Town of Hilton Head Island
Town Hall runs business licenses, building permits, rental permits and Fire Rescue. Policing, schools and water belong to the county and districts.
- 1 Town Center Ct, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
- (843) 341-4600
Hours
Mon-Fri8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.Sat-SunClosed
- Incorporated: 1983
- Government: Mayor, six ward council members and a Town Manager
- Town Hall: Stephen G. Riley Municipal Complex
- Policing: Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, by contract
What the Town of Hilton Head Does
The Town of Hilton Head Island is the municipal government for the whole island, incorporated in 1983. From Town Hall on Town Center Court it issues business licenses, building permits and short-term rental permits, sets zoning, collects the accommodations tax and Beach Preservation Fee, and looks after the public beach parks and the island's pathways. Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue, the fire department and ambulance service, is a Town department too.
A good deal of island life is someone else's job. Policing is done by the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office under contract, schools by the Beaufort County School District, and water and sewer by the island's public service districts. Inside the gated communities, such as Sea Pines and Hilton Head Plantation, the property owners' associations run the roads, gates and design review.
Hilton Head Business License
Anyone doing business inside town limits needs a Town business license, from a contractor or a shop to an owner renting a villa by the week. The license year runs May 1 to April 30. The Town mails renewal forms by the end of January, renewals are due April 30, and the amount is based on the previous year's gross revenue; late renewals add 5% a month. Renew online or at Town Hall, and call Revenue Services at 843-341-4677 with questions. Rental owners also need a permit and a quarterly tax account: see Hilton Head short-term rental permits.
Hilton Head Town Council and the Mayor
Hilton Head has a council-manager government. The mayor is elected island-wide and six council members by ward, and the Town Council hires a Town Manager, Marc Orlando, to run the Town's departments day to day. Council meets in the chambers at Town Hall, and its agendas, minutes and meeting video are on the Town's website. The next municipal election, for mayor and the Ward 2, 4 and 5 seats, is on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Building Permits
Building permits, inspections, planning and zoning are handled by the Town's Community Development Department at Town Hall, under the Town's Land Management Ordinance. Inside a gated community, a project also needs the owners' association's design review before work starts.
Town Rules for Hosts and Shoppers
The Town’s rental permit, the ordinance’s new rules, the business license and the 3% Town tax on stays.
No plastic carryout bags at any island checkout: what stores hand out instead, and the county’s wider ban.
Who polices the island, the Sheriff’s offices, Fire Rescue’s seven stations and the non-emergency numbers.
Public Services
Most of these are run by the county, the state or a utility district rather than the Town, but they are the errands every new resident and long-stay visitor ends up running.
More Island Life
Everyday Hilton Head Island for residents and long stays: the Town and public services, utilities, schools and jobs, local news, pets and senior living.
Where Hilton Head Island gets its news: The Island Packet, WHHI-TV and the Savannah TV stations, the island's magazines and local radio stations.
The four hardware stores on Hilton Head Island: Ace, Grayco, Anchor and Coligny, with hours, Sunday openings and the Home Depot and Lowe's in Bluffton.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hilton Head Island a town or a city?
A town. The Town of Hilton Head Island was incorporated in 1983 and covers the whole island.
Where is Hilton Head Town Hall?
At 1 Town Center Court, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, in the Stephen G. Riley Municipal Complex. It is open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; the main number is 843-341-4600.
Do I need a business license on Hilton Head Island?
Yes, for any business inside town limits, including renting out a home or villa short-term. Licenses run May 1 to April 30 and renewals are due April 30.
Does Hilton Head have its own police department?
No. The Town contracts with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, whose deputies patrol the island. The Town's own Fire Rescue department runs fire service and EMS.
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