St. Louis, MO Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Repair notice period
- 30 days
- Enforcing office
- Director of Streets
- Hearing body
- Board of Public Service
- Unpaid-repair cost recovery
- Lien / special tax bill
Summary
St. Louis puts sidewalk repair on the abutting property owner: the Director of Streets gives 30 days' notice, and unrepaired sidewalks get fixed by the City and billed back as a lien.
Whenever any sidewalk or driveway or the covering over any areaway or vault in the sidewalk in any public highway shall need repair, the Director of Streets shall notify the owner of the property adjoining the sidewalk, or his agent, through the mail, to have the same repaired to the satisfaction of the Director of Streets within thirty days from the date of the notice... The owner shall show cause why the Board should not have the sidewalk... repaired, and the cost thereof assessed as a tax against the property abutting the sidewalk area in which the work is done.
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 § 20.26.010, when a public sidewalk, driveway, or areaway covering needs repair, the Director of Streets mails the adjoining property owner notice to repair it within 30 days or appear before the Board of Public Service to show cause. If the owner doesn't act, § 20.26.020 lets the Board order the Director of Streets to do the repair, and § 20.26.030 makes the City's labor and material costs a lien against the abutting property, which § 20.26.040 converts into a special tax bill.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring the 30-day repair notice lets the Board of Public Service order City crews to do the work, with the full cost charged as a lien on the property and billed as a special tax.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to fix a broken sidewalk in St. Louis?
What happens if a St. Louis property owner doesn't repair the sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis
Compare St. Louis to another location·View the Missouri sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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