South Carolina § 12-36-920 - Tax on accommodations for transients; reporting.

§ 12-36-920. Tax on accommodations for transients; reporting.

(A) A sales tax equal to seven percent is imposed on the gross proceeds derived from the rental or charges for any rooms, campground spaces, lodgings, or sleeping accommodations furnished to transients by any hotel, inn, tourist court, tourist camp, motel, campground, residence, or any place in which rooms, lodgings, or sleeping accommodations are furnished to transients for a consideration. This tax does not apply:

(1) where the facilities consist of less than six sleeping rooms, contained on the same premises, which is used as the individual's place of abode; or

(2) to gross proceeds from rental income wholly excluded from the gross income of the taxpayer pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 280A(g) as that code is defined in Section 12-6-40(A).

The gross proceeds derived from the lease or rental of sleeping accommodations supplied to the same person for a period of ninety continuous days are not considered proceeds from transients. The tax imposed by this subsection (A) does not apply to additional guest charges as defined in subsection (B) or separately stated optional charges on a bill to a customer for amenities, entertainment, special items in promotional tourist packages, and other guest services.

(B) A sales tax of five percent is imposed on additional guest charges at any place where rooms, lodgings, or accommodations are furnished to transients for a consideration, unless otherwise taxed under this chapter. For purposes of this subsection, additional guest charges are limited to charges for:

(1) room service;

(2) laundering and dry cleaning services;

(3) in-room movies;

(4) telephone service; and

(5) rentals of meeting rooms.

(C) Real estate agents, brokers, corporations, or listing services required to remit taxes under this section shall notify the department if rental property, previously listed by them, is dropped from their listings.

(D) When any business is subject to the sales tax on accommodations and the business has more than one place of business in the State, the licensee shall report separately in his sales tax return the total gross proceeds derived from business done within and without the corporate limits of municipalities. A taxpayer who owns or manages rental units in more than one county or municipality shall report separately in his sales tax return the total gross proceeds from business done in each county or municipality.

(E) The taxes imposed by this section are imposed on every person engaged or continuing within this State in the business of furnishing accommodations to transients for consideration.

HISTORY: 1990 Act No. 612, Part II, SECTION 74A; 1992 Act No. 361, SECTION 16(C); 1996 Act No. 458, Part II, SECTION 60B; 2004 Act No. 299, SECTION 4, eff July 1, 2004; 2005 Act No. 56, SECTION 2, eff May 9, 2005, applicable to taxable years beginning July 1, 2004; 2014 Act No. 172 (H.3561), SECTION 1, eff July 1, 2014; 2014 Act No. 259 (S.437), SECTION 3, eff June 9, 2014.

Code Commissioner's Note

At the direction of the Code Commissioner, the amendments to subsection (A) made by 2014 Act No. 172, SECTION 1, eff. July 1, 2014, and 2014 Act No. 259, SECTION 3, eff June 9, 2014, were read together.

Effect of Amendment

2014 Act No. 172, SECTION 1, eff July 1, 2014, in subsection (A), last undesignated paragraph, added text at the end of the last sentence relating to separately stated optional charges; and rewrote subsection (B).

2014 Act No. 259, SECTION 3, eff June 9, 2014, in subsection (A), split up the subsection by adding paragraph designator (1) and setting out the last undesignated paragraph, and added subsection (A)(2), relating to gross proceeds from rental income wholly excluded from gross income.