Permits

Building Permit Information

Learn when a building permit is required and browse a list of project examples.

Blasting Permit

A yearly blasting permit is required by blasting operations to use or store explosives.

Burning Permit

All full time fire districts issue burn permits. If you live outside these fire districts you must obtain a burn permit from the St. Charles County Building and Code Enforcement Division for vegetation waste, bonfires of a certain size, construction materials, and other situations.

Commercial Building Permit

Required for projects on commercially zoned property.

Conditional Use Permit

Within each zoning district, the Unified Development Ordinance specifies a range of land uses which the County’s zoning standards allow by right, as well as a list of more restrictive conditional uses, any of which must instead be reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission, and approved by the County Council, on a case-by-case basis. In approving a conditional use, the County Council may impose specific requirements to ensure that the use will not injure the use and enjoyment of nearby properties nor substantially diminish or impair property values.

Demolition Permit

Directional and Wayfinding Signs Permit

St. Charles County manages a program to provide off-site directional and wayfinding signage within designated corridors to direct travelers to cultural and historic sites; recreational and educational facilities; and ferries and airports. Directional signs (naming up to eight entities) and wayfinding signs (naming one entity) can be located either on private property or within County right-of-way. Such signs when located on private property typically require an annual rent payment. St. Charles County contracts to have these signs designed, manufactured, installed, and maintained at cost to the entities advertised on the signs.

Fireworks Display Permit

Required whenever a public display of fireworks is planned.

Fireworks Stand Permit

All fireworks stands in unincorporated County must operate under a Conditional Use Permit approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Floodplain Development Permit

St. Charles County requires floodplain development permits for practically all construction, improvements, demolition, or earthmoving within any area defined by the 2016 Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Studies as floodway fringe, density floodway, or floodway. Floodplain development permits are required even in cases when a building permit would not.

Home Occupation Permit

Required for residents to operate a business out of the home in which they reside in unincorporated county.

Land Disturbance Permit

Required for land disturbance activities affecting 5,000 sq.ft. or more unless the activity meets the exemption criteria in County Ordinances.

Land Use Permit

St. Charles County requires land use permits in order to construct, alter, or repair of any building or structure and/or re-grade any area less than 5,000 square feet other than for agricultural purposes. Exceptions include non-floodplain electrical permits and non-floodplain septic repair permits.

Master Plan Permit

A master plan permit is used by developers to "master" a set of plans so when a contractor is ready to build such a plan, review time is cut to approximately three business days. Nearly any project can be mastered if the developer plans on building the project multiple times.

Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Permit

Required or projects such as water heaters, air conditioners, furnaces, etc.

Natural Watercourse Permit

Required for any disturbances to streams, creeks, watercourses and their required vegetated buffers

Nonconforming Use Permit

A nonconforming use permit provides an official determination by St. Charles County that a specific use, whether of open land or operated within a building, was lawfully established but no longer conforms to the County’s current zoning regulations.

Occupancy Permit

Information about requirements for occupancy permits in St. Charles County

Residential Building Permit

Required for projects on residentially zoned property such as barns, decks, detached garages, pools, etc.

Tourist Camp Permit

Required for all current and new campgrounds or travel trailer parks.

Water Reservoir/Dam Permit