TL;DR: Myrtle Beach treats any rental under 90 continuous days as a commercial visitor accommodation. That triggers a business license, state and local accommodations taxes, and a 1% hospitality fee. A zoning overlay adopted in December 2024 also limits converting oceanfront short-term units to long-term leases, and 2026 market data shows a market where nightly rates are rising while total revenue slips.
Myrtle Beach has roughly 19,903 active short-term rental listings, according to AirDNA (July 2026). That figure is down 6.0% from a year earlier. Average annual revenue per listing slipped 2.3% to $26.1K, and occupancy fell 5.3% to 53%. Yet the average daily rate climbed 8.4% to $280. Fewer properties, fewer booked nights, higher prices per night. For anyone weighing a vacation rental purchase along the Grand Strand, that mix changes the math. It also raises a question many buyers ask only after closing: what does the city actually require of you?
Myrtle Beach Short-Term Rental Rules: What the City Code Requires
Start with the definition, because everything follows from it. The City of Myrtle Beach Code of Ordinances (current through April 22, 2025) defines a visitor accommodation as a living unit rented, leased, or subleased for any period under 90 continuous days. The code also states plainly that a visitor accommodation is a commercial use.
That single word carries weight. A commercial use is governed by zoning, licensing, and tax rules that do not apply to a home you simply live in.
Licensing follows directly. Under Section 11-25(f), any person or legal entity renting a single property or more must register the business and apply for a license. The same provision states that short-term and vacation rentals pay state and local accommodations taxes and hospitality fees.
The hospitality fee is defined in Section 2-262 as a uniform 1% on gross proceeds from rooms and lodging furnished to transients. Two details matter:
Stays of 90 continuous days or more to the same person are not counted as transient proceeds.
The fee does not apply where the facilities consist of fewer than six sleeping rooms in a single building used as the owner's primary place of abode.
Zoning is the other gate. The code permits visitor accommodations by right in several commercial and mixed-use districts and by special exception in others. Because that varies parcel by parcel, verify the zoning on a specific address with the city before you buy.
The STRC Overlay Zone Runs the Opposite Direction
Most coastal short-term rental regulation restricts short stays. Myrtle Beach added a rule that protects them.
Section 1808 establishes the Short-Term Rental Conversion (STRC) Overlay Zone, adopted by Ordinance No. 2024-69 on December 10, 2024. Its stated purpose is to sustain the economic vitality of the oceanfront by preserving tourist accommodations between Kings Highway and the Atlantic Ocean.
Here is what it does. In any building of more than two units that was constructed or used as a visitor accommodation, units may not be rented or leased for 90 continuous days or more. The code also closes the obvious workaround: signing back-to-back leases each under 90 days, so one occupant can stay past 90 days, is itself a violation.
There is an exception. Owners already legally operating with a business license for long-term rental when the ordinance was adopted may continue, as long as they keep that license current.
For a buyer evaluating an oceanfront condo in that corridor, this is a material fact. A unit in a qualifying building cannot be repositioned as an annual rental if nightly bookings soften. The exit strategy is narrower than it looks on paper.
Guest Registration Requirements Many Owners Overlook
Section 14-220 applies to the innkeeper of any lodging establishment that offers short-term rental or pays accommodations tax. The requirements are specific.
Operators must keep a guest register recording each guest's name, residence, check-in date, and check-out date. The guest responsible for payment must produce identification, including a valid driver's license or other government-issued photo ID. Renting to an adult without obtaining that identification is a misdemeanor under the code.
Vehicles are covered too. The guest must provide the license plate number and state of issuance for each vehicle used during the stay. The operator must issue a parking sticker, hanger, or card to be displayed in the vehicle.
Where guests are under 18, a responsible adult, chaperone, parent, or legal guardian must register in person at check-in and accept written liability for room costs, taxes, charges, and damages.
These are operational obligations, not paperwork you can hand off and forget. If a management company handles bookings on your behalf, confirm in writing who is responsible for compliance.
What the 2026 Numbers Say About Myrtle Beach Rental Performance
The regulatory picture is stable. The performance picture is shifting.
Myrtle Beach short-term rental performance, trailing twelve months through June 2026
| Metric | Current Figure | Year-Over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| Active listings | 19,903 | - 6.0% |
| Average annual revenue per listing | $26.1K | - 2.3% |
| Occupancy | 53% | - 5.3% |
| Average daily rate | $280 | + 8.4% |
| RevPAR | $147 | + 1.2% |
Source: AirDNA, Myrtle Beach market data (updated July 5, 2026).
