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Landlord's Desk

State law guide · Checked November 14, 2026

South Carolina landlord rules: late fees, deposits and rent increases

South Carolina leaves late fee amounts and deposit size to the lease. It does set a return deadline and a steep penalty for wrongly keeping a deposit. Here is what the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act says, with the section for each rule.

All states

The short version

  • The statute sets no late fee cap and no required grace period. Your lease sets both.
  • There is no limit on deposit size.
  • Return the deposit within 30 days after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered and the tenant demands it, whichever is later.
  • Deductions must be itemized in a written notice to the tenant, and wrongly kept money can cost three times the amount plus attorney's fees.
  • No statute sets a notice period for raising rent, and counties and cities can't regulate the amount of rent.

Late fees in South Carolina

Limit
None in the statute. The Act mentions late charges just once, in its definition of rent. S.C. Code § 27-40-210(11)
Grace period
None in the statute. S.C. Code ch. 40
Other conditions
None specific to late fees. The parties may include lease terms that the Act and other rules of law don't prohibit. S.C. Code § 27-40-310(a)

Security deposits in South Carolina

Maximum deposit
The statute sets no limit. S.C. Code § 27-40-410
Return deadline
30 days after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered and the tenant demands it, whichever is later. The tenant should give a written forwarding address. Without one, if the landlord had no notice of where the tenant is and mailed to the last known address, the tenant can't recover damages under that subsection. S.C. Code § 27-40-410(a)
Itemized deductions
Required, in a written notice to the tenant, within the same 30 days. S.C. Code § 27-40-410(a)
Interest
The statute doesn't require it. S.C. Code § 27-40-410
How it's held
No special account or bond in the statute. S.C. Code § 27-40-410
Penalty
Three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees. It applies when the landlord fails to return the deposit with the required notice. S.C. Code § 27-40-410(b)

Rent increases in South Carolina

Notice to raise rent
No statute sets a notice period for a rent increase. The closest rule covers ending a month-to-month tenancy: written notice at least 30 days before the termination date. Check your lease for its own notice term. S.C. Code § 27-40-770(b)
Statewide cap
None in the statute. S.C. Code chs. 39 and 40
City rent control
Not allowed. No county or municipal corporation may enact, maintain or enforce an ordinance or resolution that regulates the amount of rent. A locality can regulate its own property or make agreements with private persons. S.C. Code § 27-39-60

This page covers South Carolina state law for ordinary residential rentals. Cities and counties can add their own rules, and subsidized housing and mobile home lots follow different ones. The South Carolina Legislature's code pages are one page per chapter, so the links above go to the chapter page. Find the section on that page.

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When we update this page because a South Carolina late fee, security deposit or rent increase rule changed, we'll email you a short, plain-English note.

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Questions landlords ask

Is there a late fee limit for rent in South Carolina?

Not in the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. The statute sets no cap and no required grace period, so the lease sets them (S.C. Code ch. 40).

How long does a South Carolina landlord have to return a security deposit?

30 days after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered and the tenant demands it, whichever is later, with deductions itemized in a written notice (S.C. Code § 27-40-410(a)).

What is the penalty for keeping a security deposit in South Carolina?

Three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees (S.C. Code § 27-40-410(b)).

Free templates you can use in South Carolina

These are plain templates that aren’t tied to one state. Fill in the numbers your statute and lease call for.

Keep South Carolina rent and deposits on one ledger

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This guide is general information, not legal advice. It summarizes state statutes as read on November 14, 2026; laws change and courts interpret them. Check the current statute (S.C. Code of Laws, Title 27, chapter 40) or talk to a local attorney before you act.