Kiawah Island Accommodations Tax Calculator
Estimate the tax on a short-term rental stay in Kiawah Island, SC (Charleston County). Rates come from the Coastal SC STR Rules tracker and each one links to its official source. At a glance: 13% (verified).
Verified total: 13%. Every rate below is listed in the tracker with an official source, checked Oct 25, 2026.
Airbnb hosts: Airbnb collects and remits the SCDOR state and local sales taxes in Kiawah Island, but it does not remit the Charleston County accommodations fee or the Kiawah Island accommodations fee. Charleston County lists the places where Airbnb remits for hosts, and Kiawah Island is not one of them, so you file and pay both local fees to Charleston County yourself. If your Airbnb statement shows a PTT (Pass-Through Tax) amount above $0, Airbnb collected it from the guest and passed it to you to remit. Vrbo remits in every Charleston County jurisdiction. Either way, report monthly gross receipts to the County.
See what this town's taxes and fees leave you each month: Kiawah Island take-home calculator.
Results
Kiawah Island short-term rental tax rates
| Tax | Rate |
|---|---|
| State sales tax (SCDOR) | 5% |
| State accommodations tax (SCDOR) | 2% |
| Local option sales tax (SCDOR) | 1% |
| Transportation sales tax (SCDOR) | 1% |
| Education capital improvement tax (SCDOR) | 1% |
| Charleston County accommodations fee (Charleston County) | 2% |
| Kiawah Island accommodations (Charleston County) | 1% |
| Total | 13% (verified) |
Tracker note, quoted from the Coastal SC STR Rules dataset: "13% total (Town packet): state sales 5%, state accommodations 2%, local option 1%, transportation 1%, education capital improvement 1% (10%, remitted to SCDOR per ST-575); Charleston County accommodations 2% and Town accommodations 1% (both remitted to Charleston County). SCDOR and County accommodations accounts required. Airbnb collects only the SCDOR taxes here, not the County or Town fees (a PTT line on the Airbnb statement is an amount the host must remit); Vrbo collects and remits all of them. The host reports monthly gross receipts to the County either way. Mandatory cleaning and other required fees are part of the taxable rental charge; optional services the guest can decline are not (SCDOR Sales Tax Manual Ch. 11, Q6 to Q9)."
Cleaning fees and accommodations tax
It depends on whether the guest can decline it. Under the SCDOR Sales Tax Manual (Chapter 11, Questions 6 to 9), a mandatory cleaning fee is part of the taxable rent, even when it is listed as a separate line. An optional cleaning service the guest can choose or decline is not taxed. Tick the mandatory box in the calculator to include your cleaning fee in the taxable amount.
Source: SCDOR Sales Tax Manual, Chapter 11, Accommodations, Questions 6 to 9 (September 2025 edition).
How it works
Taxable amount = nightly rate x nights + other mandatory charges + the cleaning fee when it is mandatory. Tax = taxable amount x the sum of the known rates (plus any additional local rate you enter). Where a local rate is marked verify, it is the rate the town or county reported to the state, counted in full until the town or county confirms it.
FAQ
What is the accommodations tax rate in Kiawah Island?
13% in total for a short-term rental, per the Coastal SC STR Rules tracker (checked Oct 25, 2026). Every component is listed on this page with its official source.
Who collects accommodations tax in Kiawah Island?
State and local sales taxes marked SCDOR are filed with the South Carolina Department of Revenue. Local accommodations taxes and fees are filed with the office named next to each rate; see the official sources below.
Is the cleaning fee taxable?
It depends on whether the guest can decline it. Under the SCDOR Sales Tax Manual (Chapter 11, Questions 6 to 9), a mandatory cleaning fee is part of the taxable rent, even when it is listed as a separate line. An optional cleaning service the guest can choose or decline is not taxed. Tick the mandatory box in the calculator to include your cleaning fee in the taxable amount.
Does Airbnb collect the local accommodations fees in Kiawah Island?
Airbnb collects and remits the SCDOR state and local sales taxes in Kiawah Island, but it does not remit the Charleston County accommodations fee or the Kiawah Island accommodations fee. Charleston County lists the places where Airbnb remits for hosts, and Kiawah Island is not one of them, so you file and pay both local fees to Charleston County yourself. If your Airbnb statement shows a PTT (Pass-Through Tax) amount above $0, Airbnb collected it from the guest and passed it to you to remit. Vrbo remits in every Charleston County jurisdiction. Either way, report monthly gross receipts to the County.
Do I need to register or renew a license in Kiawah Island?
Licenses expire Apr 30. Twice-weekly backdoor trash service required.
Is this tax advice?
No. It is an estimate from public sources. Rates and rules change, so confirm with SCDOR and the local tax office.
Sources
- https://www.dor.sc.gov/sales-use-tax-index/accommodations (tax rates, checked Oct 25, 2026)
- https://www.dor.sc.gov/sites/dor/files/forms/ST575.pdf (tax rates, checked Oct 25, 2026)
- https://cms2.revize.com/revize/kiawahisland/Document%20Center/Services/Business%20Licenses/Short-Term%20Rental/ACCOMMODATIONS-TAX-INFORMATIONAL-PACKET.pdf (tax rates, checked Oct 25, 2026)
- https://www.charlestoncounty.gov/departments/revenue-collections/local-accommodations-tax-application.php (tax rates, checked Oct 25, 2026)
- https://www.charlestoncounty.gov/departments/revenue-collections/files/ATAX%20Information.pdf?v=987 (tax rates, checked Oct 25, 2026)
- https://www.charlestoncounty.gov/departments/revenue-collections/files/ATAX-QA.pdf?v=126 (tax rates, checked Oct 25, 2026)
- https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2328 (tax rates, checked Oct 25, 2026)
- https://help.vrbo.com/articles/vrbo-stay-taxes-lodging-taxes-united-states-n-z (tax rates, checked Oct 25, 2026)
- https://www.kiawahisland.gov/short-term_rentals_(all_you_want_to_know).php (tax rates, checked Oct 25, 2026)
- https://dor.sc.gov/sites/dor/files/Documents/Policy%20Manuals/Chapter%2011%20-%20Accommodations.pdf (tax rates, checked Oct 25, 2026)
- https://www.kiawahisland.gov/business_licenses/short-term_rental.php (registration and renewal, checked Oct 25, 2026)
- https://www.kiawahisland.gov/short-term_rentals_(all_you_want_to_know).php (registration and renewal, checked Oct 25, 2026)
Data from the Coastal SC STR Rules tracker, last verified Oct 25, 2026.
Zoning, permits, occupancy and parking rules for Kiawah Island: Kiawah Island STR rules. Host checklist: Kiawah Island host checklist.
Other SC towns
Related calculators
Estimates, not tax or financial advice. Confirm rates with SCDOR and your local tax office before filing.