Short answer up front: Yes—short‑term rentals are allowed in the City of St. Louis (including downtown), but enforcement of the City’s STR permitting and operating rules is currently paused by court order. You can still list and operate today; however, you should prepare now because enforcement can resume with little notice.

Are Short-Term Rentals Allowed in Downtown St. Louis, MO?

• Allowed: Ordinance 71729 (adopted Nov 2023) established a permit regime for short‑term rentals citywide, including downtown. It defines two permit types: Short‑Term Rental, Occupied (owner/tenant primary residence) and Short‑Term Rental, Non‑Occupied, with owner‑level and building‑level caps, safety and operational rules, and a two‑night minimum stay.
• Enforcement status: A court has issued an order that temporarily prohibits the City of St. Louis from enforcing Ordinance 71729. While that order is in effect:
  • The City is not accepting or processing STR permit applications.
  • The City is not enforcing the permit requirements.
  • Existing listings may continue to operate without permits during the pause.
• What to do: Maintain readiness. The legal challenge will be resolved in time, and the City has already built the enforcement infrastructure (monitoring, hotline, fines). Treat the pause as a window to prepare, not as a signal to ignore the rules.
• Reference: Ordinance 71729 and City STR page (see Links).

How to Start a Short‑Term Rental Business in Downtown St. Louis

When enforcement resumes, the formal path will be:

1. Confirm zoning eligibility and any conditional use requirement
   • Downtown properties typically fall outside Zone “A” (single‑family residential). If you are in Zone “A,” you must complete a conditional use hearing before a permit can be issued.
2. Decide which permit type applies
   • Short‑Term Rental, Occupied (your primary residence) vs. Short‑Term Rental, Non‑Occupied (investment property).
3. Apply through the City’s STR portal
   • Submit the online application and schedule any required inspections. Applicants were originally required to apply by May 6, 2025; given the enforcement pause, check the City STR page for any updated deadlines.
4. Pay fees and obtain permit
   • Permit fee: $150 (plus processing/credit card fees if applicable).
5. Post the permit number on your listing
   • Add the STR permit number to your Airbnb/VRBO listing.
6. Meet operational and safety standards
   • Minimum two nights, no parties/events, 24/7 local agent, safety equipment, posted house rules, signage limits, occupancy capped at legal limits, and no food service (except prepackaged items).
7. Renew annually
   • Permits must be renewed yearly; you’ll receive notice 30 days before expiration.

During the enforcement pause, you can still list and operate, but prepare your documentation, safety equipment, and compliance systems so you can pivot immediately once enforcement resumes.

Required Documents, Permits, Licenses, and Guidelines

Core documentation required to operate (when enforcement resumes):

• Proof of property ownership or notarized authorization from the owner (if tenant/lessee).
• Proof of paid property taxes (for owner‑occupied rentals).
• City Business License (required for non‑owner‑occupied permits).
• 24/7 local agent contact who can respond to issues within one hour.
• For Zone “A” (single‑family residential): Conditional use hearing must be completed before issuance.
• No outstanding taxes or other obligations to the City of St. Louis at time of permit issuance.
• Permit posting and renewal: Display the permit in the unit; renew annually.

Operational and safety guidelines you must follow:

• Minimum stay of two consecutive nights.
• Occupancy limited to the property’s legal occupancy limit.
• No renting the unit for parties, receptions, meetings, or similar events.
• No exterior signage indicating STR use, except a city‑issued marker up to 1 ft x 1 ft.
• Post house rules inside the unit; use best efforts to prevent nuisances.
• Only prepackaged food/beverage may be provided; no full food service.
• Permit holder may not contract with more than one renter during any given rental period.

Safety equipment required on all habitable floors:

• Working smoke detectors inside and outside every bedroom.
• Carbon monoxide alarms outside every bedroom.
• Properly maintained and charged fire extinguisher.

Application and operations portal:

• STL City Permits Portal (see Links).

