LicensedRental

South Carolina county rules

Pickens County, SC vacation rental rules and taxes

Pickens County charges a 3% accommodations fee outside city limits and 1.5% inside them, on top of 8% state-collected tax. Clemson caps short-term rentals at 25 rental days a year, and Easley allows them only in its central commercial district.

Checked against official sources November 6, 2026
Market
About 560 Airbnb listings
Clemson 156, Easley 114, Pickens 71, Six Mile 66, Central 65, Sunset 27 (AirROI).Source
State-collected tax
8%
7% state + 1% local option sales tax.Source
County accommodations fee
3% (1.5% in cities)
Paid to the county, not the state.Source

Clemson, Easley, and other cities cross into Anderson County, which charges its own 3% fee. Check which county your parcel is in.

Six Mile, Liberty, and Norris also have listings; we didn’t find their codes online. Ask the town hall about permits and taxes.

What to do

  1. Register for the county fee

    File the county accommodations fee with Pickens County monthly, quarterly, or yearly depending on your volume. Inside a city it’s 1.5%, and the city may add its own tax.Source

  2. Then your city or area

    Pick your area.

Towns

Full guide

Central

We found no short-term rental permit or rules in Central’s code. You owe 8% state-collected tax plus the 1.5% Pickens County fee, and the town may require a business license.

Full guide

Clemson

Clemson limits short-term rentals to 25 rental days per year per home, a limit the city tied to football and graduation weekends. You register yearly ($125), pass an inspection, and display a city sign or decal while renting.

Full guide

Easley

Easley’s 2025 development code allows short-term rentals (30 days or less) only as a conditional use in its CC district. You need a business license, a certificate of occupancy, and a local contact who can be on site within an hour.

Full guide

Pickens (city)

We found no short-term rental permit in the City of Pickens code, but every residential rental needs a city operating license, and the city added a 3% accommodations tax in 2024. Small cottage-style rental developments are possible in RM-16 zones with approval.

Full guide

Unincorporated Pickens County

We found no county short-term rental permit in Pickens County’s code. Outside city limits you owe 8% state-collected tax plus the county’s 3% accommodations fee, which you file with the county.

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.