St. Louis County Occupancy Permits When You Sell: A City-by-City Guide

If you’re selling a house in St. Louis County, there’s a good chance your city will send an inspector before the new owner can move in. That’s the St. Louis County occupancy permit process, and it surprises a lot of sellers. The rules change from one city to the next, the fees and deadlines differ, and a failed inspection can push back a closing.

We’re Swift Home Buys, a local, family-owned home buyer that has helped St. Louis homeowners for over 10 years. We put the rules for the cities we buy in on one page, with a link to each city’s own page so you can check the details yourself. We buy houses as-is, and we’ll mention that where it helps. But most sellers just need to know what their city requires, and that’s what this guide is for.

Rules and fees change. Everything below comes from each city’s official website as of October 2026, and it isn’t legal advice. Confirm with your city before you list.

What Is an Occupancy Permit in St. Louis County?

An occupancy permit is the city’s sign-off that a house is safe for the next person to live in. To get one, the city sends an inspector to check basic safety items, like smoke detectors, railings, plumbing, the roof and the exterior. In most cities the seller (or the seller’s agent) orders the inspection, and the buyer gets the permit before moving in.

It goes by different names around town: occupancy inspection, re-occupancy permit, Certificate of Compliance, or in the City of St. Louis, a Certificate of Inspection. They all do the same job.

An occupancy inspection is not a home inspection

The city’s inspection is a short check against the city’s housing code. It isn’t the detailed home inspection a buyer pays for, and it doesn’t certify that the house is in good shape. Sunset Hills puts it plainly: its inspection “does not insure such inspections for any use as a home warranty.” A buyer can still order their own home inspection on top of it.

St. Louis County Occupancy Permit Rules, City by City

Here’s what each city requires when you sell an existing single-family home. If your city isn’t listed, call its city hall or building department. If you live in an unincorporated area, the St. Louis County rules apply.

Many smaller cities in St. Louis County hire the County to do their inspections, so the County’s process and wait times can apply even if you don’t live in an unincorporated area. Your city hall can tell you who inspects.

How the St. Louis County Occupancy Inspection Works

If you live in unincorporated St. Louis County, the County handles your occupancy inspection. It applies any time the person living in a house changes, so a sale, a new tenant and a vacant house getting new occupants all count. Here’s how it usually goes.

1. Apply on the County’s permitting portal

The seller or the seller’s agent applies online through the County’s Permitting Portal. The fee for a single-family home was $80 at the time of writing, and $95.50 in cities that contract with the County. There’s a $20 charge if you cancel, and no refund once the first inspection is done. For questions, the County’s permits office is at 314-615-5184 or permits@stlouiscountymo.gov.

2. The inspection visit

The inspector usually calls within about 48 hours to set a time. Visits happen on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., with a two-hour arrival window. Make sure someone can let the inspector in during that window.

3. Fix what the inspector finds

If the inspector finds problems, you get a list. You have 90 days to fix them and pass a final inspection, or the application lapses and you start over.

4. Name the buyer

Once the house passes, you have 120 days to give the County the names of the new occupants, and the permit is issued to them. Add the 90 days for repairs and you have about seven months to work with, which is why the St. Louis REALTORS association tells agents to apply when they sign a listing, not when they get a contract.

Plan for a wait in busy seasons. In February 2024, St. Louis County Councilman Mark Harder wrote on the St. Louis REALTORS blog that wait times for a County occupancy inspection could reach four to six weeks in the spring.

St. Louis City Occupancy Permits: The Certificate of Inspection

The City of St. Louis has its own program, separate from the County’s. The whole city is a Housing Conservation District, so a sale needs a Certificate of Inspection before the buyer can move in. According to the city’s residential occupancy page:

• Cost: $120 for a vacant unit and $200 for an occupied one, plus $65 for each additional unit at the same address.
• How to apply: online at stlcitypermits.com or in person at City Hall, 1200 Market Street, Room 425.
• Scheduling: the inspection can be set for 3 to 15 days after you apply, and the water and electric must be on.
• Repairs: you have 30 days to fix violations, and extensions are possible.
• How long it lasts: a Certificate of Inspection is good for 12 months, so a house that passed recently may not need another.

