How to Start an Airbnb in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand

Starting a Myrtle Beach short term rental is mostly a paperwork exercise, and the paperwork comes before the listing. The city, Horry County, and the beach towns on the Grand Strand each set their own rules, so a property that works in one place can be off limits a few blocks away. This guide follows the order that avoids expensive mistakes: check zoning first, then set up your business, licenses, and lodging taxes, then furnish the property and publish your listing.

This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Rules and rates change. Confirm every item with the agency or office named in each step before you commit money.

What You Need Before You Start

• A zoning map check for the exact street address, using the City of Myrtle Beach zoning map or the office for the town or county where the property sits
• A property in a zone that allows rentals of less than 90 days
• A chosen legal business name and an entity decision: sole proprietorship or LLC
• An IRS employer identification number (EIN), issued free at irs.gov
• A Business Entities Online account with the South Carolina Secretary of State if you form an LLC
• A city or county business license application
• A MyDORWAY account with the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) for the Business Tax Application
• A separate bank account and card for rental income and expenses
• An insurance quote from a licensed agent who writes short-term rental coverage
• Furniture, linens, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, a fire extinguisher, and a written house manual
• A spreadsheet or bookkeeping app for nightly rates, taxes collected, and expenses

Step-by-Step: Starting Your Airbnb on the Grand Strand

Step 1: Confirm zoning before you buy or sign a lease

Zoning decides more than any other factor. Myrtle Beach generally does not allow rentals under 90 days in R zones, with RMV as the exception. Pull the city zoning map, locate the parcel, and read the zone designation before you make an offer. If you are buying, make the purchase contingent on a written answer from the zoning office. If you are leasing, get the owner's confirmation in writing that the property can be used for short term rentals. Even in an allowed zone, you still need zoning administrator approval before you take a booking.

Do not assume a Myrtle Beach mailing address puts a property inside city limits. Mailing addresses can extend into unincorporated Horry County or into neighboring towns, and each of those places has different rules.

Step 2: Choose your business structure

South Carolina has no general statewide business license, but your entity choice still matters for liability and paperwork. A sole proprietorship needs no organizing document with the Secretary of State. An LLC is formed by filing Articles of Organization for a domestic limited liability company under S.C. Code Section 33-44-203. The filing fee is $110, and online filings through Business Entities Online are returned within 24 to 48 business hours. Mailed and in person filings take longer.

Your LLC name must include the words limited liability company or limited company, or an abbreviation such as LLC, L.L.C., LC, or L.C. The name must also be distinguishable from names already on the Secretary of State's records. If you want to hold a name while you prepare paperwork, a name reservation costs $25 and lasts 120 days, with no renewal. The formation document must list a registered agent with a South Carolina street address. The agent must be a South Carolina resident individual, a domestic corporation, another LLC, or an authorized foreign entity.

A standard LLC not taxed as a corporation files no annual report with the state. Whether an LLC protects your personal assets depends on how you run it and what insurance you carry, so talk to an attorney before you rely on it.

Step 3: Get your EIN and record your trade name

South Carolina does not register DBAs at the state level. The Secretary of State does not register DBA or trade names. Instead, record your trade name with the county or municipality, usually on your local business license. Then list the trade name on your federal EIN application and on the SCDOR Business Tax Application. The South Carolina Business One Stop explains the process at scbos.sc.gov. If you operate as a sole proprietor using your own name, a DBA may not be needed, but confirm the naming rules for your listing with the local license office.

Step 4: Apply for the local business license

Local business license taxes are levied by most South Carolina cities and by only nine counties, including Horry County. Local license years run May 1 to April 30, and renewals are due April 30. Renew through localblrenewal.com. The Grand Strand breaks down this way:

• City of Myrtle Beach: Every rental needs a city business license plus zoning administrator approval. For 2026 to 27, the Class 1 license is $95 on the first $2,000, plus $2.50 per $1,000 above that. Ask the city which income base applies to a short term rental before you estimate the cost.
• North Myrtle Beach: You need a business license and must pay the applicable taxes. The city does not require a separate short term rental permit.
• Unincorporated Horry County: You need a county business license, and lodging is subject to a 3% county hospitality fee.
• Surfside Beach and other towns: Check the rules directly with the town before you buy, because local requirements can differ from the city and county.

Step 5: Register for lodging taxes and any retail license

Lodging charges stack, so confirm each one with the city, county, and SCDOR before you set your nightly rate. Inside Myrtle Beach city limits, the charges below add up to 11% of the nightly rate before any other charge.