Acquisition costs moved as well. According to CCAR MLS (April 2026), the median condo sales price in Myrtle Beach was $208,500, down 12.4% year over year, with condo inventory up 5.8% to 1,475 units. Median single-family price was $478,000, down 10.2%.
Softer entry prices against modestly higher RevPAR is a different equation than the one buyers ran two years ago. Nationally, the context is steady rather than surging: sales intended for vacation use represented 5% of transactions in February 2026, according to NAR's REALTORS® Confidence Index (February 2026).
One caution on the comparison. AirDNA's market boundary and the CCAR MLS Myrtle Beach area (ZIP codes 29572 and 29577) are not identical geographies. Treat any yield figure you build from both as directional.
Rules and regulations are subject to change, and the code cited here is current through April 22, 2025. Verify current requirements with the City of Myrtle Beach and consult a licensed professional for your specific situation.
If you are weighing an oceanfront condo against a single-family build further inland, the STRC overlay is worth understanding before you write an offer, because it shapes what you can do with the property later. The same goes for licensing and guest registration duties, which follow the owner regardless of who manages the calendar. We build custom homes across Horry County and talk through these tradeoffs with buyers every week. If you want to think it through with someone who knows the local process, reach out to our team.
FAQ SECTION
What counts as a short-term rental in Myrtle Beach?
The City of Myrtle Beach Code of Ordinances (current through April 22, 2025) defines a visitor accommodation as a living unit exchanged, furnished, rented, leased, or subleased for any period under 90 continuous days. The definition covers the property regardless of ownership structure, and it explicitly includes timesharing, fractional ownership, and tenancy-in-common arrangements. The code classifies a visitor accommodation as a commercial use, which is what brings zoning, licensing, and tax obligations into play. If you rent for 90 continuous days or more to the same occupant, the arrangement falls outside that definition.
Do I need a business license to rent out my Myrtle Beach property?
Yes. Section 11-25(f) of the city code states that all persons or legal entities engaging in the rental of a single property or more must register the business and make application under the business license chapter. The threshold is one property, so owning a single unit does not exempt you. The same section specifies that short-term and vacation rentals pay state and local accommodations taxes and hospitality fees according to law. Contact the city's business license office to confirm current fees and filing schedules.
What is the STRC Overlay Zone and does it affect my property?
The Short-Term Rental Conversion Overlay Zone was established under Section 1808 of the city code by Ordinance No. 2024-69, adopted December 10, 2024. It applies to commercial uses located between Kings Highway and the Atlantic Ocean within the municipal limits. Within that area, buildings of more than two units that were constructed or used as visitor accommodations cannot be rented or leased for 90 continuous days or more. Owners who held a business license for long-term rental at the time of adoption may continue under an exception, provided they maintain that license.
How much is the hospitality fee on a Myrtle Beach rental?
Section 2-262 of the city code imposes a uniform fee of 1% on gross proceeds from rooms, lodgings, and sleeping accommodations furnished to transients. Proceeds from stays of 90 continuous days or more to the same person are not treated as transient proceeds. The code also provides an exemption where the facilities consist of fewer than six sleeping rooms in a single building used as the owner's primary place of abode. This fee is separate from state and local accommodations taxes, which the code addresses under the business license provisions.
Is Myrtle Beach still a strong short-term rental market in 2026?
The data points in two directions. According to AirDNA (July 2026), average annual revenue per listing was $26.1K, down 2.3% year over year, and occupancy fell 5.3% to 53%. At the same time, the average daily rate rose 8.4% to $280 and RevPAR rose 1.2% to $147. Active listings declined 6.0%, so supply is contracting alongside demand. Acquisition costs also eased, with the median Myrtle Beach condo price at $208,500 in April 2026, down 12.4%, according to CCAR MLS.
What guest records am I required to keep?
Section 14-220 of the city code requires operators offering short-term rental to maintain a guest register with each guest's name, residence, check-in date, and check-out date. The financially responsible guest must produce a valid driver's license or other government-issued photo identification. Operators must also collect vehicle license plate numbers and states of issuance and issue a parking placard for display. For guests under 18, a responsible adult, chaperone, parent, or guardian must register in person and accept written liability for costs and damages.
Sources
City of Myrtle Beach Code of Ordinances: https://library.municode.com/sc/myrtle_beach
AirDNA, Myrtle Beach Short-Term Rental Market Data: https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/us/south-carolina/myrtle-beach/overview
Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS®: https://www.ccarsc.org/pages/marketstats/
National Association of REALTORS®: https://www.nar.realtor/
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