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

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Standard
Occupancy set by Building Commissioner, not fixed
Space formula
150 sq ft first occupant, +100 each
Sleeping room alt.
70 sq ft first, 50 each additional
Exclusion
Children under six excluded from count
Posting
Maximum occupancy must be posted inside unit

Summary

St. Louis caps short-term rental occupancy at the load set by the Building Commissioner under the residential code, based on floor area per occupant, and the limit must be posted inside the unit.

Short-term rentals shall be made available only for the occupancy load to be determined by the Building Commissioner in accordance with the City's residential code, and that shall be the limit of persons that may occupy the dwelling unit being rented.

Source: St. Louis Building DivisionView official code

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

St. Louis's short-term rental ordinance sets no flat headcount. Section 25.57.070.B ties every short-term rental's occupancy to 'the occupancy load to be determined by the Building Commissioner in accordance with the City's residential code': the same space-based formula in the Property Maintenance Code: 150 square feet of habitable floor area for the first occupant plus 100 for each additional, or 70 square feet for the first occupant and 50 for each additional in a sleeping room, with children under six excluded from the count. The Building Division must post the calculated maximum inside the unit, and exceeding it violates the permit.

Violations & Fines

Exceeding the posted occupancy limit violates the short-term rental permit and can trigger revocation; adjudicated short-term rental violations carry a $500 fine per violation in municipal court.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people can stay in a St. Louis short-term rental?
There's no citywide number: the Building Commissioner sets each unit's occupancy load using the residential code's floor-area formula, then that figure becomes the binding cap posted inside the rental.
What's the space formula St. Louis uses to set STR occupancy?
150 square feet of habitable floor area for the first occupant plus 100 for each additional, or 70 square feet in a sleeping room for the first occupant plus 50 for each additional; kids under six don't count.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in St. Louis

Short-Term Rental PermitsSignificant RestrictionsHost Presence RuleSome RestrictionsHost Platform LiabilitySignificant RestrictionsPrimary-Residence-Only RuleSome RestrictionsRepeat Violator StrikesSignificant RestrictionsShort-Term Rental Parking RulesSome RestrictionsNoise RulesSome RestrictionsTaxes & FeesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: EV ChargingSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsSignificant RestrictionsFence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: Smoke DetectorsSome Restrictions

All St. Louis rules

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