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1. Do I need a building permit?

Please see our Building Permits page or contact our office at 636-949-7345.

2. Do I need an inspection if I'm selling my house?

If you have a private sewage disposal system, well system, or if during the selling process the home was condemned, an inspection is required

3. What do I need to do to open a business?

Before purchasing or leasing a property from which to operate a business, contact the County Planning & Zoning Division at Planning@sccmo.org or 636-949-7335 to verify that the zoning classification for the property allows your specific type of business. Following initial verification, you should apply for a Business Occupancy Permit by submitting the application to the County Building and Code Enforcement Division (201 N. Second St., Suite 412, St. Charles, MO 63301, 636-949-7345, (fax) 636-949-7336, bldgpermit@sccmo.org). If you plan to modify the building or site, you will need to discuss those changes with Building and Code Enforcement Division staff to determine if a building permit will be required. You should also contact the appropriate fire district to see if they will require an inspection. If your business will prepare or serve food you must contact the County’s Environmental Health Division (1650 Boone's Lick, St. Charles, MO 63301, 636-949-1800, environmental@sccmo.org) regarding any additional license requirements.

4. How do I know if a contractor is licensed?

We license Plumbers, Electricians, Heating and Cooling, Pool Installers Septic Installers, Drain Layers, and Blasters. These are listed online. Or, the customer may call the office at 636-949-7345 and ask any of the clerical staff if a contractor is licensed and in good standing with their insurance and bond.

5. Who can I talk to about a building code?

Contact the Building and Code Enforcement Division at 636-949-7345.

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1. Do I need a Land Disturbance Permit?

Any person, firm, corporation, or business proposing to remove any ground vegetation, to disturb or fill the land, or to store soil affecting 5,000 square feet or more within unincorporated St. Charles County is required to apply to the Department of Community Development for approval and issuance of a land disturbance permit unless otherwise exempted under Section 412.050 of the County Code. An additional permit is required from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources when proposed land disturbance activities affect one acre or more.

Section 412.050 of St. Charles County Code

2. What are the requirements for construction adjacent to and within natural watercourses?

In general, construction is not allowed within 25 feet of natural watercourses (channels comprised of definite beds and banks to confine and conduct continuously or periodically flowing water formed in the surface of the earth prior to changes made by unnatural conditions) or within 50 feet of the Dardenne Creek, Peruque Creek, Femme Osage Creek, Big Creek, and McCoy Creek as measured from the top of the stream bank. Installation or removal of berms or dams, clearing of existing vegetation, soil disturbance, filling or dumping, drainage by ditching, road, bridge, or utility crossings, paths and trails, buffer restoration, water quality monitoring & stream gauging, and dead or damaged tree and debris removal can be allowed with approval from Division or Department Directors and/or the County Council per Sections 405.5026 and 405.5027 of the County Code. Permits may also be required from the Division of Planning & Zoning, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for projects approved within or adjacent to natural watercourses. Contact the Division of Development Review for specific information regarding your project. Sections 405.5026 and 405.5027 of the County Code

3. How can I protect my property from storm water drainage or alter storm water drainage within and adjacent to my property?

State law allows you to protect your property from storm water drainage as long as you do not cause damage to neighboring properties in doing so. Any alteration of storm water drainage would need to be made on your property unless an easement or permission is obtained to alter drainage on neighboring properties. Contact the Division of Development Review for specific information regarding your drainage issues and to discuss the possible need for permits to address these issues. Development Review Division

4. Other than storm water detention, what requirements do you have for storm water quality treatment?

The Division of Development Review is currently working on a draft for requirements to treat the runoff from 90% of the recorded daily rainfall events (water quality volume – equivalent to 1.14” of rainfall) and to maintain the pre-development hydrology in post-construction storm water runoff. Treatment for water quality volume will be required for sites needing conditional use permits (where applicable). Incentives to provide treatment for water quality volume are also being offered in the form of a reduction or elimination of detention requirements and variances to eliminate or reduce infrastructure (such as storm sewer and curb & gutter). Maintenance agreements are required to be executed and recorded by the owners of private facilities and maintenance specifications are required to be incorporated into the subdivision covenants & restrictions for residential developments making the maintenance the responsibility of the homeowners association. Section 420.020 of the County Code regulates requirements for the maintenance of such storm water quality facilities and gives the county the authority to inspect and enforce this maintenance.
Section 420.020 of the County Code

5. What is a BMP?

BMP stands for Best Management Practice. Storm water management BMPs are control measures taken to mitigate changes to both quantity and quality of urban runoff caused through changes to land use. Generally BMPs focus on water quality problems caused by temporary land disturbances and increased impervious surfaces from land development. BMPs are designed to control and contain soil erosion, reduce storm water volume, peak flows, and/or nonpoint source pollution through evapotranspiration, infiltration, detention, and filtration or biological and chemical actions. Storm water BMPs can be classified as "structural" (i.e., devices installed or constructed on a site) or "non-structural" (procedures, such as modified landscaping practices, reducing the use of chemical fertilizers, etc.). There are a variety of BMPs available; selection typically depends on site characteristics and pollutant removal objectives. EPA has published a list of storm water BMPs for use by local governments, builders and property owners. Sections 50 and 60 of the Design Criteria for the Preparation of Improvement Plans include design standards and acceptable BMPs for use in meeting St. Charles County’s requirements for post-construction storm water runoff and construction site erosion and sediment controls.
Design Criteria for the Preparation of Imp. Plans

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1. How can I file a complaint about a property?

