St. Louis, MO Drone Rules: Commercial Drones (2026)
Key Facts
- Licenses required
- FAA cert + City business license
- Buffer from people
- 25 feet without permission
- Buffer from events/schools
- 300 feet
- Weapons on drones
- Prohibited outright
- Penalty
- $100–$500 fine, drone impounded
Summary
St. Louis requires commercial drone operators to hold an FAA remote pilot certificate and a City business license, and bars flights within 25 feet of people or 300 feet of permitted public events without permission.
All persons and entities operating a drone within the limits of the City of St. Louis for commercial or business purposes shall first obtain the required licensure in order to operate, including (a) a remote pilot certificate from the FAA and (b) a business license obtained from the License Collector's Office pursuant to Chapter 8.02... no person shall take off, land, or operate a drone for commercial or business purposes within twenty-five (25) feet of another person without that person's permission, except the operator or the operator's designee.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 11).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 15.190 of the Revised Code requires anyone flying a drone for commercial or business purposes in St. Louis to hold a valid FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate and a business license from the License Collector's Office under Chapter 8.02. Operators may not take off, land, or operate within 25 feet of another person without that person's permission, or within 300 feet of a City-permitted public event, school, an emergency vehicle running lights or sirens, a jail, a courthouse, or any other publicly owned building. Attaching a weapon or other harm-inflicting device to a drone is banned outright. First responders, working journalists, and noncommercial hobbyists flying model aircraft are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Violating the chapter carries a fine of $100 to $500. Police may cite, seize, and impound the drone as an emergency removal; the owner can appeal the impoundment under § 17.56.060.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to fly a drone commercially in St. Louis?
How close can a commercial drone fly to people or events?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis
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