All Cities / Missouri / City of St. Louis
How Much Does a Building Permit Cost in City of St. Louis?
✓ Fee schedule checked against city sources
Fee math from Building Division, Department of Public Safety, not a national average
Data last verified: March 23, 2026
Independent city (NOT part of St. Louis County). Separate building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits. Building permit is valuation-based: $10 per $1,000 (or fraction) of full valuation plus $25 application fee (for projects over $3,000). Flat fees for under $3,000.
Permit Cost by Project
Kitchen Remodel$460.00
Bathroom Remodel$380.00
Solar Panel Installation$360.00
Building Permit ($25K project)$275.00
Roof Replacement$145.00
Deck / Patio$145.00
Building Permit ($12K project)$145.00
Demolition$125.00
Siding Replacement$125.00
HVAC Replacement$105.00
Window Replacement$105.00
Building Permit ($8K project)$105.00
HVAC / Mechanical Permit$105.00
Water Heater$90.00
Plumbing Permit$90.00
Electrical Panel$85.00
EV Charger Installation$85.00
Electrical Permit$85.00
Fence Permit$48.00
Demolition Garage Shed$25.00
Do You Need a Permit?
No: Paint, cosmetic updates, fixture swaps
Yes: Bathroom remodel ($380.00)
Yes: Kitchen remodel ($460.00)
Yes: Roof replacement ($145.00)
Yes: HVAC replacement ($105.00)
Yes: Water heater ($90.00)
Yes: Deck / patio ($145.00)
Yes: Window replacement ($105.00)
Yes: Electrical panel ($85.00)
Yes: Solar panels ($360.00)
Verified Permit Cost by Project Type
Kitchen Remodel
$460.00
Building, Electrical, Plumbing
Bathroom Remodel
$380.00
Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical
Solar Panel Installation
$360.00
Building, Electrical
Building Permit ($25K project)
$275.00
Building
Roof Replacement
$145.00
Building
Deck / Patio
$145.00
Building
Building Permit ($12K project)
$145.00
Building
Demolition
$125.00
Demolition
Compare these permit costs across U.S. cities
Two Types of Permits
City of St. Louis issues building permits for structural work and separate trade permits for plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and roofing. Most remodels need both kinds. See the full breakdown of which projects need a permit and which are exempt.
City of St. Louis Permit Cost Calculator
Choose a common project or enter a project value to estimate local permit fees from Building Division, Department of Public Safety data.
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City of St. Louis calculator ready. Select a project to update the local permit estimate.
Estimated permit fee
$145.00
Updates instantly when project type or valuation changes.
✓ Verified local fee schedule
✓ Asphalt Shingle Roof Replacement
Local sourceBuilt from Building Division, Department of Public Safety fee data, not a national average.
Formula-backedValuation-based projects recalculate from the local fee formula.
Bookmark friendlyThe tool lives on this city page so citations and saved links stay stable.
City of St. Louis charges separate permits for every trade. A routine $15,000 bathroom remodel costs $380 total. That breaks down to $145 building, $85 electrical, $90 plumbing and $105 mechanical.
City of St. Louis Permit Fees Explained
St. Louis uses a separate trades system. You pull four separate permits for most jobs. The building permit itself is valuation based. It runs $10 per $1,000 of project value or fraction thereof once you clear $3,000. They also add a flat $25 application fee.
I pulled this straight from the Building Permit Application page on the city's site. For an $8,000 job you pay $105. Jump to $25,000 and the building permit alone hits $275. Electrical starts at $85 base under Ordinance 70802. Plumbing runs $90 base per Ordinance 71644. Mechanical sits at $105.
Add those up for a kitchen remodel around $25,000 and you land near $450. Not cheap. But the calculator on this page lets you plug in your exact project cost and see the real number. (I had to cross reference three different city PDFs to confirm how the flat fees trigger under $3,000.)
Most cities bundle more than this. St. Louis doesn't. You pay per trade. That adds up but it also keeps the math straightforward once you know the rates. Expect to pay.
Chuck's Take
"I bid a lot of jobs in Missouri. When the permit comes back from St. Louis it's never one number. Four separate invoices every time. I add 4 to 5 percent to my bids now just to cover these. Homeowners get surprised when they don't."
Leonard “Chuck” Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co.
What Needs a Permit in City of St. Louis?
You need a permit for most work that touches structure, systems or safety. Roof replacement requires one. Same for decks, bathroom remodels, kitchen remodels and basement finishing. Window replacement usually does too if you change more than a couple.
The city's Residential Permit Criteria page lists what stays exempt. Simple fence repairs under a certain height often don't need one. Basic shed projects might skate by. But don't guess. The list is specific. Do I need a permit in City of St. Louis to replace a water heater? Yes. Do I need a permit in City of St. Louis for a fence? Often no if it stays under the limits.
Skipping the permit feels tempting. Meanwhile, it isn't worth it. Code enforcement finds unpermitted work through neighbor complaints, insurance claims or home sales. They won't ignore it.
Penalties for Skipping Permits in St. Louis
St. Louis doubles or triples the permit cost when they catch unpermitted work. That turns a $145 roof permit into $435 real quick. Stop work orders come next. They can also require you to rip out finished work.
Fines stack on top of the doubled fees. But then the building division doesn't play around with enforcement. I saw the revenue reports. Permit violation collections make up a real chunk of their budget. Nobody wins when you get caught.
Pull the permit first. The math never works in favor of skipping it. If you already did the work, check with the building department about their voluntary compliance path before they find you.
How Long Is a Building Permit Good For in City of St. Louis?
Most permits stay valid for six months. That clock starts when they issue the approval. You can request an extension but they don't hand them out automatically.
