Lodging & occupancy tax

Lodging tax for a short-term rental in Charleston, South Carolina

What a guest pays on a stay in Charleston, broken into the state rate, the local occupancy tax and the combined total, with the source cited on each field.

Last checked 18 Jul 2026 STR rules in Charleston

The breakdown

Every rate, with its source

Anything not confirmed on an official source shows as Verify with jurisdiction rather than a guess.

State lodging tax rate

7%Reported

State component of about 7 percent (5 percent state sales tax plus 2 percent state accommodations tax).

Source

Local transient occupancy tax

2%Reported

City of Charleston accommodations tax of 2 percent, plus a 2 percent county accommodations tax and other local option taxes.

Source

Combined rate a guest pays

12%Reported

Reported total of about 12 percent across state sales, state and local accommodations, local option, transportation and education taxes.

Source

Cleaning fee taxable

Verify with jurisdictionUnverified

Marketplace collects and remits

YesReported

Source

Where to register or file

https://www.charleston-sc.gov/2339/Accommodations-Tax-for-STRsReported

Source

Tip

Use the occupancy-tax calculator to apply the combined rate to a real nightly rate and see the guest total.

FAQ

Lodging tax questions for Charleston

What is the combined lodging tax on an Airbnb in Charleston?

About 12 percent in Charleston, combining the state and local components shown above. Reported total of about 12 percent across state sales, state and local accommodations, local option, transportation and education taxes.

Does Airbnb or Vrbo collect the lodging tax in Charleston?

The marketplace is reported to collect and remit lodging tax for Charleston, but you remain responsible for confirming which taxes are covered and filing any that are not.

Is the cleaning fee taxable in Charleston?

Not confirmed on an official source for Charleston. Verify with the jurisdiction.

LodgeDeck reports publicly available short-term rental rules and lodging tax rates and cites the source of each field. It is not legal or tax advice and it does not replace your own review. Ordinances and tax rates change often and automated collection can lag, so every field shows the source it came from and a confidence flag, and unconfirmed values are marked Unverified. Confirm with the jurisdiction before you rely on a rule or rate.

See the short-term rental rules in Charleston

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