What zoning rules apply to STRs in Spartanburg?

Residential Ban: STRs are strictly prohibited in all residential (R) zones within the city.

What are the key requirements for Spartanburg hosts?

Manual Tax Remittance: You must manually remit 5% total in local taxes (3% County, 2% City) as platforms like Airbnb do not collect these for this jurisdiction.

What are the key requirements for Spartanburg hosts?

High Insurance Requirement: South Carolina law mandates $1,000,000 in commercial liability coverage.

What are the key requirements for Spartanburg hosts?

Business License Renewal: Licenses must be renewed by April 30th each year to avoid heavy penalties.

Spartanburg

Prohibited

South CarolinaUpdated Mar 24, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 0 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Feb 12, 2026Sources 0

Summary

Plain-english overview

Spartanburg prohibits short-term rentals in residential zones, restricting them to commercial, downtown, and mixed-use districts where they require a business license and special permitting.

Restriction level

Severity 100

Classification

Prohibited

100

Severity

Why this classification

Banned in all/most residential zones
Standard permit fee: $150
Tenants cannot host
Permit required
Reporting required
Safety standards required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

You cannot operate an Airbnb or VRBO in a residential neighborhood (R-1 to R-4) within Spartanburg city limits; they are treated like hotels and only allowed in commercial areas. If your property is in a legal zone, you must get a city business license and a short-term rental permit, and you are responsible for paying a total of 12% in taxes.

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.1%

Permit fee$150

Processing time2-3 weeks

4 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1Residential Ban: STRs are strictly prohibited in all residential (R) zones within the city.
2Manual Tax Remittance: You must manually remit 5% total in local taxes (3% County, 2% City) as platforms like Airbnb do not collect these for this jurisdiction.
3High Insurance Requirement: South Carolina law mandates $1,000,000 in commercial liability coverage.
4Business License Renewal: Licenses must be renewed by April 30th each year to avoid heavy penalties.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility7 rules

Spartanburg does NOT require the property to be a primary residence. Investment properties are allowed.
Spartanburg does NOT allow tenants to host STRs. Only property owners may operate short-term rentals.
Spartanburg: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.

Requirements11 rules

Common mistakes and gotchas for STR hosts in Spartanburg: 1. Residential Ban: STRs are strictly prohibited in all residential (R) zones within the city. 2. Manual Tax Remittance: You must manually remit 5% total in local taxes (3% County, 2% City) as platforms like Airbnb do not collect these for this jurisdiction. 3. High Insurance Requirement: South Carolina law mandates $1,000,000 in commercial liability coverage. 4. Business License Renewal: Licenses must be renewed by April 30th each year to avoid heavy penalties.

Application process8 rules

How to set up an STR in Spartanburg: You cannot operate an Airbnb or VRBO in a residential neighborhood (R-1 to R-4) within Spartanburg city limits; they are treated like hotels and only allowed in commercial areas. If your property is in a legal zone, you must get a city business license and a short-term rental permit, and you are responsible for paying a total of 12% in taxes.

Fees & costs2 rules

Spartanburg charges a registration fee of $150 (annual).
Spartanburg: High Insurance Requirement: South Carolina law mandates $1,000,000 in commercial liability coverage.

Taxes4 rules

South Carolina has a state sales tax of 0.07% that applies to STR rentals.
Spartanburg charges a Local Option Accommodations Tax of 0.03%.
Spartanburg: Manual Tax Remittance: You must manually remit 5% total in local taxes (3% County, 2% City) as platforms like Airbnb do not collect these for this jurisdiction.

Limits & restrictions3 rules

Spartanburg occupancy calculation: Subject to fire code occupancy limits. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
Spartanburg enforces quiet hours: 10pm-7am.
Spartanburg limits stays to a maximum of 29 nights.

Safety requirements1 rule

Spartanburg requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Emergency exit plans posted, HVAC inspection, ADA compliance where applicable.

Penalties3 rules

Spartanburg enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: Varies by zoning violation. Second offense: Increased fines. Third offense: Permit revocation. Daily fine: $500. Permit may be revoked for violations.
Spartanburg enforces penalties: First offense: Late tax penalties.

Exemptions2 rules

Spartanburg: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Spartanburg exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days), extended stays, Rentals under 15 days per year in primary residence, Facility with fewer than 6 rooms where owner resides, long-term rentals 30+ days (county).

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for Spartanburg

0/4

steps completed

Step 1

Verify Zoning

Contact the Spartanburg Planning and Development Department to confirm your property is in a non-residential zone (Downtown, Commercial, or Mixed-Use) where STRs are permitted.

1-3 daysFree

Documents needed

Property address
Tax Map Number

Official resource

Step 2

Obtain City Business License

Apply for an annual business license through the City Finance Office. The fee is based on projected gross revenue.

1-2 weeks$50

Documents needed

Business license application
Photo ID

Official resource

Step 3

Apply for STR Permit

Submit a short-term rental permit application to the Planning Department, including safety plans and proof of $1M commercial liability insurance.

