St. Louis, MO Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Response time
- within one hour if required
- Enforced by
- Building Division, City of St. Louis
- Penalty
- permit revocation for non-compliance
- Agent change notice
- notify city within 10 business days
Summary
St. Louis requires every short-term rental to have a designated agent who can be physically present at the property within one hour if the Building Division or a neighbor calls with a problem.
Every short-term rental shall have a short-term rental agent designated on the application for a short-term rental permit. ... A short-term rental owner may also serve as the short-term rental agent. The duties of the short-term rental agent are to: A. Be available to address any problems at all times arising from the use of the short-term rental unit during the entire period of the rental; B. The short-term rental agent must be able to be physically present at the address within one (1) hour if required.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 11).
Full Breakdown
Every short-term rental permit in St. Louis must designate a short-term rental agent, the owner, a tenant, or a hired manager, who has to be available at all times during a rental and able to reach the property in person within one hour if a problem arises. The agent's name and emergency phone number must be posted inside the unit, and if the agent changes, the new one must notify the city within ten business days or before the next rental, whichever comes first. Failing to meet these duties can get the permit revoked.
Violations & Fines
Failure of the agent to fulfill these duties may result in revocation of the short-term rental permit; the Building Division enforces the requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the property owner be their own short-term rental agent?
What happens if no agent can respond within an hour?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis
Compare St. Louis to another location·View the Missouri short-term rentals overview
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