St. Louis County, MO Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SLCRO § 1103.P-126
- Permit processing fee
- $47 per permit
- Minimum total permit fee
- $94 to $171
- Permit holder
- Licensed bonded master plumber
- Application lapse
- 180 days without action
- Code violation penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine, 90 days jail
- No-permit penalty
- Greater of $500 or 1% of cost
Summary
St. Louis County requires a permit before any plumbing, drainlaying, sewer connection, backflow-device work, or fire-suppression water main tie-in begins on unincorporated property. Only a bonded, licensed master plumber may hold the permit, applications go to the Office of Plumbing and Sewer Inspection, and unpermitted work draws a misdemeanor charge plus a separate no-permit penalty.
1103.P-126 - Permits Required. —1. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Code, a permit must be obtained prior to any person performing the following work: (A)Any plumbing, drainlaying, or process drainage systems, including industrial waste sewers to site pretreatment, (with the exception of minor repairs, as defined in this Code), in, upon, or about any building or premise, whether private or public and whether any such work has been ordered by the Code Official, or any other authorized official;(B)Any connection to any sewer.(C)The installation or replacement or permanent removal of any Backflow Prevention Device or assembly.(D)The connection of any dedicated fire suppression water main to any potable water main. Exception: No permits shall be required for storm or sanitary sewer accepted for maintenance by Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, municipal street department or County highway department.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 | Traffic: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
P-126 of the Plumbing Code requires a permit before anyone performs plumbing, drainlaying, or process-drainage work, connects to a sewer, installs or removes a backflow prevention device, or ties a dedicated fire-suppression main into a potable water main, with narrow exceptions for minor repairs and for storm or sanitary sewers already maintained by the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, a municipal street department, or the County highway department. P-130, which lets an owner-occupant of a detached single-family dwelling personally do minor work such as one bathroom, one water heater, or up to eight drainage fixture units.
200: a $47 permit processing fee applies to most work, and the minimum total permit fee is $94 with one inspection and no plan review, $124 with plan review, and $141 to $171 where two inspections are required; domestic water heater and dishwasher replacements carry a flat $47 total fee instead of the processing fee. An application is deemed abandoned 180 days after filing unless diligently pursued or a permit issued, though the Code Official may grant additional 90-day extensions for cause. This chapter reaches only unincorporated St. 020.
Violations & Fines
Working without a permit, or failing to arrange required inspections, is a misdemeanor under Section 1103.P-140, punishable by a fine up to $1,000, imprisonment up to 90 days, or both, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense. On top of that penalty, the Code Official can assess a no-permit fine of up to the greater of $500 or 1% of the construction cost, plus a separate no-inspection-request penalty of up to $500; both are appealable to the Board of Appeals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in St. Louis County?
Can a homeowner pull their own plumbing permit?
What happens if plumbing work starts before a permit is issued?
Who reviews and issues plumbing permits in the county?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
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