What Occupancy Inspectors Look For

Every city has its own checklist, but they cover the same basics. Sunset Hills publishes its list, and it’s a good guide to what most inspectors check:

• General cleanliness, and whether the house is fit to live in
• The foundation, floors, walls, ceilings and roof
• Windows, exterior doors and basement hatchways
• Stairs and porches
• Plumbing, sewer, gutters and drainage
• Smoke detectors, stoves and fireplaces
• Outbuildings, fences and retaining walls
• Exterior paint, driveways and sidewalks
• Trash, debris, weeds and abandoned vehicles

Small items cause many failures: a missing smoke detector, a loose handrail, a cracked window or peeling exterior paint. Walk the house with that list before the inspector comes, and fix what you can.

How Long Does the Occupancy Process Take?

If the house passes the first time, the whole process can take a couple of weeks. If it needs repairs, plan on a month or more. City deadlines are tighter than the County’s: Manchester gives 30 days to fix violations, and so does the City of St. Louis.

Who Pays for the Inspection and the Repairs?

In most cities the seller orders the inspection and pays for it, and the buyer pays for their occupancy permit. Ballwin and Kirkwood describe it that way. Webster Groves says the property owner “typically assumes responsibility for the required repairs.”

Repairs are where you have room to negotiate. Your purchase contract decides who fixes what, and some cities allow other arrangements:

• Webster Groves: a house “may be sold ‘as is’,” with the buyer taking on some or all of the repairs. Nobody can move in until they’re done.
• Ellisville: an as-is sale needs an escrow with the city, at least $1,000, until the deficiencies are fixed.
• University City: for minor repairs, the city can issue a conditional permit that gives 60 days to finish the work while people live there.

Selling a House That Won’t Pass an Occupancy Inspection

Sometimes the list is long. Maybe the house needs a roof, or the electrical is old, or it’s a parent’s house that’s been empty for a while. You have a few choices.

Make the repairs and list it

If the fixes are small and you have the time and money, this usually gets you the most. A handrail, a few smoke detectors and some caulk won’t scare a buyer off. If listing makes more sense for you, we’ll tell you so.

Sell as-is to a buyer who will handle the repairs

Where your city allows it, a buyer can agree to take on the repairs. Many buyers want a house that’s ready to move into, though, so this usually narrows the field to cash buyers and investors.

Sell to a local cash buyer

A cash buyer who knows the local occupancy rules can buy the house as-is and handle the inspection and repairs after closing, within what your city allows. You don’t hire contractors or chase re-inspections. Kimberly L. from Affton sold her dad’s house that way: “The house was in pretty bad shape, but they didn’t judge us on it. Adam and his partner were understanding and took the time to explain things to us, as this was the first time selling a house.”

Our offers are below full market value because we take on the repairs and the risk, and we’ll walk you through how we got to our number. You can see real examples on our Houses We’ve Bought page, and read more about selling a house as-is in St. Louis.

Tips to Keep Your Closing on Track

• Apply when you list. In unincorporated St. Louis County you have about seven months from the first inspection to closing, so there’s no reason to wait for a contract.
• Do a walk-through first. Check smoke detectors, handrails, windows, gutters and exterior paint before the inspector arrives.
• Keep the water and power on. The City of St. Louis requires both for the inspection, and other inspectors expect them too.
• Watch the deadlines. Write down your repair and permit deadlines. A lapsed application means paying and starting over.
• Selling a rental? Some cities, like St. Peters and Wentzville, focus their inspections on rentals. Read our guide to selling a house with tenants.
• Ask your title company. They handle closings across the area and can tell you what your city needs before closing.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

Before you list a house in St. Louis County, find out what your city requires and apply early. Most cities want an occupancy inspection, the fees are modest, and the deadlines are manageable if you start when you list. If the inspection turns up more than you want to take on, you still have choices, from negotiating the repairs to selling the house as-is.

If you’d like to see what we’d pay for your house as it stands today, request a no-obligation cash offer or call or text us at (314) 357-0402. You can also read how our process works or compare selling to us with listing. It’s 100% your decision.