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  1. Home
  2. ·
  3. Regulations
  4. ·
  5. North Carolina
  6. ·
  7. Carolina Beach

Carolina Beach

Permissive
North CarolinaUpdated Apr 13, 2026
Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 3 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Jan 30, 2026Sources 3

Summary

Plain-english overview

Carolina Beach requires all short-term rental operators to register with the Town's Planning and Development Department for a $40 annual fee. While the town manages registration and safety standards, the 6% Room Occupancy Tax is administered by New Hanover County.

Restriction level

Severity 5
Classification
Permissive
5
Severity

Why this classification

  • Permit required
  • No night cap
  • No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

To host an Airbnb in Carolina Beach, you must first register your property with the town and pay a $40 annual fee. You don't need to live in the home to rent it out, but you must provide a local contact who can respond to issues within an hour. You are also required to display your registration number on your listing and post occupancy limits and trash rules inside the house. Don't forget that stays under 90 days are subject to a 6% local occupancy tax collected by the county.

At a glance

Key numbers
Permit requiredYes
Night limitNone
Primary residenceNot required
Total tax rate0.1%
Permit fee$40
Processing time1-2 weeks

6 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps
  1. 1You must have a 'local contact' who lives within 50 miles and can respond to emergencies 24/7.
  2. 2Parking is strictly regulated; your registration requires a site plan showing exactly where guests will park.
  3. 3The 6% Room Occupancy Tax is separate from registration and is managed by New Hanover County, not the Town.
  4. 4Max occupancy is capped at 2 people per bedroom plus 2 additional people for the whole unit.
  5. 5Trash cans must be rolled back from the street within 24 hours of collection or you may face fines.
  6. 6Failure to register your STR can result in daily fines of $100.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code
Eligibility6 rules
  • Carolina Beach: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.
  • Carolina Beach does NOT require the property to be a primary residence. Investment properties are allowed.
  • Carolina Beach, NC: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.
Requirements14 rules
  • Carolina Beach: You must display your permit/registration number on your Airbnb listing.
  • Carolina Beach has different permit classes: Standard Residential STR. Hosted vs. unhosted rentals have different requirements.
  • Carolina Beach: Parking is strictly regulated; your registration requires a site plan showing exactly where guests will park.
Application process9 rules
  • Carolina Beach STR permit - Step 3: Post Required Information. Post the maximum occupancy, trash collection days, and emergency contact information inside the unit. Time: 1 day.
  • Carolina Beach, NC: To apply for an STR permit, you'll need: Completed Registration Form, Site Plan (parking spots), Proof of Trash Service, Local Contact Information.
Fees & costs1 rule
  • Carolina Beach charges a registration fee of $40 (annual).
Taxes3 rules
  • Carolina Beach charges a Room Occupancy Tax of 6%. This applies to stays under 90 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO generally collect and remit the 6% New Hanover County tax directly.
  • North Carolina has a state sales tax of 4.75% that applies to STR rentals.
Limits & restrictions5 rules
  • Carolina Beach: Max occupancy is capped at 2 people per bedroom plus 2 additional people for the whole unit.
  • Carolina Beach, NC occupancy calculation: 2 per bedroom plus 2 additional. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
  • Carolina Beach limits stays to a maximum of 29 nights.
  • Carolina Beach enforces quiet hours: 11:00 PM - 7:00 AM.
Safety requirements1 rule
  • Carolina Beach requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Egress window compliance, Trash management plan.
Penalties5 rules
  • Carolina Beach, NC: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.
  • Carolina Beach: Trash cans must be rolled back from the street within 24 hours of collection or you may face fines.
  • Carolina Beach: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.
Exemptions3 rules
  • Carolina Beach exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days).
  • Carolina Beach, NC: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).

Frequently asked questions

5 answered

Disclaimer

Regulatory information is AI-researched from public city/county codes for educational purposes. Details may be outdated or incomplete. Always verify requirements directly with your city/county planning department before operating a short-term rental.

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

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