St. Louis, MO Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Exemption threshold
- More than 4 children
- One-provider license cap
- Up to 10 children
- Waiver eligibility
- License for 10 or fewer
- Waiver route
- Board of Public Service or Adjustment
- Routine inspection
- Waived absent a complaint
Summary
State-licensed family child care homes for 5-10 kids skip building-code inspection and can get a zoning waiver from the Board of Public Service.
310.6 Care Facilities Providing Home Day Care Licensed by the State of Missouri. Family Child Care Homes providing home day care for more than four but not more than ten unrelated children... are exempt from this code if they meet the licensing capacities listed below... If the applicant furnishes a copy of their State of Missouri Family Child Care Home License for ten children or less, they shall receive a Home Occupation Permit Waiver subject to approval by the Board of Public Service as a Conditional Use or the Board of Adjustment as a Variance to the Zoning Code.
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
St. Louis exempts a State of Missouri-licensed Family Child Care Home from the city Building Code once it serves more than four children, so long as it stays within the state's licensing caps, carries a valid Missouri license, and passes inspection by the Missouri Department of Health and the State Fire Marshal. A provider who furnishes that state license for ten children or fewer can also get a Home Occupation Permit Waiver, approved by the Board of Public Service as a Conditional Use or by the Board of Adjustment as a Variance, clearing the zoning hurdle for running the daycare from a home. Once the waiver issues, the Building Division only inspects the home if it receives an actual Building Code or Zoning Ordinance complaint.
Violations & Fines
Zoning complaints against a waived home go to the Building Division; Building Code complaints go to the Missouri Department of Health's Bureau of Child Care Safety and Licensure, which has seven calendar days to respond before the Building Division can step in itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a St. Louis home daycare need a separate city building inspection?
How does a St. Louis home daycare clear zoning?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis
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