Rent increases in South Carolina
Source: S.C. Code § 27-40-770 (periodic tenancy); § 27-40-910 (retaliation); § 27-39-60 (rent-control preemption) · Checked against the statute
- Notice
- 7–30 days
- Statewide cap
- No statewide cap
- During a lease
- No state statute
- Local rent control
- Banned by state law
When can a rent increase start in South Carolina?
Choose the state and the date the notice is given.
How much notice is required
South Carolina has no statute written specifically for rent increases. A periodic tenancy is ended by written notice at least 30 days before the date given for month-to-month, or 7 days for week-to-week. (S.C. Code § 27-40-770(a)–(b))
No separate rent-increase rule: the periods below are the notice to end a periodic tenancy.
| Applies to | When | Notice |
|---|---|---|
| Month-to-month | — | 30 days |
| Week-to-week | — | 7 days |
- The notice must be in writing.
Example: a notice handed over on November 2, 2026 in South Carolina
Earliest date the new rent can start, with rent due on the 1st, worked out from the South Carolina rule above:
- For a month-to-month tenant of 1 year raising rent 5% or a month-to-month tenant of 3 years raising rent 12%: Wednesday, December 2, 2026
- For a week-to-week tenant raising rent 5%: Monday, November 9, 2026
Raising rent during a lease
No South Carolina statute addresses raising rent during a fixed-term lease.
City and county rent control
No county or city may enact, maintain or enforce any ordinance or resolution regulating the amount of rent for privately owned residential or commercial property. Exceptions: property it owns, and agreements with private owners. (S.C. Code § 27-39-60)
Retaliatory rent increases
A landlord may not retaliate by raising rent above fair-market value because the tenant complained to a code-enforcement agency, or complained to the landlord about a violation of the Act. A landlord with more than four adjoining units may raise rent uniformly for all tenants, or up to fair-market value, without a presumption of retaliation. Damages: up to 3 months' rent or triple actual damages, plus attorney's fees. (S.C. Code § 27-40-910)
Also good to know
- No statewide limit on the amount or frequency of rent increases.
Other South Carolina renting rules in numbers
- Security deposit
- No statutory limit. Return deadline: 30 days (see details).
- Tenant's notice to move out
- 30 days
- Notice for unpaid rent
- 5 business days (pay or move out)
- How a written notice is delivered (eviction-notice rules)
- A tenant "receives" notice when it is handed to the tenant or mailed by registered or certified mail to the place the tenant designated (or the last known residence); proof of mailing is enough (S.C. Code § 27-40-240(B)(3)). The rent notice may instead be contained in the written lease (§ 27-40-710(B)).
- Notice for other lease violations
- 14 days (fix it or move out)
- Small claims court limit
- $7,500 — where most deposit and rent disputes are filed.
- Repairs
- Time to repair: 14 days. Repair and deduct: not allowed; withholding rent: not allowed.
- Deposit kept wrongly
- If the landlord fails to return the deposit or prepaid rent with the required notice, the tenant recovers three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees (§ 27-40-410(b)).
- Lawful reasons to end a lease early
- Domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking; Unit unlivable or landlord fails to repair; Landlord harassment or illegal entry; Military service (state law)
Sources
- S.C. Code Title 27, Chapter 40 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- S.C. Code Title 27, Chapter 39 (§ 27-39-60) Retrieved October 15, 2026.
Laws change. This page was checked against the sources above on October 15, 2026. It is legal information, not legal advice; for a dispute, contact your state's legal aid. See our methodology.