Kirkwood, MO Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

Section 25-36(k)(1) states the threshold rule for the entire short-term rental use: rentals are permitted only in owner-occupied, detached single-family dwellings. That single sentence excludes several common short-term rental setups outright, including properties owned by an investor who does not live there, accessory units rented separately from the owner's residence, and attached housing types such as two-family dwellings, row dwellings, or multifamily units, none of which meet the 'detached single-family' description. The rule works together with § 25-36(k)(2)'s requirement that the owner maintain the home as a permanent residence and be present when guests are staying there, so ownership alone is not enough.

Before renting or advertising, the owner must also obtain any needed zoning approvals, apply for an occupancy permit valid for 12 months and subject to annual renewal, and obtain a business license under Chapter 13 that can be revoked under § 13-54. Meeting the owner-occupancy requirement is a threshold condition checked at each of those steps, not a one-time qualification.