How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in South Carolina?
In South Carolina, before starting a nonpayment case a landlord must serve a written notice giving the tenant 5 days to pay the rent due. This is S.C. Code §§ 27-40-770, 27-40-530, 27-40-710.
| What | South Carolina |
|---|---|
| Notice before a nonpayment case | 5 days |
| What the notice demands | Pay the rent due, or the tenancy can end |
Notes
Thirty days' written notice ends a month-to-month tenancy. Entry: 24 hours, except in an emergency. Nonpayment: a five-day written notice to quit — but the landlord need not give it at all if the lease itself carries the exact warning set out in § 27-40-710(B). No statute sets a rent-increase notice period.
Source
S.C. Code §§ 27-40-770, 27-40-530, 27-40-710
Read the statute in the South Carolina Code of Laws (South Carolina Legislature): scstatehouse.gov.
Checked against the statute on September 11, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora computes the notice this rule requires from the tenancy’s own dates — for a renewal offer, a rent increase or a served notice — and will not serve one that is short unless the owner records a reason. The answer above is the rule the product enforces.
Guides on this rule
- Can a Landlord Send an Eviction Notice by Email or Text? — The federal E-SIGN Act excludes eviction notices, so state law decides how a notice to pay or quit must be served. California, New York and Florida rules.
- Rent Receipt Laws: When a Landlord Must Give a Receipt — When a landlord must give a rent receipt in New York, Maryland, Texas and California, what it must say, cash payment rules, and New York’s late-rent notice.
Compare this rule in every state
More South Carolina rules
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in South Carolina?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before entering in South Carolina?
- How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in South Carolina?
- Is there rent control in South Carolina?
- Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in South Carolina?
- Can a tenant repair and deduct from rent in South Carolina?
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- Every South Carolina rule on one page
The same question in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii