St. Louis Building Permit Office

• Street address of the construction project
• Building-permit application fee
• Project plans
• Property-owner authorization when the applicant is not the owner of record

The amount of plan detail depends on the proposed work. The City’s Plan Exam Section states that major structural changes will, in most cases, require drawings bearing an architect’s or engineer’s seal. Some smaller improvements may be reviewed from simpler drawings, and certain residential work such as decks, porches and room additions may qualify for over-the-counter review at the Plan Exam Hot Spot.

The Building Division’s Zoning Section reviews building permits and commercial occupancy applications against the City zoning code. A proposal may be approved as a permitted use, referred to a Conditional Use hearing, or denied with an appeal route through the Board of Adjustment.

St. Louis also offers a Zoning Only application for projects where zoning feasibility needs to be established before full construction drawings are prepared. If the zoning-only submission is approved, the City states that it can be converted to the full building-permit application rather than requiring a separate new application.

A St. Louis building permit does not automatically cover regulated trade work. When applicable, separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are required. The City’s building application allows associated trade-permit information to be identified during the online application process.

The City states that the appropriate licensed contractor must apply for separate plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits when those permits are required for a building project.

• Fire alarm and fire suppression: separate permits are required, with certified fire-alarm or sprinkler contractors applying for the applicable work.
• Tanks and commercial exhaust hoods: the City identifies additional Fire Marshal, Air Pollution or Mechanical approvals for certain installations.
• Encroachments and certain high-hazard or conditional-use work: Board of Public Service approval may be required before the building permit can be issued.
• Chapter 99 or Chapter 100 redevelopment areas: the Building Division may require approval from the St. Louis Development Corporation’s Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority.
• Work affecting streets or sidewalks: a separate City right-of-way, driveway, excavation or related Streets Department permit may apply depending on the activity.

Exterior projects involving a City Landmark or property within a City Historic District are reviewed by the Cultural Resources Office (CRO). The Building Division automatically refers applicable permit applications to CRO when preservation review is required.

This can affect work that might otherwise be treated as routine maintenance under the building code. City historic-district standards can require review for items such as windows, doors, fencing, gutters, repointing and other exterior alterations. Smaller projects may be handled at the CRO Hotspot, while larger proposals or projects that do not meet the applicable district standards may require Preservation Board review.

The City’s residential permit guidance states that construction in an area designated as a flood area on applicable FEMA floodway or Flood Insurance Rate Maps requires a Floodway Development Permit, even where the proposed work would not otherwise require a building permit under the building code.

St. Louis has separate residential and commercial occupancy procedures. Commercial occupancy applications are reviewed by Zoning for the proposed use and are subject to inspections that include building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fire review. Residential occupancy is handled through the City’s Housing Conservation Inspection process.

Projects involving a new business, a new use, a change of business or another occupancy change should therefore check the occupancy requirements separately from the construction permit.

The City provides an address and parcel search for previously issued building permits. This is useful for checking recorded permit activity for an existing property. Current applicants can also use an STL City Permits account to organize applications and communicate with the inspector assigned to the project.