Rental Presence on the Island

Report a Violation or Problem

Complaints regarding short-term rentals should be brought to the attention of Town Code Enforcement Offices. To report a property that is potentially in violation, please use one of the following methods of reporting:

• Call the 24-hour hotline at 843-259-2137
• Email strcompliant@kiawahisland.org
• Submit it through the online submittal form

Classification

If a property is rented for less than 30 consecutive days, it is considered a short-term rental. A property that is rented for 14 days or less in total during a calendar year is not considered a short-term rental.

Any property leased from its owner on a long-term lease basis (30 days or longer) must have a standard business license instead of an STR license. However, if ever a long-term rental property is made available for short-term rental, the lessor must carry a standard business license, and the lessee must carry a short term rental license and are subject to the Town’s short-term rental ordinance.

STR Locations Map

Find rentals in your neighborhood or anywhere on the island by looking at the short-term rental location map.

Zoning Districts

Each parcel of land or property has a zoning designation associated with it based on density and lots size. The zones are as follows:

Residential 1 – (R-1) Single-family Homes
Residential 2 – (R-2) Single-family Homes & Single-family attached (cottages)
Residential 3 – (R-3) Multifamily (villas)

• To find the zoning district for your property, you can look up your street name on the designation list or on the zoning map. For further assistance, call the Town’s planning department at 843-768-9166.

Rules and Regulations

The Town’s rules and regulations apply to all STR properties, whether managed privately or by property management companies or the owners. It is the responsibility of the rental owner to abide by the following rules and educate renters.

Renter Education 

A copy of the Town’s rules and regulations must be provided to each rental guest, and the owner or agent must post a copy of the rules and regulations in a visible location within each rental unit. The Town’s Good Neighbor Brochure is available for all rentals to use as a resource along with the rules and regulations flyer that can be posted in units.

Local Contacts

If the owner (or authorized agent) does not reside within the Charleston Metro Area, they must identify an individual(s) to serve as a local contact and be authorized and able to respond to emergency conditions or complaints affecting the property and to inquiries from all entities.

A 24-hour contact phone number must be posted in a visible location within each unit. The local contact must be present within the Charleston Metro Area and be available to respond within two hours after being notified of an emergency by a guest or by a Town employee during any 24-hour period.

Maximum Occupancy

The maximum occupancy for all short-term rental properties is two occupants per code-compliant bedroom. Two additional occupants are allowed per dwelling unit. For example, a four-bedroom rental property shall have a maximum of ten occupants. Children under the age of 2 are not included in calculating maximum occupancy.

The number of bedrooms for determining occupancy is based on Charleston County Property Tax records.  Temporary conversion of rooms such as dining rooms, living rooms, studies, etc., for use as bedrooms for rental purposes, is not permitted.

Parking and Driveways

The maximum number of vehicles permitted for overnight parking for each single-family dwelling unit must be in accordance with the number of parking spaces as defined on the rental application. Vehicles may only be parked on permanent paved or gravel parking surfaces. Parking on grass or landscaped areas is prohibited at all times. Vehicles must be parked in a manner that permits the passage of emergency vehicles. Overnight parking in driveways must allow emergency vehicles within 25 feet of the residence.

If a garage is considered in the number of parking spots on the application, then access must be provided at all times that the rental is operational. Parking for villa units must be in the villa complex.

Pickups greater than a one-half ton, and cargo vans greater than 12 passengers, recreation vehicles (RVs), buses, trailers, boats, and other large vehicles are prohibited from parking overnight islandwide. Vehicles can not be used for sleeping or overnight accommodations. Properties must comply with St. Johns Fire District requirements and applicable Architectural Review Board regulations for residential zoning districts (R-1, R-2, and R-3) which require that driveway clearance for fire trucks be a minimum of ten feet wide for straight drives and have a height clearance of 13.6 feet.

Trash Collection

Rentals must be subscribed to back-door trash collection two times per week, including recycling service. Trash receptacles must be stored in an enclosed garage or approved screened enclosure whereby the receptacles are not visible from the street. Villas must use provided dumpsters for trash disposal. Dumpster pick-up service must be sufficiently frequent to avoid trash overflow. Dumpsters must be stored on an approved screened pad.

Storage of Personal Items

No clothing or towels are permitted to be draped over deck railings. Bicycles and beach gear and other personal items must be stored in a garage or enclosure and not visible from the street side or adjoining properties or left in a driveway, yard, or parking lot. Villa complexes must provide adequate bicycle racks for overnight bicycle storage. All other gear shall be stored indoors or in provided storage closets.

Exterior Lighting

Outdoor lighting for all other dwellings shall be turned off from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. From May – October, all outdoor lighting, facing seaward in beachfront units, must be turned off from 9 p.m. to dawn.