Short answer: In St. Louis City you need two things today: a short-term rental business license from the License Collector, and a quarterly return that pays 3% of your base nightly rent. Your guests also owe 7.25% in city hotel taxes. The separate permit law from 2023 is still on hold under a court order, so the city is not taking permit applications right now.
This guide covers the City of St. Louis only. St. Louis County, St. Charles and the suburbs run their own rules. Nothing here is legal advice, so confirm each step with the city before you list.
Step 1: Confirm the home is inside city limits
St. Louis City and St. Louis County are separate governments. A home in the Central West End, Soulard or Tower Grove is in the city. Clayton, Kirkwood and Webster Groves are in the county, and St. Charles is its own city in another county. Check the tax bill if you are unsure. Our pages on Clayton and the Central West End, Kirkwood and Webster Groves and St. Charles cover the areas around the city.
The city counts any stay of 30 days or less as a short-term rental. Month-to-month tenancies, hotels and permitted bed and breakfasts are excluded.
Step 2: Get current on city taxes
The License Collector will not issue or renew the license while you owe the city money. If you bought the home recently, ask the Collector of Revenue for a statement of clearance before you apply. It saves a second trip.
Step 3: Apply for the short-term rental business license
Ordinance 72095 took effect on February 23, 2026. It came out of Proposition S, which city voters passed in November 2024. Under the city's license notice, operators have needed the license since 60 days after that date.
A few details owners miss:
- You need one license per operator, even with several units. The 3% fee still applies to every unit.
- This license does not replace any other license or permit you already need.
- The fine for operating without one is $250 to $500 per violation, and each day counts as a new violation.
The License Collector runs it. The office's new business license page says new applications go online through payitstlouis.com or in person at Room 104 of City Hall, 1200 Market Street. Call (314) 622-4528 or email lco@stlouis-mo.gov to confirm which form your setup needs before you file.
Step 4: File the 3% return every quarter
The fee is 3% of the base nightly rate. Cleaning fees, platform service fees, other surcharges and taxes are left out. Each return reports two numbers: nights rented and base rent collected.
The city notice lists these due dates:
| Due date | Quarter covered |
|---|---|
| April 30 | January 1 to March 31 |
| July 31 | April 1 to June 30 |
| October 31 | July 1 to September 30 |
| January 31 | October 1 to December 31 |
The printed return form says to file within 20 days after the quarter ends, which is earlier than the notice. Until the city clears that up, filing by the 20th is the safe choice.
The city may sign collection agreements with booking sites. Unless one is in place for your platform, you pay the fee yourself, so keep monthly payout reports with nights and base rent split out.
Step 5: Account for the 7.25% hotel taxes
The License Collector's hotel tax page applies two taxes to home rentals booked online: 3.5% for convention and sports and 3.75% for convention and tourism. Returns are due 20 days after each quarter. A guest who stays more than 31 days in the quarter is exempt. Our St. Louis owner's guide explains which of these Airbnb collects for you.
Step 6: Get ready for the permit law
Ordinance 71729 created a separate permit with a 24/7 local agent, a two-night minimum, no events, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and a cap of four non-owner-occupied units per owner. A court order on April 22, 2025 stopped the city from enforcing it. In June 2025 the judge allowed most of the rules to go forward, without the $150 yearly fee or the ban on permits for business entities, St. Louis Magazine reported. The mayor's office said it would wait for the court to settle the fee question.
When we checked on November 8, 2026, the city's permit page still said it will not enforce the permit requirements while the order stands. Applications, inspections and permit fees are all paused.
We set homes up as if the permit law were live. Alarms, a posted house rules sheet and a two-night minimum cost little, and you won't be scrambling if the city restarts permits with short notice.
What we handle for St. Louis owners
We keep the nightly and base rent records your quarterly 3% return needs, track the hotel taxes, act as the 24/7 contact and watch the permit case for changes. Pricing, guest messages, cleaners and repairs are part of the same 15% standard fee. Over 5 years we've hosted 8,000+ stays with a 4.8 star average rating, and we reply to owners within one day.