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Rent Late Fee Laws in South Carolina

South Carolina's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act treats late charges as part of rent but sets no cap on the amount and no grace period.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

South Carolina at a glance

Late fee cap
No statewide cap
The Act defines rent to include late charges but sets no limit.
Cap (% of rent)
No statutory cap
Grace period
None required by statute

Sources

Last checked

The rules in South Carolina

How much can a landlord charge as a late fee in South Carolina?

Late fee cap in South Carolina: No statewide cap. The Act defines rent to include late charges but sets no limit.

What percentage of the rent is the late fee cap in South Carolina?

Cap (% of rent) in South Carolina: No statutory cap.

How many days does a tenant have before a late fee can be charged in South Carolina?

Grace period in South Carolina: None required by statute.

Where do the South Carolina rent late fee laws come from?

The rules above come from S.C. Code 27-40-210(11). Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

In many states, a landlord can charge a late fee only if the lease provides for it. Putting the amount, the due date, and any grace period in the lease in plain numbers helps both sides avoid disputes.

When a state counts a grace period, the details matter: whether weekends and holidays count, and whether the clock starts on the due date or the day after. Read the statute text linked on each state page rather than relying on a rounded summary.

Late fees are separate from unpaid rent. Keeping rent receipts and a record of the date each payment arrived makes it easier to check whether a fee was charged correctly and to resolve disagreements before they reach court.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.