St. Louis County, MO Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Paint
- Peeling, flaking, chipped paint eliminated and repainted
- Roofs
- No loose shingles or deteriorating fascia and soffits
- Chimneys
- Proper flashing and tuck pointing
- Cure window
- 7 to 30 days
- Enforcement
- Neighborhood Preservation Program, by complaint
- Code
- St. Louis County Code Ch. 1110
Summary
Chapter 1110, the St. Louis County Property Maintenance Code, sets the exterior condition standard for houses in unincorporated St. Louis County. Section 1110.303.2 requires that peeling, flaking, and chipped paint be eliminated and the surface repainted. Section 1110.303.10 requires roofs to be kept in good condition with no loose shingles or deteriorating fascia and soffits. Violation notices give 7 to 30 days to cure.
Sec. 1110.303.2. — Protective Treatment. The St. Louis County Property Maintenance Code states that peeling, flaking, and chipped paint must be eliminated and surfaces repainted. … Sec. 1110.303.10. — Exterior Structure. All roofs must be kept in good condition with no loose shingles or deteriorating fascia and soffits. Roofs must be constructed with quality roofing materials and assembled plumb. Chimneys must have proper flashing and tuck pointing.
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
Chapter 1110 is organized so that each exterior element has its own section, which matters because a Notice of Violation cites the specific one. Protective treatment is §1110.303.2, and its wording is a repair-and-repaint duty rather than a cosmetic preference: peeling, flaking, and chipped paint must be eliminated and the surfaces repainted, so scraping alone does not close the case.
Exterior structure is §1110.303.10, and it covers more than shingles. Roofs must be kept in good condition with no loose shingles and no deteriorating fascia and soffits. Roofs must be constructed with quality roofing materials and assembled plumb, and chimneys must have proper flashing and tuck pointing. That last clause is the reason a chimney with open mortar joints can be cited even when the roof field itself is sound. Guttering, decks, and porches are cited under the same section.
The rest of the exterior is spread across neighboring sections: foundations at §1110.303.5, sheds and other accessory structures at §1110.302.7, sidewalks at §1110.302.3, and windows and doors at §1110.302.15 and §1110.303.13. The split between the 302 and 303 series tracks the difference between the premises around the building and the building's own exterior.
Enforcement runs by complaint through the Neighborhood Preservation Program rather than by routine sweep, so a violation typically starts when a neighbor calls. The cure window on a Notice of Violation is 7 to 30 days, and where a case falls in that range depends on how hazardous the condition is: a structural or safety problem gets the short end, a paint or gutter case the long end.
Violations & Fines
A Notice of Violation sets a cure period of 7 to 30 days depending on the hazard involved. Conditions not corrected by the deadline can draw penalties of up to $1,000 per day, and where the county abates the condition itself the cleanup cost is placed as a lien against the property in the form of a special tax bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report a neglected property?
Is scraping off the peeling paint enough?
What exactly does the roof standard require?
What about chipping paint on an older home?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
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