2-3 weeks$150

Documents needed

Proof of Insurance
Floor plan
Parking plan

Official resource

Step 4

Register for Accommodations Tax

1 weekFree

Documents needed

State tax ID number
SC Retail License

Official resource

Frequently asked questions

4 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

Spartanburg

Prohibited

South CarolinaUpdated Mar 24, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 0 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Feb 12, 2026Sources 0

Summary

Plain-english overview

Spartanburg prohibits short-term rentals in residential zones, restricting them to commercial, downtown, and mixed-use districts where they require a business license and special permitting.

Restriction level

Severity 100

Classification

Prohibited

100

Severity

Why this classification

Banned in all/most residential zones
Standard permit fee: $150
Tenants cannot host
Permit required
Reporting required
Safety standards required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.1%

Permit fee$150

Processing time2-3 weeks

4 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1Residential Ban: STRs are strictly prohibited in all residential (R) zones within the city.
2Manual Tax Remittance: You must manually remit 5% total in local taxes (3% County, 2% City) as platforms like Airbnb do not collect these for this jurisdiction.
3High Insurance Requirement: South Carolina law mandates $1,000,000 in commercial liability coverage.
4Business License Renewal: Licenses must be renewed by April 30th each year to avoid heavy penalties.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility7 rules

Spartanburg does NOT require the property to be a primary residence. Investment properties are allowed.
Spartanburg does NOT allow tenants to host STRs. Only property owners may operate short-term rentals.
Spartanburg: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.

Requirements11 rules

Common mistakes and gotchas for STR hosts in Spartanburg: 1. Residential Ban: STRs are strictly prohibited in all residential (R) zones within the city. 2. Manual Tax Remittance: You must manually remit 5% total in local taxes (3% County, 2% City) as platforms like Airbnb do not collect these for this jurisdiction. 3. High Insurance Requirement: South Carolina law mandates $1,000,000 in commercial liability coverage. 4. Business License Renewal: Licenses must be renewed by April 30th each year to avoid heavy penalties.

Application process8 rules

How to set up an STR in Spartanburg: You cannot operate an Airbnb or VRBO in a residential neighborhood (R-1 to R-4) within Spartanburg city limits; they are treated like hotels and only allowed in commercial areas. If your property is in a legal zone, you must get a city business license and a short-term rental permit, and you are responsible for paying a total of 12% in taxes.

Fees & costs2 rules

Spartanburg charges a registration fee of $150 (annual).
Spartanburg: High Insurance Requirement: South Carolina law mandates $1,000,000 in commercial liability coverage.

Taxes4 rules

South Carolina has a state sales tax of 0.07% that applies to STR rentals.
Spartanburg charges a Local Option Accommodations Tax of 0.03%.
Spartanburg: Manual Tax Remittance: You must manually remit 5% total in local taxes (3% County, 2% City) as platforms like Airbnb do not collect these for this jurisdiction.

Limits & restrictions3 rules

Spartanburg occupancy calculation: Subject to fire code occupancy limits. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
Spartanburg enforces quiet hours: 10pm-7am.
Spartanburg limits stays to a maximum of 29 nights.

Safety requirements1 rule

Spartanburg requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Emergency exit plans posted, HVAC inspection, ADA compliance where applicable.

Penalties3 rules

Spartanburg enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: Varies by zoning violation. Second offense: Increased fines. Third offense: Permit revocation. Daily fine: $500. Permit may be revoked for violations.
Spartanburg enforces penalties: First offense: Late tax penalties.

Exemptions2 rules

Spartanburg: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Spartanburg exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days), extended stays, Rentals under 15 days per year in primary residence, Facility with fewer than 6 rooms where owner resides, long-term rentals 30+ days (county).

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for Spartanburg

0/4

steps completed

Step 1

Verify Zoning

Contact the Spartanburg Planning and Development Department to confirm your property is in a non-residential zone (Downtown, Commercial, or Mixed-Use) where STRs are permitted.

1-3 daysFree

Documents needed

Property address
Tax Map Number

Official resource

Step 2

Obtain City Business License

Apply for an annual business license through the City Finance Office. The fee is based on projected gross revenue.

1-2 weeks$50

Documents needed

Business license application
Photo ID

Official resource

Step 3

Apply for STR Permit

Submit a short-term rental permit application to the Planning Department, including safety plans and proof of $1M commercial liability insurance.

2-3 weeks$150

Documents needed

Proof of Insurance
Floor plan
Parking plan

Official resource

Step 4

Register for Accommodations Tax

1 weekFree

Documents needed

State tax ID number
SC Retail License

Official resource

Frequently asked questions

4 answered

Disclaimer

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

4 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

How to get permitted

Verify Zoning

Obtain City Business License

Apply for STR Permit

Register for Accommodations Tax

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Spartanburg?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Spartanburg?

3Are there rental night limits in Spartanburg?

4What are the penalties for non-compliance in Spartanburg?

Disclaimer

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

4 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

How to get permitted

Verify Zoning

Obtain City Business License

Apply for STR Permit

Register for Accommodations Tax

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Spartanburg?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Spartanburg?

3Are there rental night limits in Spartanburg?

4What are the penalties for non-compliance in Spartanburg?

Disclaimer