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News · Charleston, SC

Charleston Short-Term Rental Rules and News.

The City of Charleston has proposed the first major update to its short-term rental ordinance since 2018, including a ceiling of eight guests however large the home. The Planning Commission deferred it in July and took it up again on October 21, 2026. Nothing has been adopted, and the result of the October meeting had not been reported as of October 26.

Compiled by Fluffy · Updated October 26, 2026

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Where things stand

As of October 26, 2026
Guest limit today
No more than four unrelated adults per rental
Proposed
Occupancy set by the Fire Marshal from bedroom size, with a ceiling of eight guests
Who it would affect
Rentals in the city’s short-term rental overlay district. The 29 of about 600 licensed rentals approved for more than eight guests could keep that occupancy, as reported
Status
Back before the Planning Commission on October 21, 2026; would then need two readings at City Council

A summary of council decisions and local reporting, not legal advice. Rules change at council meetings, so confirm with the city before acting on a property.

What it means for hosts in Charleston

Nothing has changed yet. The rules in force today still apply, including the limit of four unrelated adults
If your rental sleeps more than eight, this is the proposal to watch: it would cap guests at eight however large the home
If your rental is already approved for more than eight guests, the proposal as reported would let it keep that occupancy unless there are permit or ownership issues, so check how a sale would affect it
After the Planning Commission, the amendment still needs two readings at City Council, and owners can comment at the public hearings

Timeline

  1. Back before the Planning Commission

    The Planning Commission was set to take up the amendments again at its October 21 meeting, with the limit on guests per rental as the biggest change. The result had not been reported as of October 26.

    Source: ABC News 4

  2. Update ahead of an October vote

    The Planning Commission’s September agenda listed the revisions as deferred, with the planning director updating commissioners ahead of an action item on the October agenda.

  3. Eight-guest ceiling proposed, then deferred

    City staff proposed replacing the four-unrelated-adults limit, which officials call hard to enforce, with occupancy set by the Fire Marshal from bedroom size and capped at eight guests. Owners told the public hearing the cap could cut occupancy by a quarter or more, and the Planning Commission deferred the amendment instead of sending it to City Council.

Platform changes that also apply in Charleston

Airbnb and Vrbo change their rules for every listing at once. These are the recent ones that touch the turnover and the cleaning fee.

Airbnb’s 15.5% Host Fee Now Comes Out of Your Cleaning Fee Oct 26, 2026
Airbnb’s New Checkout Rules: The Chore List Ends November 20 Oct 22, 2026
Vrbo’s New 12% Commission Takes a Cut of the Cleaning Fee Oct 22, 2026
Hosting in Charleston?

Fluffy runs turnover cleaning in Charleston to the same 75-point standard it uses in every market, at a flat per-turn rate set after a walkthrough, with a free re-clean if a turn misses the standard.

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News from other markets
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Rules Change. The Turnover Still Has to Happen.

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