St. Louis, MO Short-Term Rentals: Taxes & Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- Host permit fee
- $150, non-refundable
- Platform permit fee
- $500, non-refundable
- Hotel-motel tax authority
- RSMo §§ 67.657, 67.619
- Violation fine
- $500 per offense
- Renewal cycle
- Annual reapplication required
Summary
St. Louis charges a $150 non-refundable annual permit fee for short-term rental hosts and a separate $500 non-refundable permit fee for rental platforms, plus applicable state and local hotel-motel taxes under Chapter 25.57.
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.) ... Short-term rentals are subject to applicable State and local taxes and are responsible for payment thereof as established by State law and city ordinances, including all taxes set forth in Section 25.57.040 herein.
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
Chapter 25.57 sets the city's short-term rental fee and tax structure. Hosts pay a non-refundable $150 application fee annually for either an occupied or non-occupied permit through the Building Division; short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb or Vrbo pay a separate non-refundable $500 permit fee to operate listings in the city. Section 25.57.120 makes short-term rentals subject to applicable state and local taxes, including the hotel-motel room tax the City License Collector is authorized to collect under RSMo §§ 67.657 and 67.619, as referenced in Section 25.57.040(J), on top of the city's standard business-license and earnings-tax obligations.
Violations & Fines
Submitting false application information is grounds for permit revocation. Fully adjudicated code violations in municipal court draw a $500 fine per offense, and platforms that fail to delist a revoked property within 7 days risk losing their own permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a St. Louis short-term rental permit cost?
Do short-term rental platforms like Airbnb pay a St. Louis fee?
What taxes apply on top of the permit fee?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis
How St. Louis compares: Cities with the Highest Short-Term Rental Taxes·Compare St. Louis to another location·View the Missouri short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.