LicensedRental

York County, South Carolina

Rock Hill, SC vacation rental requirements

Rock Hill requires a $300 short-term rental permit and a business license, renewed each year by April 30, and allows new rentals only in commercial, office, mixed-use, and downtown zones. Rentals in residential zones that were permitted earlier must stop after April 30, 2029. Tax is 8% state-collected plus the city’s 3% accommodations tax.

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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Zoning
Commercial and mixed-use zones only
MX, NO, NC, LC, GC, CC, CI, DTWN, and MUC. Rentals elsewhere must stop after April 30, 2029.Source
City permit
$300, then $200 a year
Plus a city business license; both renew by April 30.Source
Maximum guests
2 per bedroom + 2
Five bedrooms or fewer.Source
Taxes
8% + 3% city
8% state-collected; 3% city accommodations tax filed with the city by the 20th.Source

Rock Hill moved its short-term rental rules from the city code into the zoning ordinance in November 2023. Permits can no longer be transferred to a new owner, and no inspection is needed before the first permit unless the work needs a building permit.

In April 2026 the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the rules against an owner’s challenge.

Airbnb collects the state-collected tax on its bookings here, but its South Carolina tax article doesn’t list this area’s county or city accommodations tax. File that one yourself for every booking.

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.

York County, South Carolina

  1. Register for the state-collected tax

    The 8% state-collected tax applies to stays under 90 days. Airbnb collects it on its bookings; for direct bookings, get a SCDOR retail license and file through MyDORWAY.Source

  2. Then your city or area

    Rock Hill, Fort Mill, and Tega Cay have their own rules and taxes; the county’s permit and 3% tax apply outside city limits. Pick your area.

City of Rock Hill

  1. Check your zoning district

    Look up your parcel on the city’s GIS map. New permits are only issued in MX, NO, NC, LC, GC, CC, CI, DTWN, and MUC districts.Source

  2. Apply for the permit and business license

    Upload the application and documents as PDFs through the city’s Online Services site; the city emails a $300 invoice and reviews in about 10 business days. Disclose any deed restrictions or covenants and list your online listings. If you don’t own the property, include the owner’s written permission.Source

    Rock Hill Online Services →

  3. Name a local contact

    If you don’t live at the property, you or a designated agent must live within 15 miles of city limits and take calls at all hours. An agent must be authorized to accept legal papers for the owner.Source

  4. 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. Rock Hill also charges a 3% local accommodations tax. The city opens your account when the permit is approved; file and pay it by the 20th of each month for the month before.Source

  5. Renew by April 30

    Renew the permit ($200) and business license online every year before April 30. Miss the deadline outside the listed districts and the permit is lost.Source

Fees

Short-term rental permit application$300
Annual permit renewal$200
Business licenseOwner and host each need one if they are different people.Set by the city’s license schedule

Source

House rules for guests

Maximum guests
2 per bedroom + 2
Source
Parking
1/2 space per bedroom
Paved, at least 9 by 19 feet, entirely on the property, not over sidewalks or streets.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.