News Release

Informational Sessions for Short-term Rental Property Owners & Managers

What You Need to Know

December 8, 2022

The Town of Hilton Head Island is hosting two more informational sessions to give owners and managers of short-term rental properties an opportunity to learn about the Town’s new requirements and regulations for short-term rentals.

The sessions will be held at 10 am and 5 pm on Wednesday, December 14, in the Benjamin M. Racusin Council Chambers at Town Hall, 1 Town Center Court. The 10 am session can be viewed on the Town's Public Meetings Facebook Page, the Beaufort County Channel and Spectrum Channel 1304.

At these sessions, Town staff will discuss various topics and answer questions related to the Town's short-term rental ordinance that the Town Council passed in May of 2022. The ordinance, which goes into effect at the beginning of January 2023, applies to privately owned residential property used as vacation homes and short-term rentals for a rental period of less than 30 days.

Under the new ordinance, short-term rental owners are required to have a business license and permit to operate within Town limits. The Town will begin accepting applications for permits through its short-term rental permitting portal on January 3, 2023.

The ordinance addresses short-term rental related:

• Licenses, permits, fees and taxes.
• Vehicles and parking.
• Noise management.
• Violations.
• Complaint tracking and response.
• Trash storage and removal.

The ordinance also establishes the assessment of an annual fee for short-term rental permits. The fee would help recover costs associated with identifying short-term rental properties, ensuring compliance with permitting and business licenses requirements, and addressing violations.

For more information, contact Barbara Wooster, Revenue Customer Service Manager, at BarbaraW@hiltonheadislandsc.gov or 843-341-4652. Information about the short-term rental ordinance is also available on the Town's website at www.hiltonheadislandsc.gov/short-termrentals/.