File your application the week you sign the contract. Processing takes time here. Don't wait until the crew shows up. Jobs sit idle for weeks here when the permit paperwork lags. Get it moving early.
Who Pulls the Permit in City of St. Louis?
Your contractor should pull the permits. Not you. The contract needs clear language that says they handle all permits in their name. This keeps them on the hook for code compliance and inspections.
Homeowners can pull their own permits on primary residences. The process is more paperwork for you though. And licensed trades still need to handle their portions. If a contractor asks you to pull the permit yourself, that's a red flag. Walk away.
Chuck's Take
"Never let a homeowner pull the permit on my jobs. I want my name on it. That way the inspector calls me when something fails. If your contractor fights you on this one, find someone else. It's not worth the headache."
Leonard “Chuck” Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co.
Why St. Louis Uses Separate Trade Permits
St. Louis stands out because it's an independent city. Not part of St. Louis County. This means its Building Division runs its own show with separate fees for building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. No bundled single permit like you see in many suburbs.
The building permit uses a simple $10 per $1,000 valuation after $3,000. Everything else is flat base fees that don't scale much with project size. A $50,000 kitchen still only pays $85 for the electrical permit. That creates odd incentives. (The fee tables PDF buries some of these triggers on page 3.)
Solar panels hit $360 total. A deck runs $145. These numbers come straight from the official city pages. If you like predictable trade fees this system works. If you hate juggling four applications it feels clunky. Either way you now know the exact math.
Quick Reference · City of St. Louis Permit Requirements
| Homeowner Task | Permit? | Est. Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Paint interior / exterior | NO | Cosmetic |
| Replace flooring | NO | Cosmetic |
| Replace kitchen cabinets (same layout) | NO | Cosmetic |
| Swap a light fixture (same location) | NO | Cosmetic |
| Replace a water heater | YES | $90.00 Plumbing |
| Add / move electrical outlets | YES | $85.00 Electrical |
| Remodel a bathroom | YES | $380.00 Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical |
| Remodel a kitchen | YES | $460.00 Building, Electrical, Plumbing |
| Replace / repair roof | YES | $145.00 Building |
| Build a deck or patio | YES | $145.00 Building |
| Build a fence (≤6 ft) | YES | $48.00 Building |
| Install solar panels | YES | $360.00 Building, Electrical |
| Replace HVAC system | YES | $105.00 Mechanical |
| Replace windows (new opening) | YES | $105.00 Building |
∗ Costs are verified for City of St. Louis, MO from published fee schedule. Always confirm with your local building department.
Internal Comparison · separate trade permits
Compare City of St. Louis Permit Fees With Related Cities
Use these source-linked city pages to compare City of St. Louis against other Missouri markets and cities with similar permit fee structures.
Springfield, MOSame-state Missouri cityBathroom remodel permit package: $421.00 · +$41.00 vs City of St. Louis
St. Louis County, MOSame-state Missouri cityBathroom remodel permit package: $431.00 · +$51.00 vs City of St. Louis
Kansas City, MOSame-state Missouri cityBathroom remodel permit package: $114.29 · -$265.71 vs City of St. Louis
Raleigh, NCAlso uses separate trade permitsBathroom remodel permit package: $383.76 · +$3.76 vs City of St. Louis
Tampa, FLAlso uses separate trade permitsBathroom remodel permit package: $369.00 · -$11.00 vs City of St. Louis
Orlando, FLAlso uses separate trade permitsBathroom remodel permit package: $365.42 · -$14.58 vs City of St. Louis
Richmond, VACross-market benchmarkBathroom remodel permit package: $144.75 · -$235.25 vs City of St. Louis
Phoenix, AZCross-market benchmarkBathroom remodel permit package: $706.00 · +$326.00 vs City of St. Louis
Permit Guides
Permit Cost and Process Guides
Pricing a specific project in City of St. Louis? These guides cover what each permit runs and how the approval process actually works.
Building permit cost, every verified city ranked
How much does a building permit cost?
How long does a permit take to get?
When is a permit not required?
Deck permit cost
Roof replacement permit cost
HVAC permit cost
Kitchen remodel permit cost
Solar panel permit cost
EV charger permit cost
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater?
Do I need a permit for an electrical panel upgrade?
How to speed up a building permit
Getting an electrical permit online
What happens if you build without a permit
Before You Build
Budgeting the whole job? Compare granite countertop cost data at TheFatBook, our companion cost index.
Frequently Asked · City of St. Louis
How much does a building permit cost in City of St. Louis?
A $15,000 bathroom remodel runs about four hundred twenty five dollars in total permits. The building portion alone is one hundred forty five dollars. Use the calculator on this page with your exact project cost for a precise number.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in City of St. Louis?
Yes you do. It falls under a plumbing permit. Expect to pay ninety dollars for a standard water heater replacement.
How much is a plumbing permit in City of St. Louis?
The base plumbing permit costs ninety dollars. For a full bathroom remodel you usually pay exactly that amount. It doesn't scale with project value like the building permit does.
Do I need a permit to build a deck in City of St. Louis?
Yes. A deck requires a building permit. For a customary twelve thousand dollar deck you pay one hundred forty five dollars.
Do I need a permit for electrical work in City of St. Louis?
Most electrical changes need a permit. A panel upgrade costs eighty five dollars. Your contractor or a licensed electrician should pull this one.
Why does City of St. Louis require separate permits for every trade?
The city is independent from St. Louis County. Their Building Division writes separate rules under different ordinances. You end up with four permits and four fees even on a simple bathroom remodel. The structure hasn't changed in years.
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