City staff will host two workshops in the coming weeks to teach residents how to apply for a short-term rental permit necessary to legally list your home on websites like Airbnb and HomeAway.
The workshops are scheduled just before the city’s 90-day STR grace period is set to end on July 10, according to a press release from the City of Charleston.
The first one will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thurs. June 21 in Ballroom 1 at the Gaillard Center. The second meeting will take place at the same time on Mon. June 25 in the first floor Public Meeting Room.
City staff will be on hand to help citizens navigate the complex new rules, which took almost a year-and-a-half of heated, sometimes emotional public debate before they were finally approved by City Council on April 10.
[content-3] The STR application will go live “shortly before” July 10, according to the city’s website.
Those interested in renting part of their homes for less than 30 days will need to submit an application to the city online or at the Permit Center at the Gaillard. The application must include floor plans drawn to scale that specify which rooms are meant for STR use, along with a site plan of the lot showing the required off-street parking spaces (at least one + two for residential use as required by the city’s Zoning Ordinance).
Short-term renters must also separately apply for a business license.
Properties must meet the proper age requirements as determined by the new law. Additionally, homeowners must be present for the duration of their guests’ stay. Click here to read CP’s coverage of the new ordinance requirements.
Once applications are approved, permit numbers must be included in all online listings—lest you risk a visit from the city’s STR enforcement staff. Love Best of Charleston? Help the Charleston City Paper keep Best of Charleston going every year with a donation. Or sign up to become a member of the Charleston City Paper club.
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