Specific Regulations (City, County, State)

City of St. Louis STR Ordinance 71729 and rules:

• Permit types and owner caps:
  • Two permits: Short‑Term Rental, Occupied and Short‑Term Rental, Non‑Occupied.
  • Individual cap: Up to four Non‑Occupied permits per person across the City.
• Building‑level caps:
  • 2‑unit structure: Both units may be STRs (occupied or non‑occupied).
  • 3‑unit structure: No more than one STR total (occupied or non‑occupied).
  • 4‑unit structure: Up to two STRs total (occupied or non‑occupied).
  • 5–23 unit structures: Non‑Occupied STRs may not exceed 25% of units.
  • 24+ unit structures: Non‑Occupied STRs may not exceed 12.5% of units.
• Operating rules:
  • Minimum stay two nights.
  • No parties/events; no food service beyond prepackaged items.
  • 24/7 agent, posted rules, signage limits, occupancy capped by legal limit.
• Zoning conditional use:
  • Required for Zone “A” (single‑family residential) before permit issuance.
• Taxes:
  • City voters approved a 3% STR fee to support affordable housing; collection is tied to the ordinance (enforcement paused). Platform‑level tax collection may vary; verify with each platform.
• Enforcement and penalties (when active):
  • $500 fine per violation in municipal court; each day of a continuing violation is a separate offense.
  • Three violation notices at the same property within 24 consecutive months can trigger permit revocation and a 12‑month ban on new applications.
  • City uses Host Compliance/Granicus to monitor listings and compliance in real time.

St. Louis County (outside City limits):

• Downtown is in the City. For investors considering nearby County properties: County rules differ and are generally less structured than City rules. This guide is city‑focused; confirm County requirements separately if you pursue County assets.

State of Missouri:

• No statewide short‑term rental licensing. Hosts must comply with local ordinances (City of St. Louis or County), collect and remit state sales tax (4.225%) and local lodging/taxes as applicable, and meet any state fire/building code requirements that apply to the property type.

Exemptions:

• Hotels/motels and licensed bed‑and‑breakfasts are exempt from STR registration.
• Long‑term stays of 31 days or longer are not considered STRs.

Contact Information

City of St. Louis Building Division – Permit Section

• Address: City Hall, Room 426, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103‑2826
• Phone: (314) 622‑3313
• Email: stlcitypermits@stlouis-mo.gov
• Portal: STL City Permits Portal (see Links)
• Phone hours: 8:00 AM–4:45 PM (Mon–Fri)
• Office hours: 8:00 AM–4:30 PM (Mon–Thu), 8:00 AM–4:00 PM (Fri)

STR Complaint Hotline (City monitoring/issue reporting; subject to court order status)

• Phone: (314) 798‑9245
• Online complaint portal: Host Compliance STR complaints (see Links)

General City Contact

• Main: (314) 622‑4800
• Address: 1200 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103

Links to Source Pages (Important)

• City of St. Louis Short‑Term Rental Permits (Official) www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/public-safety/building/permits/short-term-rental-permits/index.cfm

• Ordinance 71729 (Short‑Term Rental ordinance text) www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/city-laws/ordinances/ordinance.cfm?ord=71729

• STL City Permits Portal – Short‑Term Rental Application www.stlcitypermits.com/SubmitShortTermRentalApplication.aspx

• City STR Rules (Board of Public Service rules) www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/public-safety/building/documents/short-term-rental-rules.cfm

• Mayor’s announcement: City rolls out STR permits and timeline www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/mayor/news/short-term-rental-permit.cfm

• STR‑specific complaint hotline (Host Compliance portal) secure.hostcompliance.com/st-louis-mo/complaints/type

• City of St. Louis Zoning Map (for conditional use determinations) www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/public-safety/building/zoning/zoning-map.cfm

• Airbnb guide to St. Louis STR rules (secondary reference) www.airbnb.com/help/article/3900

• St. Louis Magazine: Judge’s ruling pauses permits (legal status update) www.stlmag.com/news/short-term-rental-fees-lawsuit/

Notes for downtown investors:

• Downtown is centrally located, with strong tourism, event, and convention demand. The enforcement pause creates near‑term operational flexibility but does not eliminate the regulatory framework.
• The City has contracted with Host Compliance/Granicus for monitoring and will use the hotline to triage issues; expect active enforcement post‑resolution of the court case.
• Prepare now: confirm zoning and building eligibility, install required safety equipment, establish a 24/7 agent, and set up tax compliance systems so you can hit the ground running when enforcement resumes.