Missouri building permits

Where to get a building permit in Missouri

Apply to the building department of the city, town or county where the property is (the steps).

Our Missouri city guides, with each department's contacts, fees, inspections and project rules:

• Kansas City

Missouri state agencies

These offices set statewide codes or license the trades. They do not issue permits for most home projects.

Building code in Missouri

For homes, the residential code is the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings¹ (adopted locally¹).

Every code family, edition and effective date is on Missouri building codes.

State rules on which work needs a permit

RSMo §§ 64.620, 64.890, 64.003, 67.301, 67.494

• Second and third class county zoning powers do not reach farm buildings outside flood hazard map areas. This section shall not apply to the erection, maintenance, repair, alteration or extension of farm buildings or farm structures used for such purposes in an area not within the area shown on the flood hazard area map.¹
• County fire ordinances cannot require permits for farm buildings. …no fire protection or fire prevention ordinance adopted by any county in this state shall be exercised so as to impose regulations or to require permits with respect to the erection, maintenance, repair, alteration, or extension of farm buildings or farm structures.¹
• No separate permit for qualifying battery-charged fences beyond an alarm permit. Requires a permit for the installation or use of a battery-charged fence in addition to an alarm system permit issued by such city, county, town, village, or political subdivision…¹
• State preempts regulation of physical security measures around private property, with listed exceptions. The general assembly hereby occupies and preempts the entire field of legislation regarding in any way the regulation of physical security measures around private property to the complete exclusion of any order, ordinance, policy, or regulation by any village, town, city, including any home rule city, or county in this state.¹
• Local governments may still regulate aesthetics, right-of-way access, structural soundness and drainage. The structural soundness of physical security measures…¹

Contractor licensing

RSMo §§ 324.900-324.945; §§ 67.275, 77.505

• Statewide electrical license is valid in any jurisdiction. "Statewide license", a valid license issued or recognized by the division that allows the licensee to practice in any jurisdiction regardless of local licensing requirements.¹
• Statewide electrical contractor license is optional. The statewide electrical contractor license is optional, not mandatory.⁸
• No statewide license needed where no local license is required or the local license is held. Any person operating as an electrical contractor in a political subdivision that does not require the contractor to hold a local license, or that operates as an electrical contractor in a political subdivision that requires a local license possessed by that person, shall not be required to possess a statewide license under sections 324.900 to 324.945 to continue to operate as an electrical contractor in such political subdivision.¹
• $500,000. Provide proof of liability insurance in the amount of five hundred thousand dollars…¹
• Local governments must recognize the statewide license. Political subdivisions shall not be prohibited from establishing their own local electrical contractor's license, but shall recognize a statewide license in lieu of a local license for the purposes of performing contracting work or obtaining permits to perform work within such political subdivision.¹
• Permits still come from the local jurisdiction. You will follow the same procedures as before for obtaining permits from the local entity.⁸
• $200. License Application Fee $200…⁹
• Third class cities may license electricians and electrical contractors. …shall have the power and authority to license, levy and collect a license tax on, and regulate, electrical contractors and electricians.¹

Private plan review and inspections

RSMo § 67.490 (L. 2019 S.B. 203 § 1)

• In lieu of a political subdivision conducting building permit inspections of the new construction of a one- or two-family residential dwelling, the licensed engineer who sealed the ultimate submission of plans for the permit shall be allowed to conduct the footing, foundation, wall, and framing inspections in accordance with the procedures for such inspections established by the political subdivision.¹
• Engineer reports on the local uniform inspection forms. Such licensed engineer or architect shall report on such work by using the uniform inspection forms used by the political subdivision and shall submit such forms to the political subdivision.¹
• Section 67.490 listed in the chapter 67 index. Building permit inspections waived if licensed engineer inspects footing, ... (8/28/2019)…¹⁰

Applies to

New one- or two-family dwellings; engineer who sealed the plans¹

Selling a home with unpermitted work

RSMo §§ 339.730, 442.600, 442.606

• Seller's agent must disclose known adverse material facts to customers. A licensee acting as a seller's or landlord's agent owes no duty or obligation to a customer, except that a licensee shall disclose to any customer all adverse material facts actually known or that should have been known by the licensee.¹
• Sellers must disclose known methamphetamine production in writing. …the seller or transferor shall disclose in writing to the buyer or transferee the fact that methamphetamine was produced on the premises, provided that the seller or transferor had knowledge of such prior methamphetamine production.¹

What local governments may change

RSMo §§ 67.281, 67.288, 67.301, 67.494, 324.925

• Local codes cannot deny purchasers the choice on fire sprinklers. …no purchaser of such a one- or two-family dwelling or townhouse shall be denied the right to choose or decline to install a fire sprinkler system in such dwelling or townhouse being purchased by any code, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, or resolution by any county or other political subdivision.¹
• No local EV-charger mandate for church or nonprofit lots. …no political subdivision shall adopt any ordinance, resolution, regulation, code, or policy that requires electric vehicle charging stations or infrastructure for future installation of electric vehicle charging stations on any parking lot owned or leased to any church or nonprofit organization exempt from taxation…¹
• County building ordinances cannot conflict with LP gas rules. No county building ordinance so adopted shall conflict with liquefied petroleum gas installations governed by section 323.020.¹
• State preempts physical security measure regulation. Any existing or future order, ordinance, policy, or regulation in this field is or shall be null and void.¹

Solar permitting

RSMo §§ 442.012, 442.404 · in effect August 28, 2024¹

• Covenants cannot bar rooftop solar. No deed restrictions, covenants, or similar binding agreements running with the land shall limit or prohibit, or have the effect of limiting or prohibiting, the installation of solar panels or solar collectors on the rooftop of any property or structure.¹
• HOAs may adopt limited placement rules. A homeowners' association may adopt reasonable rules, subject to any applicable statutes or ordinances, regarding the placement of solar panels or solar collectors to the extent that those rules do not prevent the installation of the device, impair the functioning of the device, restrict the use of the device, or adversely affect the cost or efficiency of the device.¹
• Solar use is a property right. The right to utilize solar energy is a property right but eminent domain may not be used to obtain such property right.¹