Independence, MO Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Parking Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDO § 14-424-18
- Baseline ratio
- 1 space per dwelling unit (§14-501-05)
- Frontage credit
- 1 space per 18 ft of lot frontage
- Surface requirement
- Asphalt, concrete, pavers, or brick only
- Approving official
- Community Development Director
- Applies to
- Single-family and duplex STRs citywide
Summary
Independence requires every short-term rental to provide off-street parking under the citywide ratios of UDO Section 14-501-05, with a credit of one space for every 18 feet of lot frontage. Required spaces must sit on an approved hard surface; parking on grass, dirt or gravel is expressly banned under Section 14-424-18.
Off street parking shall be provided in accordance with Section 14-501-05. A credit of one space for every 18 feet of lot frontage may be applied to the off-street parking requirement. All parking required for the short-term rental shall be on an approved driveway and adjoining asphalt/concrete pads, or other designated, approved parking areas. Parking on other than asphalt, concrete, paver stones, brick, or other hard durable surface, as determined by the Community Development Director, is expressly prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13).
Full Breakdown
Section 14-424-18 of the Unified Development Ordinance ties short-term rental parking to the base ratios in Section 14-501-05, which sets single-family and two-family uses (the district STRs mostly occupy under Section 14-424-02, since multi-family units are barred from STR use) at one vehicle space per dwelling unit. Hosts on wide lots get relief: a credit of one parking space for every 18 feet of lot frontage can be applied against the off-street parking requirement instead of building extra stalls. Wherever the spaces sit, they must be on an approved driveway and adjoining asphalt or concrete pad, or another designated, approved parking area; the ordinance expressly prohibits parking on anything other than asphalt, concrete, paver stones, brick, or another hard durable surface, with the Community Development Director deciding what counts as durable.
The rule sits inside Article 424's full operator package alongside the required occupation license (Section 14-424-03) and transient guest tax registration (Section 14-424-04), so a host cannot get licensed without first showing the City where guests will park and what that surface is made of.
Violations & Fines
Failing to provide compliant off-street parking is a violation of the short-term rental article and falls under the violation, penalty and enforcement provisions of Section 14-424-24, which route to the general Unified Development Ordinance penalty and enforcement standards of Section 14-801. Because parking non-compliance is a citable offense, it also counts toward the two-citations-in-three-months threshold that can trigger license revocation proceedings under Section 14-424-25.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can short-term rental guests park on the grass or a gravel pad in Independence?
How many parking spaces does a short-term rental need in Independence?
Does a wide driveway reduce how much parking a host must build?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Independence
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