LicensedRental

Lexington County, South Carolina

Chapin, SC vacation rental requirements

We found no short-term rental permit or rules in Chapin’s code. You owe 8% state-collected tax, and the town may require a business license.

Checked against official sources November 6, 2026

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Town rental permit
None found
Taxes
8% state-collected tax

We searched Chapin’s code in November 2026 and found no short-term rental rules. Chapter 5 has rental registration rules for non-owner-occupied property; ask the town whether they cover short-term rentals. Most Chapin-area lake homes are outside town limits; see the unincorporated Lexington County page.

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.

Lexington County, South Carolina

  1. Inside or outside a town?

    Outside town limits, including most of Lake Murray’s Lexington County shore, you need the county’s Short-Term Rental Zoning Permit. Inside a town, follow the town’s rules.Source

  2. Then your city or area

    Pick your area.

Town of Chapin

  1. Register for state and local taxes

    The state-collected tax on stays here is 8% (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. We found no town accommodations tax in Chapin’s code (it has a hospitality tax on food and drink). Ask the town which business license class applies.Source

  2. Ask about zoning and a business license

    Ask the Town of Chapin whether zoning allows a short-term rental at your address and whether you need a business license. Check your HOA rules too.

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.