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South Carolina Lease Agreement Template

A printable South Carolina residential lease agreement, plus the SC-specific rules worth knowing before you fill it in: the 30-day deposit return, the 24-hour entry notice, the 30-day month-to-month rule, and the owner/manager disclosure every South Carolina lease must carry. South Carolina is home turf for us — Kelpic is built in Greenville.

Educational sample — not legal advice

This template and the rules summarized here are general educational information as of this page's writing, not legal advice, and statutes change. The South Carolina Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (S.C. Code Title 27, Chapter 40) governs residential tenancies — have a South Carolina attorney or current state resource verify your completed lease before anyone signs.

The South Carolina Rules That Shape a Lease

Topic South Carolina rule (commonly cited — verify current law)
Security deposit cap None — no statutory limit; one month's rent is customary
Deposit return Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, demand, and delivery of possession, with written itemization of deductions
Deposit standards disclosure Landlords renting 5+ adjoining units with different deposit standards must disclose how deposits are calculated (posted or in writing)
Late fees No statutory cap; must be in the lease and defensible as reasonable
Entry notice At least 24 hours' notice, at reasonable times; emergencies excepted
Month-to-month termination 30 days' written notice before the periodic rental date, by either party (7 days for week-to-week)
Key disclosures Person authorized to manage the premises, and the owner or the owner's agent for notices, in writing; federal lead paint (pre-1978)

The South Carolina Template

Print this page or copy the text into your document editor. It follows our standard residential lease structure with the South Carolina-specific clauses adjusted.

South Carolina Residential Lease Agreement

  1. 1. PARTIES. This Residential Lease Agreement (“Agreement”) is made on ___________, 20___, between ______________________________ (“Landlord”) and ______________________________ (“Tenant”). Each Tenant is jointly and severally liable for all obligations under this Agreement. The person authorized to manage the Premises, and the owner or the owner's agent authorized to receive notices, are: ______________________________________________, as South Carolina law requires to be disclosed.
  2. 2. PREMISES. Landlord leases to Tenant the residential premises located at ______________________________________________, Unit ______, ______________________ (City), South Carolina __________ (ZIP) (the “Premises”), together with the following included items or areas (appliances, parking, storage): ______________________________________________.
  3. 3. TERM. The term of this Agreement begins on ___________, 20___, and ends on ___________, 20___ (check one): ☐ Fixed term   ☐ Month-to-month. If Tenant remains in possession after the end of a fixed term with Landlord's consent, the tenancy continues month-to-month on the same terms; either party may then terminate with at least 30 days' written notice before the periodic rental date, as South Carolina law provides.
  4. 4. RENT. Tenant shall pay rent of $__________ per month, due in advance on the ______ day of each month, payable to ______________________________ by the following method(s): ______________________________. Rent for any partial first or last month shall be prorated.
  5. 5. LATE FEES & RETURNED PAYMENTS. If rent is not received within ______ days after the due date, Tenant shall pay a late fee of $__________, which the parties agree is a reasonable charge for the costs of late payment. Tenant shall pay a fee of $__________ for any payment returned for insufficient funds, as permitted by law.
  6. 6. SECURITY DEPOSIT. Tenant shall pay a security deposit of $__________ before taking possession. Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, Tenant's demand, and delivery of possession, Landlord shall return the deposit, less lawful deductions itemized in writing, to the address Tenant provides, as S.C. Code § 27-40-410 requires. The deposit may be applied to unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, and other charges permitted by law or this Agreement.
  7. 7. UTILITIES & SERVICES. Tenant shall pay for the following utilities and services: ______________________________________________. Landlord shall pay for: ______________________________________________.
  8. 8. OCCUPANCY & USE. The Premises shall be occupied only by Tenant and the following named occupants: ______________________________________________. The Premises shall be used as a private residence only. Guests staying more than ______ consecutive days require Landlord's written consent.
  9. 9. MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS. Landlord shall comply with S.C. Code § 27-40-440, complying with applicable building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety, making repairs to keep the Premises in a fit and habitable condition, keeping common areas reasonably safe, and maintaining in reasonably good and safe working order the electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and other facilities and appliances supplied by Landlord. Tenant shall keep the Premises clean and sanitary, dispose of waste properly, use fixtures and appliances reasonably, promptly notify Landlord in writing of any condition needing repair, and be responsible for damage caused by Tenant's or Tenant's guests' negligence or misuse. Repair requests shall be sent in writing to: ______________________________________________.
  10. 10. LANDLORD'S RIGHT OF ENTRY. Landlord may enter the Premises to inspect, make repairs, or show the Premises to prospective tenants or buyers after giving Tenant at least 24 hours' advance notice, at reasonable times, and may enter without notice in an emergency or as otherwise permitted by S.C. Code § 27-40-530.
  11. 11. PETS. (Check one) ☐ No pets are permitted without Landlord's prior written consent. ☐ The following pet(s) are permitted: ______________________________, subject to a pet deposit of $__________ and/or pet rent of $__________ per month. This section does not apply to service or assistance animals as defined by applicable law.
  12. 12. ASSIGNMENT & SUBLETTING. Tenant shall not assign this Agreement or sublet any portion of the Premises without Landlord's prior written consent.
  13. 13. TERMINATION & RENEWAL. Either party may end a month-to-month tenancy with at least 30 days' written notice before the periodic rental date. For a fixed term, notice of non-renewal shall be given at least ______ days before the end of the term. Upon termination, Tenant shall return all keys, provide a forwarding address in writing, and leave the Premises clean and in the same condition as received, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
  14. 14. GOVERNING LAW & DISCLOSURES. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of South Carolina, including the South Carolina Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (S.C. Code Title 27, Chapter 40). If any provision is held invalid, the remaining provisions continue in full force. Required disclosures and addenda — including the federal lead-based paint disclosure for housing built before 1978 and, where applicable, the deposit-calculation disclosure for landlords renting five or more adjoining units — are attached and incorporated into this Agreement.
  15. 15. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement, together with any attached addenda, is the entire agreement between the parties and may be amended only in a writing signed by both parties.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement on the date first written above.

