St. Louis County, MO Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing code
- SLCRO § 1207.040
- Fire hydrant buffer
- 15 feet minimum clearance
- Mailbox buffer
- 8 feet minimum clearance
- Crosswalk buffer
- 20 feet from crosswalk
- Extendable buffers
- Up to 100 ft. by county order
- Applies to
- Unincorporated roads plus county arterials
- Violation class
- Misdemeanor under § 1201.030
Summary
St. Louis County bans stopping or parking in specific danger and access zones on any roadway, from sidewalks and crosswalks to a 15-foot buffer around fire hydrants and an 8-foot buffer around mailboxes. Section 1207.040 lists seventeen separate prohibited locations, and violating the Traffic Code is a misdemeanor enforced by county police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
1207.040 - Parking Prohibited in Specified Places.—
1. No person shall stop or park a vehicle, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of a law enforcement officer or traffic control device, in any of the following places:
(a)On a sidewalk.(b)In front of a public or private driveway exiting onto any highway, roadway, alleyway or parking lot.(c)Within an intersection.(d)Within fifteen (15) feet of a fire hydrant.(e)On a crosswalk.(f)Within twenty (20) feet of a crosswalk.(g)Within thirty (30) feet upon the approach to any intersection or so close to the intersection as to obstruct the normal flow of traffic.(h)Within fifty (50) feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing.(i)Within twenty (20) feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station and on the side of a street opposite the entrance to any fire station within seventy-five (75) feet of the entrance (when properly posted). ... (n)Within eight (8) feet of a public or private mailbox. ... 3.No person shall move a vehicle not lawfully under such person's control into any such prohibited area or away from a curb such distance as is unlawful.
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
040 of the county's Parking Regulations chapter bars stopping or parking, except to avoid a traffic conflict or on an officer's direction, in seventeen specific places: on a sidewalk; in front of a driveway; within an intersection or crosswalk; within 20 feet of a crosswalk; within 30 feet of an intersection approach; within 15 feet of a fire hydrant; within 50 feet of a railroad crossing; within 20 feet of a fire station driveway, and within 75 feet on the opposite side when posted; alongside a roadway excavation; on the roadway side of another parked vehicle; on a bridge, elevated structure, or tunnel; wherever official signs prohibit stopping; within 8 feet of a mailbox; on a controlled-access highway right-of-way; blocking emergency snow removal; or on an unpaved shoulder.
The Department of Highways and Traffic can extend several of these buffers, specifically the hydrant, crosswalk, intersection, railroad, fire-station, and mailbox distances, by up to 100 feet where an engineering and traffic study shows it is in the public's best interest, once signs go up marking the longer zone. 020 defines the Traffic Code's reach as the part of St. Louis County outside the incorporated cities, plus arterial roads both within and outside incorporated cities, these prohibitions apply on unincorporated roadways and on any county arterial road, even one running through Florissant, Chesterfield, or another municipality.
040(3) separately bars moving a vehicle you don't control into a prohibited spot or an unlawful distance from the curb, closing off using a second party's car to dodge the rule.
Violations & Fines
Parking in a prohibited spot is a misdemeanor under Section 1201.030, which makes it 'a misdemeanor for any person to do any act forbidden... in this code.' The St. Louis County Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol enforce the Traffic Code under Section 1201.040, and vehicles blocking hydrants, crosswalks, or fire lanes are subject to citation and towing at the owner's expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close to a fire hydrant can I park in St. Louis County?
Can I park in front of someone else's driveway?
Do these parking bans apply inside cities like Ballwin or Kirkwood?
What happens if I park where it's prohibited?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
Compare St. Louis County to another location·View the Missouri parking rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.