Invest in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand: short-term rental rules, taxes and costs
What it takes to own a short-term rental in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Horry and Georgetown counties and the Brunswick Islands: zoning, licenses, accommodations taxes and the numbers behind the market.
Myrtle Beach allows short-term rentals only in some zones. Lodging tax on a rental: Myrtle Beach at least 8.5%; North Myrtle Beach at least 8.5%; Horry County at least 10%; Georgetown County at least 10%; Brunswick County at least 7.75%. About 70,800 homes in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand (20% of all housing) are seasonal or vacation homes. Builders got permits for 11,345 new homes in 2025.
Not financial or legal advice. Rules change: confirm with the city or county, and talk to a licensed real estate professional, an insurance agent and a tax preparer before you buy or list a home.
Invest in Myrtle Beach is presented by: this guide has one sponsor spot, and it is open.
Short-term rental rules, place by place
What each city or county asks of a home rented for short stays. Tap "Official sources" on a card to read the rule itself.
Myrtle Beach
Only in zones that allow it, plus a city business license
- Most traditional neighborhoods are NOT zoned for short-term rentals (under 90 days). Residential zones that start with "R" do not allow them, except RMV (Residential Multifamily Visitor).
- Fewer than 30 homes in traditional residential zones are grandfathered.
- Every short-term rental needs a city business license.
- Breaking the zoning or business license rules is a misdemeanor: up to $500 and/or 30 days in jail.
- Check a property on the city's zoning map or call the Zoning Division at 843-918-1179.
North Myrtle Beach
City business license, renewed every year
- No special zoning or permit beyond the city business license.
- Owners or managers renew the license every year and keep it current.
- Rentals collect accommodations taxes for the city, the county and the state.
- Trash, parking, noise and occupancy ordinances apply.
Horry County (outside city limits)
County business license
- Steps listed by the county: a state retail license (SCTC-111), a county business license, monthly state returns (ST-388, ST-389, ST-3T) and a county hospitality fee account.
- File the county business personal property forms (PT-100 by April 30, and PR-26).
- The county hospitality fee is 3% outside city limits and 1.5% inside them, due by the 20th of the next month.
- Inside a city (Conway, Surfside Beach, Loris, Aynor and the rest), register with the city too.
Georgetown County (Pawleys Island, Murrells Inlet south, Georgetown)
Ask the county about local rules
- The county charges a 3% local accommodations tax on homes, condos and rooms rented to visitors.
- Stays of 30 days or more to the same person are not taxed by the county.
- Owners file monthly when the tax averages more than $50 a month, by the 20th of the next month. Late: 5% a month.
Brunswick County, N.C. (Oak Island to Sunset Beach)
No rental registration under N.C. law; zoning still applies
- In 2022 the N.C. Court of Appeals ruled (Schroeder v. City of Wilmington) that cities cannot require residential rentals to register or get a permit. Zoning can still limit where short-term rentals go.
- Brunswick County charges a 1% room occupancy tax countywide on rooms and homes rented to visitors.
- Beach towns can add their own occupancy tax: ask the town before you set your rates.
Lodging tax on a rental, by place
The share added to what guests pay. Dark bars are the full rate; light bars show the part we could confirm, before city or town taxes.
Compare towns: vacation homes, prices and rent
Tap a column to sort. Rent to value is a year of the median long-term rent divided by the median home value: a rough yardstick, not a vacation rental income estimate.
| Town | Seasonal homes | Median home value | Median rent | Rent to value | Property tax paid (median) | Local rule | Lodging tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pawleys Island | 82.4% | $1,694,400 | $10,001 | Check | at least 10% | ||
| Holden Beach | 65% | $658,900 | $1,475 | 2.7% | $3,620 | No permit | at least 7.75% |
| Ocean Isle Beach | 60.4% | $835,500 | $3,648 | No permit | at least 7.75% | ||
| North Myrtle Beach | 48.3% | $416,900 | $1,263 | 3.6% | $1,453 | License | at least 8.5% |
| Oak Island | 44.8% | $456,500 | $1,339 | 3.5% | $3,156 | No permit | at least 7.75% |
| Sunset Beach | 38.8% | $410,900 | $537 | 1.6% | $2,167 | No permit | at least 7.75% |
| Surfside Beach | 37.8% | $450,100 | $1,274 | 3.4% | $1,508 | License | at least 10% |
| Little River | 24.1% | $305,800 | $1,528 | 6% | $960 | License | at least 10% |
| Murrells Inlet | 17.9% | $366,000 | $1,751 | 5.7% | $1,376 | License | at least 10% |
| Myrtle Beach | 17.3% | $388,800 | $1,261 | 3.9% | $1,209 | Zoning limits | at least 8.5% |
| Southport | 14% | $437,700 | $1,426 | 3.9% | $3,047 | No permit | at least 7.75% |
| Shallotte | 8.5% | $349,500 | $1,256 | 4.3% | $2,184 | No permit | at least 7.75% |
| Georgetown | 6.9% | $168,100 | $780 | 5.6% | $908 | Check | at least 10% |
| Andrews | 6.8% | $116,400 | $1,043 | 10.8% | $1,035 | Check | at least 10% |
| Forestbrook | 6.6% | $335,800 | $814 | 2.9% | $927 | License | at least 10% |
| Bolivia | 5.3% | $290,000 | $1,167 | 4.8% | $1,790 | No permit | at least 7.75% |
| Carolina Forest | 3.2% | $336,800 | $1,668 | 5.9% | $1,125 | License | at least 10% |
| Leland | 1.8% | $398,900 | $1,735 | 5.2% | $2,419 | No permit | at least 7.75% |
| Loris | 1.6% | $214,300 | $694 | 3.9% | $1,034 | License | at least 10% |
| Conway | 1.5% | $260,900 | $866 | 4% | $1,024 | License | at least 10% |
| Aynor | 0.8% | $255,700 | $1,160 | 5.4% | $957 | License | at least 10% |
Development watch: new homes permitted each year
Housing units authorized by building permits, by county, 2021 to 2025. The orange bar is 2025. More permits mean more supply on the way, for buyers and for renters.
