The maximum length of a standard residential lease agreement is one (1) year in South Carolina. Leases for longer than one year (or 12 months) can exist, but they must be in writing.
Oral leases are valid for terms shorter than one year, but it is recommended that all leases be written instead. This is because it is more difficult to prove an oral lease, and defending what was agreed upon can become difficult.
If there is no term defined in the lease, the tenancy duration is based on the frequency that rent is paid. For weekly rent, the tenancy is assumed to be on a week-to-week basis. In all other circumstances, it is assumed to be a month-to-month tenancy (SC Code § 27-40-310 (2019)).
The information for this answer was found on our South Carolina Residential Lease Agreement answers.