4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in St. Louis County, Missouri.
Verified from official government sources
Missouri has no statewide STR preemption law. St. Louis County (the county government) does not currently operate a county-wide short-term rental permit or licensing program in unincorporated areas. STRs in unincorporated St. Louis County are subject to the County Zoning Ordinance (SLCRO Ch. 1003) and adopted building/fire codes, but no county STR-specific license is required. The City of St. Louis (separate jurisdiction) adopted Ordinance 71729 requiring STR permits, but a court order has prohibited its enforcement. Individual cities within St. Louis County (Florissant, Kirkwood, Ferguson, etc.) may impose their own STR rules.
All lodging facilities inside St. Louis County, including transient home rentals booked through Airbnb, VRBO, and similar online purveyors, must file and pay a 3.75% Convention and Tourism Tax plus a 3.5% Convention and Sports Tax (7.25% total county lodging tax). Returns are due quarterly within 20 days after each calendar quarter. Missouri state sales tax of 4.225% and local city/county sales taxes also apply.
St. Louis County does not have a STR-specific parking ordinance. Off-street parking for residential dwellings is governed by SLCRO Section 1003.165 (Off-Street Parking and Loading Requirements). Single-family detached dwellings in unincorporated St. Louis County must provide off-street parking on an approved hard-surface driveway. On-street parking is regulated locally; many subdivisions and cities prohibit overnight street parking.
St. Louis County does not impose a county-wide STR-specific occupancy cap in unincorporated areas. Maximum occupancy defaults to the St. Louis County Property Maintenance Code (Chapter 1110, adopting the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code), which sets minimum sleeping room area of 70 sq ft for one occupant and 50 sq ft per occupant for rooms used by more than one person. Missouri has no statewide STR preemption, so incorporated cities may set stricter caps.
2 cities in St. Louis County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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