St. Louis County, MO Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing code
- SLCRO § 1207.060
- Core rule
- Front-yard parking must be on a paved area
- Prohibited surface
- Grass, gravel, or dirt front-yard parking
- Designated area rule
- Must adjoin driveway, outside required front yard
- Applies to
- Non-Urban/Residential-zoned or residential-use property
- Violation class
- Misdemeanor under § 1201.030
Summary
Residential property owners in St. Louis County cannot park a vehicle in the front yard unless it sits on a paved driveway or a paved designated parking area located outside the required front-yard setback. Section 1207.060 defines 'front yard' and 'required front yard' precisely and applies to any property zoned Non-Urban or Residential, or otherwise used for residential purposes.
1207.060 - Parking Prohibited in Residential Front Yards.—
1. No person shall park or permit a vehicle to remain in the front yard of residential property, unless such vehicle is parked on a paved driveway or designated parking area as described in subsection 3.
2.For the purpose of this section, "front yard" means the area between a road and a line parallel to the road and intersecting the closest point of residence. "Required front yard" means the area between a road and the front yard setback line established by application of the zoning ordinance of St. Louis County. "Residential" refers to properties zoned Non-Urban or Residential and includes property used for residential purposes regardless of zoning.3.A designated parking area shall be adjacent to and contiguous to the driveway within a residential property and shall be paved. Such designated parking area may not be located within the required front yard, but may be located in any other part of the residential lot, including within a front yard which does not constitute a portion of a required front yard, if any.
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
060(1) states that no person shall park or permit a vehicle to remain in the front yard of residential property unless the vehicle is parked on a paved driveway or designated parking area. Subsection 2 defines 'front yard' as the area between a road and a line parallel to the road intersecting the closest point of the residence, while the 'required front yard' is the deeper area set by the county Zoning Ordinance's front setback line; 'residential' covers any property zoned Non-Urban or Residential and any property actually used for residential purposes regardless of its zoning label.
Subsection 3 lets homeowners build a designated paved parking area adjacent to and contiguous with the driveway anywhere on the lot except inside the required front yard itself, though it can sit in a front yard that falls outside that stricter setback zone. In practice, gravel, grass, or dirt parking pads in front of a house are never allowed no matter where they sit, and even a paved pad is off-limits if it intrudes into the zoning ordinance's mandatory front setback. 020 extends to unincorporated St. Louis County and to county arterial roads, so it governs private-yard parking on unincorporated residential lots regardless of which road fronts the property.
Violations & Fines
Parking in violation of the front-yard rule is a Traffic Code misdemeanor under Section 1201.030, enforced through the county's code enforcement and police channels. A property found with an unpaved or improperly located front-yard parking area can be cited and ordered to remove the vehicle or pave and relocate the parking area to comply with Section 1207.060.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park on the grass in my front yard in St. Louis County?
Can I pave a parking spot next to my driveway?
Does this rule apply if my property isn't zoned residential?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
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