St. Louis County, MO Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SLCRO Section 1003.165F
- Standard dock size
- 10 ft. by 40 ft.
- Trigger threshold
- 5,000 sq. ft. gross floor area
- Vertical clearance
- 14 feet minimum
- Enforced by
- Dept. of Planning site-plan review
Summary
St. Louis County's zoning code requires off-street loading docks sized 10 by 40 feet for commercial and industrial buildings, with the exact count tied to gross floor area under Section 1003.165F.
1003.165F Minimum Loading Requirements. -- When required in conjunction with uses specified elsewhere in this chapter, loading spaces shall be provided in accordance with the following tables. ... Each 10' x 40' loading space shall have a height clear of obstruction of not less than fourteen (14) feet.
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
Under the Zoning Ordinance's Section 1003.165F, any commercial or industrial building of a size specified elsewhere in Chapter 1003 must set aside on-site loading docks before the county signs off on a site plan or building permit: this is a site-development standard, not a curbside street ordinance. Table A requires one 10-by-40-foot dock for every 5,000 to 24,000 square feet of gross floor area, scaling up to eight docks past 294,000 square feet, plus one more per additional 54,000 square feet. Table B sets a lighter threshold for smaller uses starting at 2,000 square feet. Every dock needs 14 feet of vertical clearance.
Violations & Fines
No loading docks means the Department of Planning rejects the site plan and the Department of Transportation and Public Works withholds the building permit until the required docks are added.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does St. Louis County regulate on-street loading zones?
How many loading docks does a building need?
What size must a loading dock be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
Compare St. Louis County to another location·View the Missouri parking rules overview
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