St. Louis, MO Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in St. Louis, MO, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Application fee
- $150 (occupied or non-occupied)
- Platform permit fee
- $500
- Renewal cycle
- annual
- Minimum stay allowed
- 2 nights
- Revocation trigger
- 3 violations in 24 months
Summary
St. Louis requires an annual short-term rental permit from the Building Division, with a $150 non-refundable application fee, before renting any dwelling unit for stays of 30 days or less.
Applicants for a short-term rental permit for a short-term rental, occupied shall submit, on an annual basis, an application for a short-term rental permit to the Building Division. ... The application for a short-term, occupied short-term rental permit shall be accompanied by a non-refundable application fee in the amount of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00.)
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
Under St. Louis Revised Code Chapter 25.57, no one may rent a dwelling unit as a short-term rental without a permit from the Building Division. Occupied rentals (owner's or tenant's primary residence) and non-occupied rentals each require a separate annual application with a $150 fee, a pre-issuance inspection, a designated short-term rental agent, and affirmations that the property has no outstanding city taxes or liens and no HOA/lease restriction against short-term rentals. Non-occupied units are capped citywide at four permits per owner and limited by percentage caps within multi-unit buildings; minimum stays must be at least two nights. Short-term rental platforms must separately obtain a $500 permit and delist unpermitted properties.
Violations & Fines
Fully adjudicated violations carry a $500 fine per offense in municipal court. Three violation notices at one property within 24 months triggers permit revocation and a bar on new short-term rental permits there for up to 12 months; false statements on an application are separate grounds for revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to operate a short-term rental in St. Louis?
How much does a St. Louis short-term rental permit cost?
How many non-occupied short-term rentals can one owner have?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis
How St. Louis compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare St. Louis to another location·View the Missouri short-term rentals overview
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