In 2025, 11,249 of the 11,345 new homes permitted in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand were single-family houses.
What it costs to own, county by county
Horry County
Median home value: $287,700
Median property tax paid: $944 a year (about 0.33% of value)
Seasonal homes: 18.8% of housing
Hurricane risk: Very High
Coastal flooding risk: Relatively High
Georgetown County
Median home value: $289,500
Median property tax paid: $1,190 a year (about 0.41% of value)
Seasonal homes: 22.2% of housing
Hurricane risk: Very High
Coastal flooding risk: Relatively High
Brunswick County
Median home value: $349,800
Median property tax paid: $1,890 a year (about 0.54% of value)
Seasonal homes: 21.8% of housing
Hurricane risk: Very High
Coastal flooding risk: Relatively High
Before you buy a rental here
- Find the property on the city or county zoning map and confirm short-term rentals are allowed there, and whether an HOA or condo association bans them.
- Read the local rule on the card above: permit, fee, occupancy limit, parking, signs and the local contact.
- Look up the flood zone on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and get flood and wind insurance quotes.
- Ask the property appraiser what the taxes will be after the sale: a new owner, or a home that stops being a primary residence, can see a much bigger bill than the seller's.
- Budget for cleaning, management, supplies, utilities, repairs and empty weeks, not just the mortgage.
Real Estate Agents for rental owners in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand
Manage rentals here?
Own a rental here?
We publish short answers from owners and managers after an editor reviews them, never with your address.
- What the rules mean in practice: inspections, permits, what surprised you in year one.
- Report a rule change: a new ordinance, fee or tax rate. We check it with the city or county and update this page.
- Ask a question: we answer it on this page or in a story.
Rental and real estate news
- Where the Grand Strand is building: new home permits in Horry, Georgetown and Brunswick
- Airbnb in Myrtle Beach: where city zoning allows short-term rentals and what owners need
- Brunswick County beach towns and rentals: what N.C. law lets towns require, and what not
- Myrtle Beach property tax on a second home or rental: South Carolina’s 4% and 6% rates
- Accommodations taxes on Grand Strand rentals: state, county and city rates explained
- Golf and tourism in Horry County: what the accommodations tax numbers show
Questions about vacation rentals in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand
Do I need a permit for a short-term rental in Myrtle Beach?
Only in zones that allow it, plus a city business license. Most traditional neighborhoods are NOT zoned for short-term rentals (under 90 days). Residential zones that start with "R" do not allow them, except RMV (Residential Multifamily Visitor).
Do I need a permit for a short-term rental in North Myrtle Beach?
City business license, renewed every year. No special zoning or permit beyond the city business license.
Do I need a permit for a short-term rental in Horry County?
County business license. Steps listed by the county: a state retail license (SCTC-111), a county business license, monthly state returns (ST-388, ST-389, ST-3T) and a county hospitality fee account.
Do I need a permit for a short-term rental in Brunswick County?
No rental registration under N.C. law; zoning still applies. In 2022 the N.C. Court of Appeals ruled (Schroeder v. City of Wilmington) that cities cannot require residential rentals to register or get a permit. Zoning can still limit where short-term rentals go.
How much tax do vacation rentals charge in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand?
Myrtle Beach: at least 8.5%, plus city accommodations and hospitality taxes; North Myrtle Beach: at least 8.5%, plus city accommodations tax; Horry County: at least 10%, plus local sales taxes; Georgetown County: at least 10%, plus local sales taxes; Brunswick County: at least 7.75%, plus town occupancy tax. The rate applies to what guests pay for the stay; ask the tax office about cleaning and booking fees.
Where are the most vacation homes in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand?
20% of homes in the region are seasonal or vacation homes, according to the Census. Highest shares: Pawleys Island (82.4%), Holden Beach (65%) and Ocean Isle Beach (60.4%).
Is a vacation rental a good investment here?
This page does not give investment advice. It shows the rules, taxes and public numbers so you can compare places: talk to a licensed real estate professional, a tax preparer and the city or county before you buy.