on Airbnb bookings.Source

Fees

$150 to apply and inspect, plus an annual fee and the business license tax

Application$100
Safety inspection$50
Post facto applicationFor rentals operating before approval.$1,000
Annual short-term rental feeWe didn’t find the amount.Set by city council

Source

House rules for guests

Maximum guests
2 adults per bedroom
Source
Events
No more than 25 people
Weddings and reunions need city approval; no outdoor amplified music.Source
Local contact
On site within 1 hour
A backup manager is required unless you don’t rent while away.Source
Quiet hours
9 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Source

Sources

A plain-language summary to help you prepare, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; confirm with the office before you apply. Spot something out of date? Email hello@licensedrental.com.