Please visit our Citizenserve Citizen Access Portal; call 636-949-7900, ext. 7345; email bce@sccmo.org; or fax your concern to 636-949-1816.

2. Where can I find codes about property maintenance in the County?

Please see Chapter 500, Article VIII of the County Code. Chapter, 500, Article VIII

3. I received a notice - What do I need to do?

a. If you have any questions about the items listed that need to be corrected contact the inspector that sent the notice. His/her name, phone number, and email are located on the letter.

b. You will need to correct the violations listed within the time period identified on the letter. Depending upon the type of violation(s) and whether this is a repeat violations, you may be granted an extension of time to complete the work but this must be granted by the inspector prior to the deadlines on the notice to prevent receiving a summons to appear in court.

4. How can I speak to someone in your office?

Call the Building and Code Enforcement Division at 636-949-7345.

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1. How can I determine if my property is located in unincorporated St. Charles County?

St. Charles County’s GIS mapping service indicates whether each property is located within unincorporated county or within a municipality St. Charles County GIS Mapping Service

2. Where on my property can I build?

County Planning and Zoning staff can provide you with the minimum setback requirements for improvements to your property. The specific development standards are contained within the Unified Development Ordinance. St. Charles County’s Zoning Illustrated can be very useful for understanding these regulations. The County also provides online guidance about installing fences and swimming pools.

3. How can I determine how my property is zoned?

For properties located in unincorporated St. Charles County, the County’s GIS mapping service also indicates the zoning classification for each property. To access this information, first click on the “Layers” button and then on the “Planning and Zoning” and “Zoning Information” check boxes. St. Charles County GIS Mapping Service

4. How can I apply to the County to rezone my property?

To request that the County change the zoning classification for any property, a property owner (or agent for the property owner) can submit an application and copy of their deed to rezone their property along with the application fee. Using the County Master Plan as a guide, County staff will refer the application to the Planning and Zoning Commission with a staff recommendation. After holding a public hearing and taking public comments, the Planning & Zoning Commission will forward the application and its recommendation to the County Council. The County Council will either approve or deny the application. Rezoning a property is typically a three-month process. Visit the Rezoning webpage for more information on the steps to rezone properties.

5. Will improvements to my property require a Floodplain Development Permit?

To determine whether any project or improvements you plan to undertake on your property would require a Floodplain Development Permit, please contact the County Planning & Zoning Division (201 N. Second St., Suite 412, St. Charles, MO 63301, 636-949-7345, (fax) 636-949-7336, Planning@sccmo.org).

6. How do I open a business?

Before purchasing or leasing a property from which to operate a business, contact the County Planning & Zoning Division at Planning@sccmo.org or 636-949-7335 to verify that the zoning classification for the property allows your specific type of business. Following initial verification, you should apply for a Business Occupancy Permit by submitting the application to the County Building Division (201 N. Second St., Suite 412, St. Charles, MO 63301, 636-949-7345, (fax) 636-949-7336, bldgpermit@sccmo.org). If you plan to modify the building or site, you will need to discuss those changes with Building Division staff to determine if a building permit will be required. You should also contact the appropriate fire district to see if they will require an inspection. If your business will prepare or serve food you must contact the County’s Public Health Department (1650 Boone's Lick, St. Charles, MO 63301, 636-949-1800, pubhealth@sccmo.org) regarding any additional license requirements.

7. How do I obtain approval to operate a business from my home?

If you wish to operate a business from your home, you should submit a Home Occupation Permit application to the County Planning and Zoning Division (201 N. Second St., Suite 420, St. Charles, MO 63301, 636-949-7335, (fax) 636-949-7336, Planning@sccmo.org).

8. How can I subdivide my property?

Property owners have two options for subdividing property, depending on the lot size complexity of the subdivision. For the division of land into lots of five (5) acres or greater in size, provided the land is located within "A," "R" or "RR" zoning districts and outside of any existing subdivisions, you may submit a minor subdivision plat. For all other land divisions, a preliminary plat and a final plat will be required. Please note that all plats must be prepared by a professional engineer or land surveyor currently licensed by the State of Missouri. Minor subdivision plats are reviewed by County staff, and once approved by County staff must be recorded with the County Recorder of Deeds office. All other subdivision plats must be approved and signed by both the Planning and Zoning Commission, and the Director of the Planning and Zoning Division. Once these plats have been signed and approved, they must also be filed in the County Recorder of Deed’s office.

St. Charles County ordinances do not require subdivision plats to be created for new parcels or tracts of land if the property to be subdivided is located outside of recorded subdivisions and its legal description was recorded prior to August 23, 1999.