Bluffton Business License: Rates, Home Occupation and $325 STR Permit

If you plan to operate a business in Bluffton, South Carolina, you will need a local business license. The process is simpler than many owners expect, but it has several moving parts: state registration comes first, the license tax depends on your class and receipts, and a home-based business or short-term rental adds separate approvals. This guide walks through the process in order, with the 2026-27 license year figures and the points to confirm before you pay.

This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Rules, rates, and forms change, so confirm every figure with the agency named in each step. For questions about entity structure, tax treatment, or leases, talk with a qualified attorney or CPA.

Materials you need before you start

Gather these items before you open the application so you do not stall partway through:

• Your exact legal business name and, if you formed an entity, your Secretary of State filing confirmation
• Your federal Employer Identification Number (EIN), plus any trade name (DBA) you plan to use
• The street address where the business will operate
• Landowner information and a copy of your lease if you rent the property, since home occupation and rental permits require the landowner's signature
• An estimate of the figure the Town will use to calculate your tax. Most South Carolina local license taxes are measured on gross receipts, but confirm the base with the Business License Division
• A SCDOR Retail License if you sell tangible goods, which carries a one time, nonrefundable $50 fee per location and is applied for through the Business Tax Application on MyDORWAY
• A login for the Evolve portal used by the Business License Division

Step 1: Confirm which government issues your license

South Carolina has no general statewide business license. Registering your entity with the Secretary of State is not a business license, and the state does not issue one in its place. Local governments handle this instead. Most cities levy a business license tax, and only nine counties do: Beaufort, Charleston, Dorchester, Horry, Jasper, Marion, Orangeburg, Richland, and Sumter.

Bluffton businesses are licensed through the Town's Business License Division at 20 Bridge St. Beaufort County also levies a license, so confirm with the Division whether your address falls inside Town limits or in the county's jurisdiction before you apply. Filing with the wrong government wastes time and can leave you with a second bill.

Step 2: Complete the state paperwork that comes first

Your local application depends on how your business is organized, so settle that question first. For an LLC, file Articles of Organization through Business Entities Online at businessfilings.sc.gov. The filing fee is $110, and online filings are returned within 24 to 48 business hours. If you need to hold a name while you prepare the filing, a name reservation costs $25 and lasts 120 days, with no renewal option.

The LLC name must contain limited liability company, limited company, or an accepted abbreviation such as LLC or L.L.C. It must also be distinguishable from other names on the Secretary of State's records. An LLC that is not taxed as a corporation does not file a South Carolina annual report, and every LLC must keep a registered agent with a South Carolina street address on file.

South Carolina does not register DBAs at the state level, and the Secretary of State does not accept them. If you operate under a trade name, record it with the county or municipality on your local license, and list it as a trade name on your EIN application and your SCDOR Business Tax Application. Sole proprietors and general partnerships do not file organizing documents with the Secretary of State at all.

Step 3: Estimate your license tax for 2026-27

For the 2026-27 license year, the Class 1 rate is $50 on the first $2,000, plus $1.00 per $1,000 above that. Non-resident businesses pay double that amount. The schedule also lists a 2% rate for hospitality and a 3% rate for accommodations. Confirm with the Division which class your business falls into, because the classification drives the number.

Here is an illustration, assuming the $1.00 per $1,000 rate applies to the amount above the first $2,000. If the Town's base for your business is $100,000, the Class 1 calculation is $50 plus $98 (the $98,000 above the first $2,000, at $1.00 per $1,000), for a total of $148. A non-resident business on the same base would pay $296. Treat this as a worked example only. Ask the Division to confirm the base and how the non-resident rule applies to your address.

Bluffton's population has grown about 33% since 2020, and rate schedules change from year to year, so treat older rate tables you find online with caution. Always check the current year's schedule before you budget.

Step 4: Apply for a home occupation

If you will work from home, you need a home occupation approval in addition to your license. The application must be signed by the landowner. If you rent, your landlord has to sign it, so ask for their signature before you start the application rather than after. Applications that arrive without the signature are typically returned, which can delay your opening date.

Ask the Division whether your specific home business needs any approval beyond the signed application. The answer depends on the type of work, the customers who visit, and the zoning of your property.

Step 5: Register a Bluffton short term rental and pay the $325 permit

If you plan to offer a Bluffton short term rental, the Town requires a short-term rental permit at $325 per year. Confirm with the Division whether the permit renews with the license year or on its own date, and whether it attaches to the property or to the owner.

A short-term rental also raises tax questions beyond the Town license. The Town's 3% accommodations rate is on the schedule, but how it applies to your rental depends on your receipts and your booking channel, so ask the Division to confirm the calculation. At the state level, lodging carries a 5% sales tax plus the 2% state accommodations tax, collected through the SC Department of Revenue, so confirm your filing with the SCDOR. Do not assume a rate applies because another host says it does.

Step 6: Submit your application and pay

You can file through the Evolve portal or in person at 20 Bridge St. Online filing lets you track your application and keep a record of the submission. Before you pay, confirm which payment methods the Division accepts for each part of the application, since the license tax, home occupation approval, and STR permit may be handled separately.

Keep copies of everything you submit. If the Division requests a correction, you will want the original documents on hand to answer quickly.

Step 7: Calendar the April 30 renewal

The Bluffton license year runs May 1 to April 30, and renewals are due April 30. Renew through the online portal at localblrenewal.com, which is run by the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office. Set a reminder by mid-March so you have time to gather your gross receipts figures and correct any changes to your address, ownership, or class before the deadline.

Tips and common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming a state license exists. South Carolina issues no general business license. Your local government is the one that licenses you.
• Filing with the wrong jurisdiction. Confirm whether your address is in Town limits or in the county's jurisdiction before you pay.
• Treating the Secretary of State filing as your license. Entity registration and the local license are separate steps.
• Skipping the landowner signature. A home occupation application without it will likely be returned.
• Relying on old figures. Rate schedules change from year to year. Check the current year before you budget.
• Forgetting the DBA step. Record a trade name with the local government and on your EIN and SCDOR applications, not with the Secretary of State.
• Missing the renewal. Licenses run May 1 to April 30 and renew by April 30.

What to expect after you apply

Most owners who submit a complete application with the right signatures and the correct jurisdiction should expect a smoother review. A license may help you open on time, but the timing and the outcome depend on the Division's review and on your specific business. Ask the Division how long it typically takes to process applications, because the answer changes with volume and whether anything is missing. Once approved, keep your license and any permits posted or readily available, and calendar your renewal immediately.

Other permits you may need

A Bluffton license does not cover every rule that applies to your business. Check these before you open:

• Retail food permits come from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, not DHEC. The state split the two agencies' roles in 2024, so older guides that name DHEC may be out of date.
• Contractor licenses are required for commercial contractor work above $10,000. Residential specialty work above $500 requires registration. Confirm the current thresholds and the issuing agency before you bid a job.
• Sales tax applies to retail sales at the state rate of 6%. Sellers of tangible goods need the SCDOR Retail License described above.

Official resources

• Business Entities Online, South Carolina Secretary of State
• South Carolina Secretary of State business entity filings
• South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR)
• South Carolina Business One Stop: doing business as (DBA) guidance
• Local business license renewals
• South Carolina Small Business Development Centers (SC SBDC)
• SBA South Carolina district office

For a Bluffton business, start with the Division's rate schedule, confirm your jurisdiction and class, and then move through the state filings and local approvals in the order above. A short conversation with the Division at 20 Bridge St before you file will often save more time than any other step.