Florissant, MO Local Taxes & Fees: Vacancy Tax (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration fee
- $200 semi-annual (505.080)
- Annual registration fee
- $200 (505.090)
- Inspection fee
- $45
- Vacancy trigger
- 6+ months vacant plus housing code violation
- Nonpayment remedy
- Lien via Recorder of Deeds or tax bill
- Enacted
- Ord. No. 8748, 11-22-2021
Summary
Florissant charges owners of a vacant residential structure a $200 semi-annual registration fee plus a $45 inspection fee once the property has sat empty six months or more while in violation of the city's housing codes, and layers on a separate annual $200 Vacant Property Registration under Chapter 505, Article V of the City Code.
Section 505.080. Vacant Residential Structure Fee. ... A semi-annual registration fee of two hundred dollars ($200.00) shall be charged to the owner of any residential structure, including a structure containing multiple dwelling units, which has been vacant for six (6) months or more and is in violation of the City's housing codes. ... A forty-five dollars ($45.00) inspection fee shall be charged for an inspection to the owner of any residential structure, including a structure containing multiple dwelling units, which has been vacant for six (6) months or more and is in violation of the City's housing codes. Section 505.090. Registration Of Vacant Residential Buildings. ... There is hereby established and assessed an annual fee in the amount of two hundred dollars ($200.00) subject to owners of property to be registered under this Section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4989395; v43 updated 2026-05-26; through 05-26-2026).
Full Breakdown
The city treats long-term residential vacancy as a fee-generating condition rather than a straight tax. 080 imposes a semi-annual $200 registration fee on the owner of any residential structure, including multi-unit buildings, that has been vacant six months or longer and is in violation of the housing codes, plus a $45 inspection fee for the inspection that documents the violation. 090 layers on a companion annual registration requirement: owners must file a Residential Vacant Property Registration Form with Public Works disclosing ownership, any property manager, occupancy status, utility status and a plan for reoccupancy, rehabilitation, removal or demolition, and must renew it and pay $200 every year on the anniversary of the first filing for as long as the structure stays vacant.
Five exemptions cut the fee off: an actively listed-for-sale-or-rent property with a current approved municipal housing inspection, fire or extreme-weather damage (90 days, extendable another 90 with a repair permit), an active rehab permit, a deployed military owner who keeps the property secured, and a seasonal residence kept maintained and code-compliant. Fees must be paid in full before any building or occupancy permit issues and before any transfer of ownership, and both sections were enacted together by Ordinance No. 8748 on November 22, 2021.
Violations & Fines
Nonpayment is enforced two ways. Under Section 505.080, the city can record a lien with the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds if the fee goes unpaid 30 days after notice, or add the fee to the owner's real and personal property tax bill. Under Section 505.090(B)(2)(e), failing to pay the registration fee is unlawful and punishable under Section 100.080 of the Code, the city's general penalty section for ordinance violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Florissant have a true vacancy tax?
Who has to register a vacant residential building?
Can the vacancy fee be avoided?
What happens if the fee is not paid?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Florissant
Compare Florissant to another location·View the Missouri local taxes & fees overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.