Landlord signature

Printed name & date

Tenant signature

Printed name & date

Sample for educational purposes — not legal advice. Verify current South Carolina requirements and add any locally required disclosures before use.

Filling It In: The South Carolina-Specific Steps

  1. 1Fill in the manager/owner disclosure in Section 1 — South Carolina requires the tenant to know, in writing, who manages the property and who can receive legal notices.
  2. 2Use 24 hours as your entry-notice floor — it's the statutory number, so the lease shouldn't promise anything shorter.
  3. 3Set the deposit deliberately — there's no cap, but if you rent five or more adjoining units with different deposit standards, you must disclose how deposits are calculated.
  4. 4Calendar the 30-day deposit clock at move-out — the refund and itemization go to the address the tenant gives you, so ask for it in writing at key return.
  5. 5Attach the disclosures — lead paint for pre-1978 housing is federal, and coastal or municipal rules (flood zones, short-term-rental ordinances) can add local requirements worth checking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does South Carolina limit how much security deposit a landlord can charge?
No — South Carolina has no statutory cap on residential security deposits; one month's rent is customary. What the state regulates is the return: within 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant demands the deposit and provides an address, the landlord must refund it with a written itemization of any deductions.
How is a security deposit returned in South Carolina?
Within 30 days of the tenancy ending, the tenant's demand, and delivery of possession, with any deductions itemized in writing and the balance mailed to the address the tenant provides. One wrinkle for larger landlords: if you rent five or more adjoining units on the same premises and apply different deposit standards to different tenants, South Carolina requires you to disclose how deposits are calculated, by posting or by giving the tenant the standards in writing.
How much notice must a South Carolina landlord give before entering?
At least 24 hours' notice, with entry at reasonable times, for repairs, inspections, and showings. Entry without notice is allowed in emergencies, and the statute also permits entry under certain other conditions, such as agreed-upon repairs requested by the tenant. Put the 24-hour figure in the lease so both sides work from the same number.
How do you end a month-to-month tenancy in South Carolina?
Either party may terminate a month-to-month tenancy with at least 30 days' written notice before the periodic rental date. Week-to-week tenancies require 7 days. Fixed-term leases end on their end date, though the lease commonly requires 30–60 days' notice of non-renewal.
What disclosures does a South Carolina lease need?
South Carolina requires written disclosure of the person authorized to manage the premises and the owner (or the owner's agent for service of process and notices). Federal law adds the lead paint disclosure for pre-1978 housing. Landlords renting five or more adjoining units with varying deposit standards must also disclose how deposits are calculated.

Related: the standard lease template · North Carolina lease agreement · Georgia lease agreement · the security deposit guide.

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