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Enforcement is ramping up — apply now.
As of June 30, 2026, only 1,630 of an estimated 7,400 Hilton Head STRs have an approved permit. The Town has added 6 full-time enforcement staff and 3 new enforcement vehicles. An application in progress does not protect you from fines.
Your complete guide to the Town's per-bedroom permit fee, the October 2025 fire-safety and operating rules, HOA and community-level registration, and the accommodations tax obligations that run separately from the permit itself.
Register My PropertyHilton Head Island is its own incorporated town within Beaufort County and sets its own short-term rental rules separate from the county. Its Short-Term Rental Ordinance — first adopted in January 2023 and substantially amended by Town Council in October 2025 — applies to any privately owned residential property rented for periods under 30 days.
Registration runs through the Town's online permit portal (built on the GovOS/MuniRevs platform); accommodations tax accounts run separately through Revenue Services. Unlike jurisdictions that split STRs into zoning categories, Hilton Head's permit requirement applies the same way across the island — but many communities layer their own registration on top of the Town's.
Note on citations — the Town's own website in places still references pre-amendment language and fee amounts. Where the Town's current published guidance and older secondary sources differ, we've flagged it below rather than guess.
All operators apply through the Town's online permit portal. A Business License must be active before the STR permit application can even be completed — starting the application first is one of the most common causes of rejection.
Five minutes — property address, bedroom count, and ownership status.
We confirm your HOA status and whether the property sits in Palmetto Dunes or Sea Pines, which require a separate community-level registration on top of the Town permit.
We contact Town STR staff to obtain these and set up your permit portal profile.
We confirm your $10/year Business License is active, calculate your $150-per-bedroom permit fee, and prepare your site plan (single-family homes only) and HOA letter.
Application submitted and fee paid; the Town reviews and inspects. The stated review window is up to 30 days — given the 2026 application backlog, actual review time may run longer until the backlog clears (Town officials have estimated September 2026).
Holding a permit comes with document prerequisites and ongoing obligations. Failure to comply may result in escalating fines of $250–$1,000 per offense, a $25/month late fee, and — after three citations within 12 months — permit revocation.
Before applying on the Town's portal, gather an active Town of Hilton Head Island Business License (a prerequisite, not a parallel step), your STR Account Number and Activation Code from Town staff (STRPlan@hiltonheadislandsc.gov or 843-341-4740), a site plan showing parking and trash storage areas for single-family dwellings, an HOA approval letter if applicable, a Certificate of Occupancy (whether this is required for every application or only in specific cases is unconfirmed — verify with the Town), and the name and 24/7 phone number of your Designated Short-Term Rental Agent, who may be the owner or a property manager under signed agreement.
The permit must be held in an individual's name — not an LLC, corporation, or trust — and a current $10/year Business License must be active before the STR permit application can be completed.
Fire safety and operating standards added in the October 2025 amendment carry the most risk of an application being rejected or a permit being cited after approval. Homes 3,600 sq ft or larger need a compliant fire suppression system, or a monitored (UL-approved) fire safety system with sirens throughout the home. Every property needs smoke detection in every bedroom, floor, and path of egress; a 60-minute shutoff valve on any external propane grill; and a combustible gas detection alarm if propane is present inside the residence. Bedrooms must meet building/safety code and be used primarily for sleeping rather than converted living or dining space, driveways are capped at 6 vehicles, and trash/recycling storage must be fenced or screened from public street view.
Every STR must have a Responsible Agent — the owner or a designated representative — reachable by phone at all times during a rental, and able to respond to a complaint within one hour. The agent's name and phone number must be posted prominently inside the rental unit. The ordinance doesn't specify whether the agent must physically reach the property within a set window, only that they respond and can make decisions about the property and its occupants.
Noise ordinance rules, along with parking limits and trash pickup instructions, must be posted inside the property. The source materials don't specify a decibel threshold or violation count that triggers revocation — nuisance issues (parking, trash, or noise) are reported through the Town's 24/7 Rapid Response Hotline at 843-341-6864 or codeenforcement@hiltonheadislandsc.gov, and after-hours noise complaints (10pm–7am) can also go to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 843-524-2777.
STR operators owe a 3% Town Local Accommodations Tax on gross rental receipts, filed quarterly to Town Revenue Services, plus a state accommodations/sales tax (cited between roughly 7% and 8% depending on source) and a Beach Preservation Fee collected alongside the accommodations tax at a rate to be confirmed. The combined state-plus-local burden is cited as either 10% or 11% depending on whether a Beaufort County fee is included — confirm the current combined rate directly with Town Revenue Services. A separate Business License Tax, calculated on the prior calendar year's gross rental revenue, is due annually by April 30.
Airbnb collects and remits the Town's local tax automatically on Hilton Head listings; Vrbo does not — hosts using Vrbo, or renting directly, remain responsible for collecting and remitting it themselves. Accommodations Tax is not owed if a unit is rented for fewer than 15 days during the taxable year, or if the owner personally uses the dwelling for 14 or more days during the taxable year. Late tax payments trigger a penalty of 5% of the unpaid amount per month until paid in full.
No equivalent provision appears in the Town's Short-Term Rental Ordinance as currently published — the source materials don't reference a ban on hosting weddings, parties, or similar gatherings at a registered STR.
Single-family dwellings must submit a site plan showing parking and trash storage areas as part of the application. On an ongoing basis, a maximum of 6 vehicles is allowed on the driveway, and trash/recycling storage must be fenced or screened from public street view.
The STR permit number must be displayed on every advertisement and listing, on every platform (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and direct).
No numeric guest-occupancy cap appears in the source materials. The permit fee is calculated per bedroom ($150/bedroom), which scales with unit size, but the ordinance doesn't state a maximum guest count. Pool/hot tub availability and safety measures must be disclosed to guests.
For questions specific to your application or the ordinance, contact the relevant office directly.
One Town Center Court, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
library.municode.com — Hilton Head STR Ordinance
Disclaimer
Lodge Compliance is not a licensed tax, legal, or financial advisor. Nothing in this guide should be construed as tax, legal, or financial advice. Contact the Town of Hilton Head Island Short-Term Rental Program, Revenue Services, or your own tax/legal counsel for guidance regarding your personal circumstances. Sources: Town of Hilton Head Island Short-Term Rental Ordinance (adopted January 2023; amended October 2025 by Town Council); Town of Hilton Head Island STR Permit Requirements, FAQ, and Ordinance pages (hiltonheadislandsc.gov); Town of Hilton Head Island Accommodations Tax & Beach Preservation Fee page. Items flagged in this guide — including the exact combined tax rate, the codified penalty citation, Certificate of Occupancy scope, Business License Office direct contact, the current hotline number, and the current permit portal URL — could not be confirmed to an exact codified citation or current figure at time of writing and should be verified directly with the Town before being relied on for a specific filing or application.
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