Jefferson County, MO Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)
Key Facts
- Re-inspection fee
- Charged if inspection card is missing
- Card issued by
- Code Enforcement Division at permit approval
- Final inspection
- Required before any occupancy
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 1 year jail
- Governing section
- Code of Ordinances § 500.350
Summary
Jefferson County's Building Code requires the Code Official to inspect permitted work at each construction stage, and forbids work from continuing past an inspection point without written approval under Section 500.350. Permit holders must post an inspection card on the job site, request a final inspection before occupancy, and pay a re-inspection fee if the card is missing or lost.
After issuing a permit, the Code Official shall conduct inspections from time to time during and upon completion of the work for which a permit has been issued. The Code Official shall maintain a record of all such examinations and inspections and of all violations of this Code. No work shall be done on any part of the structure beyond the point indicated in each successive inspection without first obtaining the written approval of the Code Official or his authorized representative. ... Upon completion of the work described in the permit application, the permit holder shall request and obtain a final inspection before any occupancy of the structure. Failure of the permit holder to request and obtain a final inspection before occupancy will constitute a violation of this Code.
Full Breakdown
350 sets the inspection sequence for any project under a Jefferson County building permit. After a permit issues, the Code Official conducts inspections from time to time during construction and upon completion, keeping a record of every examination and any Code violation found. No work may proceed past the point covered by a given inspection until the Code Official or an authorized representative gives written approval, and the permit holder is notified of any violations found along the way. The permit holder bears the duty to request and obtain a final inspection before occupying the completed structure; skipping that step is itself a Code violation.
The Code Enforcement Division issues an inspection card when the permit is approved, and that card, together with the approved plans, must stay on the job site until final inspection is complete. Inspection calls must be scheduled in advance as the card directs, and the card must be posted and accessible to the inspector at the time of the visit. If the card is missing, the County may charge the re-inspection fee set in the Jefferson County fee schedule; a lost card can be replaced only after paying the additional-inspection fee.
Where a job requires a licensed tradesperson, that licensee must write their name and license number on the card before starting work, and the card must show the permit number. New, altered, extended, or replaced plumbing must stay uncovered until tested and approved, and the Code Official can order concealed work reopened for testing if it was covered too soon.
Violations & Fines
Proceeding with construction beyond an uninspected stage, or occupying a structure without the required final inspection, violates Section 500.350(C) and Section 500.300 of the Building Code, a misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to one thousand dollars, imprisonment up to one year, or both, with each day treated as a separate offense. The Code Official can also issue a stop-work order under Section 500.310, halting all work immediately until the violation is corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a final inspection before moving into a permitted structure?
What happens if I lose my inspection card?
Can I keep building past a stage that hasn't been inspected yet?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jefferson County
Compare Jefferson County to another location·View the Missouri building safety overview
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