St. Louis County, MO Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Who must disclose
- Owner, agent, broker, attorney, or property manager
- Timing
- Before contract signing, or before rental if none
- What's disclosed
- Occupancy/re-occupancy permit requirement (Ch. 1110)
- Permit inspection fee
- $80 (Type I) / $40 (Type II) per unit
- Underlying permit fines
- $100 / $500 / $1,000 escalating
Summary
Before renting or selling residential property in unincorporated St. Louis County, owners, agents, brokers, attorneys, and property managers must give written notice that the unit is subject to the county's occupancy and re-occupancy permit system. Section 1110.1045 requires this disclosure before any lease or sale contract is signed, or before the rental itself if no written contract exists.
Every person who conveys or rents property, and every real estate agent or broker, attorney, or person acting on behalf of a person who conveys or rents property, shall disclose in writing to the person(s) or entity(ies) to whom the property is being conveyed or rented that the property is subject to the requirements of this chapter and that occupancy and re-occupancy permits shall be required for single-family residential dwelling units. Written disclosure shall be made prior to execution of any written contract for conveyance or rental of the property, or prior to conveyance or rental if no written contract is executed.
2.For purposes of this section, the term "person who conveys or rents property" shall include, in addition to the conveyor or landlord, any person or firm responsible for management of the property.
(O. No. 27617, 12-5-19)
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
St. Louis County's Property Maintenance Code makes anyone who "conveys or rents" residential property, plus any real estate agent, broker, attorney, or property manager acting on their behalf, put the buyer or tenant on written notice that occupancy and re-occupancy permits apply under Chapter 1110 SLCRO. Section 1110.1045 requires the disclosure before a written lease or sales contract is signed, or before the actual conveyance or rental if no written contract is used; there is no carve-out for month-to-month tenancies or handshake rentals. The duty follows the property, not just the owner: a listing agent, a property management company signing the lease on the owner's behalf, or an attorney closing a sale each independently owes the same notice.
The permit the disclosure references is real and enforced. Section 1110.1050 requires a re-occupancy permit from the Department of Transportation and Public Works' Code Official every time a Type I (single-family) or Type II (small multi-family) unit changes tenants, and a pre-occupancy permit before a new Type II complex leases up. The Code Official inspects under Section 1110.1060 and issues a written notice of deficiencies if the unit fails; permit inspection fees run $80 per Type I unit and $40 per Type II unit under Table 1110.1065(1). An owner or occupant who blocks that inspection forfeits the permit under Section 1110.1072. None of this depends on the disclosure itself: Section 1110.1045 is a standalone paperwork duty layered on top of the permit system, aimed at making sure renters and buyers know the permit requirement exists before they sign anything.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 1110 sets no stand-alone dollar fine for skipping the written disclosure itself, but a rental completed without the disclosed occupancy or re-occupancy permit exposes the owner to citation under Sections 1110.1080-.1090: $100 for a first permit violation, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for each one after that, issued by the Department of Transportation and Public Works and referred to the County Counselor if unpaid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to give the St. Louis County rental disclosure?
When must the disclosure be made?
What permit is the disclosure telling me about?
What happens if I rent out a unit without the permit the disclosure mentions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
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