St. Louis, MO Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- any site grading or excavation
- Exemption threshold
- 6 inches or less elevation change
- Exemption also requires
- no drainage blockage or erosion
- Enforcing agency
- Division of Building and Inspection
- Penalty basis
- unlawful act, daily separate offense
Summary
St. Louis requires a building permit before any site grading or excavation, but exempts minor fill or cuts that change property-line elevation by six inches or less and don't block drainage or cause erosion onto neighboring lots.
105.1 Required. Any owner or owner's authorized agent who intends to perform site grading or excavation ... shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permits. 105.2 Work Exempt From Permit ... Permits shall not be required for the following: ... 5. Miscellaneous site work, landscaping, gardens, shrubbery, or planting boxes; excavation or fill that does not create a permanent change in property elevation of more than six inches along property lines, block drainage, or create erosion or damage to adjacent properties.
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
Under the City's Building Code (2018 IBC as locally amended), grading or excavating land requires a permit from the Division of Building and Inspection before work starts. The code carves out one narrow exception: excavation or fill that does not permanently change property-line elevation by more than six inches, block drainage, or create erosion or damage to adjacent properties. Anything larger, such as regrading a yard or filling a low spot beyond that threshold, needs a permit application with a site plan showing existing and proposed grades. Grading without a permit is an unlawful act under the code's violations section.
Violations & Fines
Grading, excavating, or filling without a permit is an unlawful act (§ 114.1); the building official can issue a stop-work order, and each day of continued work is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to regrade my yard in St. Louis?
Which agency handles St. Louis grading permits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis
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