Charge	Rate	Notes
State sales and accommodations tax	7%	State charge on lodging
Local accommodations tax	0.5%	Local charge on lodging
City hospitality fee	1%	Myrtle Beach city limits
Horry County in-city hospitality fee	1.5%	Inside city limits
Tourism Development Fee	1%	Confirm which jurisdiction applies to your address
County hospitality fee (unincorporated Horry County)	3%	Applies to lodging outside city limits

Ask the city and county which of these apply to your exact address, and check with SCDOR which lodging registration you need on the Business Tax Application. Ask your booking platform whether it collects any of these taxes for you and which ones remain your responsibility.

If you sell goods to guests, such as branded merchandise, you need an SCDOR Retail License. It is a one time, nonrefundable $50 fee per location, applied for through MyDORWAY. If you plan to sell prepared food, ask the South Carolina Department of Agriculture about permits. Food permits do not come from DHEC.

Step 6: Plan renovations and contractor work carefully

Many short term rental projects start with cosmetic work, but some jobs cross licensing thresholds. Commercial contractor licenses are required above $10,000 of work, and residential specialty registration is required above $500. Confirm these thresholds and the issuing agency with the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation before you hire anyone. Then verify each contractor's license before you sign a contract or pay a deposit.

Step 7: Insure the property and furnish it for guests

Many standard homeowners policies exclude paid short-term guests, so ask your agent specifically about a short-term rental policy or endorsement. Compare liability limits, property damage coverage, and loss of income coverage. Keep copies of the policy and the certificate of insurance with your license file.

Furnish with durable pieces that handle frequent turnover. Install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, provide a fire extinguisher, and label the electrical panel and water shutoff. Leave a house manual with parking rules, trash pickup days, noise expectations, and an emergency contact list.

Step 8: Build the listing to match your approvals

Your listing should match the zoning approval and business license. If your approval limits occupancy or describes the property as a particular type of rental, do not advertise beyond those limits. Write house rules that reflect your lease, your insurance, and local expectations, and enforce them consistently. Set your nightly rate with the lodging charges from Step 5 in mind, because guests see a total price while your net income depends on the taxes you remit.

Step 9: Keep clean books and plan for income tax

Keep a separate account, save receipts, and track every tax you collect and every tax you remit. Rental income generally flows to your personal return unless your entity is taxed as a corporation, so ask a CPA how your LLC or sole proprietorship is treated. South Carolina personal income tax is graduated. For tax year 2026, the SCDOR lists 1.99% on income under $30,000 and 5.21% on income of $30,000 and above, less a $966 adjustment. Brackets are adjusted annually for inflation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Buying or leasing before checking the zone designation on the city zoning map
• Assuming a booking platform account is the same as a city or county business license
• Listing a property in Surfside Beach or another town without checking the town's rules
• Relying on a Myrtle Beach mailing address to prove the property is inside city limits
• Forgetting the April 30 license renewal deadline
• Setting a nightly rate without accounting for the lodging charges stacked on top
• Mixing personal and rental funds in one account, which makes tax records hard to reconstruct
• Forming an LLC without naming a registered agent with a South Carolina address on the formation document
• Assuming a standard homeowners policy covers paid guests

Tips for a Smoother Launch

• Get zoning answers in writing before you spend money on furniture or a down payment.
• Call the business license office with your exact address and ask which jurisdiction applies.
• Put the April 30 renewal on your calendar the day you receive your first license.
• Use the South Carolina Small Business Development Centers at scsbdc.com for free help with business planning and recordkeeping.
• Ask an attorney to review your entity choice and zoning risk, and ask a CPA to review lodging tax treatment and income reporting.

Expected Results

Owners who complete the zoning, licensing, and tax steps before listing often find the first months run with fewer surprises. Results vary widely by property, location, season, pricing, and how well the listing is managed. Demand on the Grand Strand may be strongest during the busiest summer months, but your property's pattern could differ. Plan for a slow start, and treat your first year as a test of your assumptions rather than a guaranteed return.

Where to Confirm the Details

• South Carolina Secretary of State: sos.sc.gov (online filings at businessfilings.sc.gov)
• South Carolina Department of Revenue: dor.sc.gov
• South Carolina Business One Stop: scbos.sc.gov
• Local business license renewals: localblrenewal.com

Disclaimer: This article is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Zoning, licensing, and tax rules change, and the figures above should be confirmed with the named agency before you act. Consult a qualified South Carolina attorney for legal questions and a CPA for tax planning, especially before buying property or forming an entity.