Eviction Laws in Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is a historic Lowcountry city and the county seat of Beaufort County, sitting on Port Royal Island along the Beaufort River in South Carolina’s Sea Island region. With a city population of approximately 14,300, Beaufort is small by the numbers but punches far above its weight in terms of military significance and rental market demand. The city is home to Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort (MCAS Beaufort), sits adjacent to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island — where every Marine recruited east of the Mississippi completes boot camp — and hosts Beaufort Naval Hospital. Together, these military installations make the Department of Defense the dominant employer in the region and create a rental market unlike any other in South Carolina.
Beaufort County has a population of approximately 195,000 (including Hilton Head Island and Bluffton to the south), and the broader Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort metropolitan area continues to grow steadily. The city’s rental market reflects its military backbone: about 41% of households are renter-occupied, significantly higher than the county average, driven by active-duty Marines, Navy personnel, military contractors, and families on PCS (Permanent Change of Station) orders who rent rather than buy during 2–3 year assignments. Median gross rent is about $1,257, though apartment averages run higher at $1,726, and the market has seen modest 2.5% year-over-year growth.
The median age in the city is just 31, reflecting the young active-duty population. Median household income is approximately $56,855, and the poverty rate is 18% — a number that looks alarming but is partly explained by the large number of young enlisted Marines and their families whose base pay registers as low income in census data despite housing allowances (BAH) that supplement their rent payments. The population is roughly 63% White, 28% Black, and 6% Hispanic. Per capita income is about $43,100, buoyed by senior military officers and civilian defense contractors. Beaufort Memorial Hospital and the University of South Carolina Beaufort also contribute to the professional workforce.
South Carolina’s landlord-tenant framework applies fully in Beaufort. The 5-day nonpayment notice (or no notice with the statutory lease language under S.C. Code § 27-40-710(B)), no security deposit cap, and 24-hour post-judgment removal all apply. Beaufort has no rent control, no mandatory rental registration, and no local tenant protections beyond state law. Eviction filings go through the Beaufort County Magistrate Court at 104 Ribaut Road.
Beaufort & Beaufort County — Local Rules That Affect Landlords
No rent control. South Carolina has no statewide rent control and no statute permitting municipalities to enact it. Beaufort cannot cap rent increases. Landlords may raise rent with proper notice at lease renewal.
Beaufort County Magistrate Court. For properties in the city of Beaufort, file at the Beaufort County Magistrate Court at 104 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902. Phone: 843-255-5290. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (note the earlier closing time compared to many SC courts). Beaufort County also has a Bluffton Magistrate Court for properties in the southern part of the county. File at the court that serves your property’s location.
Five-day motion to reopen window. Beaufort County Magistrate Court enforces a specific local timing rule: in all eviction cases, parties are given only five calendar days to request a motion to reopen their case after judgment. This is shorter than the 10-day window for other civil matters. Once five days pass without a motion, the judgment is final. This works in landlords’ favor by reducing the window for tenants to delay proceedings after a default judgment.
Written lease required for eviction filing. Beaufort County Magistrate Court requires the plaintiff/landlord to have a valid written lease or rental agreement to file for eviction. If no written lease exists but there is a verbal agreement, you must give the tenant 30 days’ written notice to vacate by certified mail, return receipt requested, and attach proof of that notice to your filing. This is more stringent than some other SC counties — always have a written lease in Beaufort.
Military tenant protections — SCRA compliance is critical. With MCAS Beaufort, Parris Island, and Beaufort Naval Hospital, a very large share of your tenant pool is active-duty military. The federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides significant protections: military tenants can terminate leases early with PCS orders or deployment with 30 days’ written notice, and courts must stay (delay) eviction proceedings against active-duty service members under certain circumstances. Do not attempt to evict a military tenant without verifying their active-duty status through the SCRA website (scra.dmdc.osd.mil). Violations carry serious federal penalties. On the positive side, military tenants receive BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) specifically designated for rent, making them among the most reliable payers in any market — BAH comes directly from the federal government and is rarely disrupted.
PCS cycle creates predictable turnover. Military PCS orders typically take effect between May and August, creating a concentrated turnover season. Landlords in Beaufort should expect annual vacancy periods during summer, plan lease terms to align with PCS cycles (starting July or August), and begin marketing for replacement tenants in early spring when incoming Marines receive their orders. The upside of this cycle is that demand is consistently renewed every summer with a fresh cohort of military families, many of whom are pre-approved for housing through their BAH.
Parris Island graduation tourism — STR opportunity. Parris Island graduates approximately 17,000–20,000 Marines annually, and each graduation brings hundreds of family members to Beaufort for multi-day visits. This creates steady short-term rental demand throughout the year (graduations occur nearly every Friday). Properties within a short drive of Parris Island can command premium nightly rates during graduation weekends. All STR operators must collect and remit state (6%) and local accommodations taxes.
Historic district considerations. Beaufort’s downtown historic district (The Point, Old Point, and surrounding neighborhoods) contains numerous properties on the National Register of Historic Places. Renovation or exterior modification of rental properties in the historic district may require approval from the Beaufort Historic District Review Board. This can limit your ability to update properties quickly between tenants. Factor in longer renovation timelines for historic properties.
No mandatory rental registration. Neither the City of Beaufort nor Beaufort County requires landlords to register long-term rental properties. Code enforcement is complaint-driven. There is no proactive rental inspection program.
Beaufort County Magistrate’s Court — Where Beaufort Landlords File
Beaufort city eviction cases are filed at the Beaufort County Magistrate Court — 104 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902. Phone: 843-255-5290. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. A valid written lease or rental agreement is required to file. If only a verbal agreement exists, you must provide 30 days’ written notice by certified mail before filing. File Form SCCA 732 (Application for Ejectment) and pay the $40 filing fee. The form must be notarized (the court can notarize for an additional fee if the landlord is present). The court issues a Rule to Show Cause served on the tenant by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. If served in person, the tenant has 10 days to respond; if posted on the door, the tenant has 20 days to respond. If uncontested, a default Writ of Ejectment is issued. The losing party has only 5 calendar days to request a motion to reopen (shorter than the standard 10 days for other civil cases). If contested, a hearing is scheduled — either party may request a jury trial. After judgment, the Writ of Ejectment is issued; the tenant has 24 hours to vacate after the Writ is posted. If they do not leave, contact the Sheriff’s Office to schedule a physical set-out. Do not change locks, remove belongings, or cut utilities before the Sheriff executes the Writ — self-help eviction is illegal under S.C. Code § 27-40-660. For military tenants, verify active-duty status through the SCRA website before proceeding.
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