St. Louis County, MO Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

St. Louis County Revised Ordinances (SLCRO) Chapter 1110 adopts the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) with local amendments to govern minimum housing standards in unincorporated St. Louis County. Under IPMC Section 404 (Occupancy Limitations), every sleeping room used by one occupant must contain at least 70 sq ft of floor area, and rooms occupied by more than one person must provide at least 50 sq ft of floor area per occupant. Section 404 also caps total dwelling unit occupancy based on overall floor area and bedroom count. The IPMC further requires that bedrooms not constitute the only means of access to other bedrooms or habitable spaces. The county zoning ordinance (SLCRO Chapter 1003) does not impose a separate STR-specific overnight guest cap. Missouri has no statewide STR preemption statute, so each of the 88+ incorporated municipalities (Maryland Heights, Kirkwood, Chesterfield, Florissant, etc.) may adopt stricter STR occupancy caps. Septic-served rural parcels in unincorporated areas also face design occupancy limits under Missouri Department of Health onsite wastewater rules (10 CSR 20-3).