Free South Carolina farm lease agreement templates, ready to sign
Cash rent, crop-share and pasture lease templates for South Carolina farmland, with the state's farm tenancy rules.
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South Carolina Lease Bundle
Every template in one download: cash rent, crop-share, pasture, livestock rental, farm building and machinery leases.
Unlock bundleDownload bundleCash Rent Lease
Fixed cash rent farm lease (NCFMEC-01A) from the North Central Farm Management Extension Committee.
DownloadCrop-Share Lease
Crop-share farm lease (NCFMEC-02A) for splitting the crop, input costs and risk.
DownloadPasture Lease
Pasture lease (NCFMEC-03A): acreage, term, stocking rate, fencing and water.
DownloadEnding or changing a lease? South Carolina: farm rentals end on December 31 each year unless the lease says otherwise. Settle next year's terms before December 31. See how to give notice →
How South Carolina farm leases work
When a South Carolina lease can end, how much notice it takes and what to put in writing.
How to end a South Carolina farm lease
South Carolina has a farm-specific rule: S.C. Code § 27-35-100 ends every tenancy of a renter of farm land on December 31 unless there is an express agreement otherwise. Farmland is also excluded from the state's month-to-month presumption (§ 27-35-30).
| Situation | Notice rule |
|---|---|
| Farm rental, no other end date agreed | Ends December 31 |
| Lease with an agreed term (oral or written) | Ends on the last day of the term, no notice needed |
| Tenancy at will | 20 days' written notice |
| Rent not paid when due | Tenancy ends; the tenant must leave without notice |
A tenant who gives written notice of leaving and then stays owes double rent (§ 27-35-180). For a multi-year deal, sign a written lease with its own renewal and notice dates, and keep proof of delivery for any notice. Compare every state in Oaken's farm lease termination guide.
Put the new terms in writing
Start the next lease from a South Carolina template with clear end dates and notice terms.
Get the South Carolina templatesPick the right South Carolina lease type
Setting the rent? The 2026 median non-irrigated cropland rent across 38 of 46 published South Carolina counties is $39.50 per acre. Compare yours on the South Carolina cash rent by county map or read the 2026 rent negotiation guide.
Oral vs. written leases in South Carolina
Under S.C. Code § 27-35-20, an agreement to use real estate for more than one year is void unless it is in writing. Cotton, peanut, soybean and tobacco acres all need clear written terms; Clemson Extension's Farm Rental Agreement Checklist lists the items to settle.
Our advice: a lease that has rolled over for years on a handshake leaves no record of the rent, input splits or notice terms. Write it down, even for a one-year deal. Get the templates →
What to put in writing
- Names, legal description and FSA acres
- Start date, end date and how renewal works
- Rent, due dates and any flex formula
- Notice deadline and how notice is delivered
- Carry-over fertilizer and lime reimbursement
- Conservation practices, terraces and drainage
- Irrigation, grain bins and peanut or tobacco rotations
- Base acres, program payments and crop insurance
- Hunting, wind and solar rights
Free lease rate calculators
Run the numbers before you fill in your South Carolina lease. County data built in.
A template covers one lease. Oaken runs all of them.
Once the leases are signed, the real work starts: rent due dates, flex bonuses, notice deadlines and landowner statements. Oaken tracks every one across every farm and all 46 South Carolina counties.
A quick call with our team. No obligation.
| Binder & spreadsheet | With Oaken |
|---|---|
| Deadlines tracked by memory | Automated lease and payment tracking |
| Flex and crop-share formulas that break | Variable rent calculated and reconciled |
| Landowners call for updates | Landowner portal |
| One person holds the file | Multi-user access, office or field |
| Risky hand-off to new staff | White-glove onboarding |
South Carolina farm lease questions
When does a farm lease end in South Carolina?
Under S.C. Code § 27-35-100, every tenancy of a renter of farm land or sharecropper ends on the last day of December each year, unless there is an express agreement to the contrary. A lease with an agreed term, oral or written, ends on its last day without notice (§ 27-35-110).
Does a South Carolina landowner need to give notice to end a farm lease?
Not for a farm rental that ends on December 31 or on an agreed end date. A tenant at will gets 20 days' written notice (§ 27-35-130), and failure to pay rent when due ends the tenancy without notice (§ 27-35-140). Put any notice in writing anyway and keep proof of delivery.
Does a South Carolina farm lease need to be in writing?
Yes, if it runs longer than one year. S.C. Code § 27-35-20 says an agreement for the use of real estate for more than one year is void unless in writing. A one-year rental can be oral, but a written lease records the rent, crop splits and end date.
What is the average farmland cash rent in South Carolina in 2026?
Across the 38 of 46 South Carolina counties with published 2026 USDA NASS cash rent data, the median county rent for non-irrigated cropland is $39.50 per acre. Oaken's South Carolina cash rent map shows every published county, its rank and its change from 2025.
How does Oaken help manage South Carolina farmland leases?
Oaken keeps every South Carolina lease, landowner and payment in one place. It tracks rent due dates and each lease's notice deadline, calculates flex and crop-share payments, and gives landowners a portal for statements, so nothing depends on a binder or one person's memory.