Short-Term Rental Permits

Under Ordinance 71729, all platforms seeking to list Short-Term Rentals and all Short-Term Rentals will be required to have a permit to operate.

Overview

In November 2023, Ordinance 71729, which regulates short-term rentals in the City of St. Louis became law with the signature of Mayor Jones. The ordinance will go into effect on November 6, 2024. Under Ordinance 71729, all platforms seeking to list Short-Term Rentals and all Short-Term Rentals will be required to have a permit to operate. Applicants will be required to apply by May 6, 2025, for their permit.

On April 30, 2024, the Board of Public Service promulgated rules related to Short-Term Rentals that can be found here.

For residents currently experiencing an issue with a short-term rental, those concerns can be submitted through the Citizen Service Bureau as a Nuisance Complaint.

General Regulations

In general, the following regulations will apply to Short-Term Rentals starting November 6, 2024:

  • Short-Term Rental Permits will not be granted to any Short-Term Rental Unit which offers a minimum stay of less than two (2) nights or is located within a structure or upon a parcel actively benefiting from tax increment financing or tax abatement. 
  • Those operating Short-Term Rentals can have their permit revoked for any nuisance behavior. 
  • Those operating Short-Term Rentals must use their best efforts to ensure that use of the premises by Short-Term Rental occupants will not disrupt the neighborhood, and will not interfere with the rights of neighboring property owners to the quiet enjoyment of their properties. 
  • The number of people allowed to stay at a Short-Term Rental will be limited to the occupancy limit.
  • All Short-Term Rental Permits will require that the applicant not have any outstanding taxes or other obligations to the City of St. Louis. 
  • Short-Term Rental Units will be required to have posted rules in the unit and a dedicated Short-Term Rental Agent capable of addressing concerns 24/7. 
  • The permit holder of a Short-Term Rental unit may not enter into a contract with more than one (1) renter during any given rental period. 
  • The Short-Term Rental unit may not be rented or offered for use as reception space, party space, meeting space, or for other similar events. 
  • No food service may be provided by the permit holder of the Short-Term Rental; prepackaged foods and beverages may be provided in the Short-Term Rental Unit.
  • No exterior evidence that the property is being used as a Short-Term Rental shall be allowed, including signs, with the exception of a marker limited to one (1) foot by one (1) foot in size issued by the City of St. Louis. 
  • The Short-Term Rental unit shall have working smoke detectors inside and outside every bedroom, carbon monoxide alarms outside every bedroom, and a properly maintained and charged fire extinguisher on all habitable floors.  

Nuisance Behavior and Other City Violations

  • The term “Nuisance Violation” includes and is not limited to the issuance of a cease and desist notice by the City of St. Louis.
  • When there are three (3) violation notices, including and not limited to Nuisance Violations, sent regarding violations at the same property within a period of twenty four (24) consecutive months, the City shall revoke any existing permits and reject all applications for Short-Term Rental Permits for that particular property for a period of up to twelve (12) consecutive months. 
  • Permit holders shall be afforded an opportunity to rectify all violations within thirty (30) days to the satisfaction of the Building Commissioner or applicable City department. Further, the permit holder shall have the right to appeal the revocation decision within thirty (30) days of the date of revocation.
  • Fully adjudicated violations prosecuted in municipal court involving a property that is a Short-Term Rental Unit will be assessed a $500.00 fine per violation. With respect to violations that are continuous with respect to time, each day the violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.
  • The Building Commissioner may initiate revocation of the permit when the subject property of the permit is not being operated in compliance with the Short-Term Rental Operating Requirements set forth under Ordinance 71729, in the interest of the public welfare, or on any other lawful basis. 
  • The Building Commissioner may initiate permit review and revocation of the permit upon the first instance of a violation or a complaint or on any other lawful basis. 

Caps on the Number of Short-Term Rental Units

  • There are two types of Short-Term Rental Permit: a Short-Term Rental, Occupied Permit and a Short-Term Rental, Non-Occupied Permit. An occupied permit is only available to a resident if that unit is the resident’s primary residence. Applicants are limited to one primary residence. 
  • Any Short-Term Rental, Non-Occupied applicant may be issued permits for no more than four (4) Short-Term Rental Units owned by the same property owner in the City of St. Louis. 
  • All applicants must be natural persons.
  • No permits for a Short-Term Rental, Non-Occupied shall be issued to applicants in a structure for which the percentage limit of Short-Term Rentals, Non-Occupied has already been reached.

Summary Table of Short-Term Rental Caps

Any “Short-Term Rental, Non-Occupied” applicant may be issued permits for no more than four (4) Short-Term Rental Units owned by the same property owner in the City of St. Louis. 

An applicant for a “Short-Term Rental, Occupied” permit must attest that the unit they are seeking the permit for is their principal residence. Either the owner or the tenant/lessee of the owner who is authorized by the owner of a Short-Term Rental may apply for the permit. A resident may have only one principal residence.

Short-Term Rental Caps
Size of Structure Percent cap for Short-Term Rental, Non Occupied Number of Short-Term Rental, occupied allowed Number of Short-Term Rental, non occupied allowed Details
2 Dwelling Units structure   2 2 In this structure, there could be 2 short-term rentals permitted. These could be occupied, non occupied, or a mix of both.
3 Dwelling Unit Structure Cannot exceed 50 percent Either 1 Or 1 There can only be one short-term rental in a 3 family.
4 Dwelling Unit Structure Cannot exceed 50 percent 1 1 There is only one short-term rental, non occupied allowed and only one short-term rental, occupied
5-23 Dwelling Unit Structure Cannot Exceed 25 percent No cap Up to twenty five percent of the total units can have a permit for a short-term rental, non occupied. In a structure with 23 dwelling units, this would cap that amount at five.
24+ Dwelling Unit Structure Cannot exceed 12.5 percent No Cap Up to 12.5 percent of the total units can have a permit for a short-term rental, non occupied In a structure with 24 units, there could be no more than three short-term rentals, non occupied. In a structure with fifty, there could be no more than six. In a structure with 100 units, there could be no more than twelve. This would apply only to short-term rentals, non occupied.

Permit Applications

Units or platforms operating without a permit after May 6, 2025 will be deemed non-compliant and in violation of Ordinance 71729. Fully adjudicated violations prosecuted in municipal court involving a property that is a Short-Term Rental Unit will be assessed a $500.00 fine per violation. With respect to violations that are continuous with respect to time, each day the violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.

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