Free South Carolina Rental Lease Agreement Templates (7) | PDF

South Carolina Rental Lease Agreement Templates (7)

A South Carolina lease agreement organizes a record of the terms associated with a real estate rental. Generally, a landlord will discuss the basic requirements with an interested party and request that they fill out an application. If there is no issue with the landlord’s conditions and the prospective tenant is approved, the contract may be filled out and signed to secure a legally valid document.

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Last updated March 29th, 2026

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A South Carolina lease agreement organizes a record of the terms associated with a real estate rental. Generally, a landlord will discuss the basic requirements with an interested party and request that they fill out an application. If there is no issue with the landlord’s conditions and the prospective tenant is approved, the contract may be filled out and signed to secure a legally valid document.

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Lease Agreements By Type (7)

Association of Realtors Version: The state’s realtor group offers a fully equipped rental agreement that may be executed by any individuals partaking in the leasing of a property.

Download: PDF
Commercial Lease Agreement: Legalizes the commitment between an owner and renter of property secured for a company’s operation.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)
Lease to Own Agreement: Is utilized to enter into a real estate rental contract with an extended opportunity to purchase the property at the end of the lease.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)
Month-to-Month Lease: Describes the conditions of an arrangement to lease a space for a given period and monthly premium with the preference to terminate with thirty (30) day notification or more for either the owner or tenant.

Download: PDF
Roommate Agreement: Identifies the relationship, clauses, and obligations between a tenant of a residence and an alternate person choosing to occupy the same building.

Download: PDF

Standard Lease Agreement: Warrants a tangible commitment to lease a property for a signified period for a predetermined monthly sum.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)
Sublease Agreement: Verifies the particulars to a written document arranging for a tenant to rent a leased unit to another entity.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)

Additional Forms

General Contract Addendum (Form 390): This form allows users to stipulate that a certain action must be carried out prior to the tenant moving in or during the course of the occupancy.

Required Landlord Disclosures

1.) Identification of the Landlord or Authorized Agents (§ 27-40-420): Landlords entering a lease identify owners and their agents (e.g., property managers).

2.) Differing Security Deposits (§ 34-11-410a): Multi-unit landlords with greater than 4 units can request different security amounts; however, they must disclose this.

3.) Lead-Based Paint (42 U.S. Code § 4852d): The federal government mandates landlords release information on the possibility of lead-based paint in homes built before 1979.

When is Rent Due?

Grace Period: South Carolina does not enforce a grace period (unless it is in the lease); however, no eviction proceedings may occur before 5 days’ notice (S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-710(B)).

Unpaid Rent: Landlords issue a permanent 5-day notice to pay rent on time or surrender the property, specifically in the lease. (S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-710(B)).

Late Fees

South Carolina generally does not govern late rent fees; however, such fees are only applicable if in the lease (S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-10).

NSF Fees

Landlords pursue up to $30 for bank charges by following lease procedure or, if there is no cooperation then through the courts accordingly (S.C. Code Ann. § 34-11-70(A)).

Security Deposit Maximum ($)

South Carolina explicitly limits security deposits to 2 months rent for unfurnished property or 3 months rent for furnished property (SC Code § 27-40-410).

Security Deposit Return

Returning to Tenant: Landlords have less than “thirty days after termination of the tenancy” to return the security deposit (SC Code § 27-40-410).

Itemized List: Landlords itemize each deduction from the security deposit whenever returning less than the full amount (SC Code § 27-40-410).

Landlord Right To Enter

Standard Entry: While tenants must consent to reasonable access, landlord deliver 24 hours’ notice of their need for entry (SC Code § 27-40-530).

Emergency Entry: Landlords can enter without direct consent in emergencies (e.g., destructive weather), especially to protect the property (SC Code § 27-40-530).

Absence

Landlords assume tenant abandonment when property is consistently vacant for at least 15 days after nonpayment of rent (SC. Code Ann. § 27-40-730).

Repair and Deduct

Once there is a significantly ongoing breach in the lease or health and safety codes:

  • The tenant issues a 14-day notice to repair or quit
  • Tenants work through the courts for solutions whenever the issue is unsolvable  (SC Code Ann. § 27-40-610(b)).

When a Tenant Terminates the Lease (early)

Duty to Mitigate: Landlords operate with the understanding that they seek new tenants to replace an abandoning one accordingly (SC Code § 27-40-730).

Active Military: All military service members responding to orders are able to terminate their lease through a 30-day notice, accordingly (50 USC 3955).

Domestic Violence: Tenants work with courts or law enforcement to address domestic violence since they may not terminate without liability (S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-10).

Landlord Noncompliance: If tenants face lease noncompliance, then they issue a 14-day notice to cure or terminate the lease (SC § 27-40-610(a)).

Landlord Harassment: While tenants cannot terminate prematurely, they use the courts to seek relief (as well as damages) (S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-530(c)).

Inhabitability: Tenants can terminate with a 14-day cure or quit notice if:

  • The landlord is unable or unwilling to bring the property to habitability within 14 days of receipt of the notice
  • The uninhabitability of the property significantly affects their health and safety (SC § 27-40-610(a)).

Is an Oral Lease enforceable?

South Carolina oral leases must be less than 1 year in order to be enforceable (S.C. Code Ann. § 32-3-10(4)).

Renewing a Lease

South Carolina allows individual leases to determine rent increases when renewing an agreement since it does not regulate rent control.

Unclaimed Property

Landlords have no obligation to store tenant property left behind once there is abandonment or successful eviction ((SC Code § 27-40-710), ((SC Code § 27-40-730)).

Landlord-Tenant Laws

The extended version of statutes discussing conduct and responsibilities involved in the relationship of a lessor and lessee are covered in the South Carolina Code of Laws Unannotated Residential Landlord and Tenant Act § 27-40.
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