Electrical Permit in St. Louis, Missouri
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
Before starting any electrical work other than the code's listed minor repairs, and before energizing a service that has been disconnected for six months or more.
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
The City Electrical Code requires a permit before any electrical work begins, with a narrow minor-repairs exemption: swapping a convenience outlet of the same current rating (unless an ungrounded outlet is being replaced with a grounding type that needs new wiring), a like-rated light switch, a light socket and holder, a single light fixture on the same outlet box, and, inside a dwelling unit, a like-for-like fractional horsepower fan, blower or pump motor limited to 240 volts. Permits are issued to electrical contractors certified by the City of St. Louis, and to owners of single-family homes who pass a written Building Division test. That homeowner permit is limited to a room addition, repairs, modifications of existing systems or burglar alarm systems, and expressly does not cover service changes, rehab or new construction.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
Hire it out
Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?
When a permit is usually needed
Before starting any electrical work other than the code's listed minor repairs, and before energizing a service that has been disconnected for six months or more.
What an electrical permit costs in St. Louis
How to apply in St. Louis
In most US jurisdictions, the property owner or a licensed electrician applies for an electrical permit before work starts, describing the scope of work and the property and typically attaching plans. Some minor, like-for-like electrical repairs are commonly exempt, and once issued the permit is kept on site until the job is finished.
What most electrical permit applications include:
- Before any electrical work begins, the owner or an authorized agent must first apply to the building official and obtain the required permit (IRC R105.1).
- The written application must identify and describe the electrical work covered by the permit and describe the property, such as by street address, well enough to locate the job (IRC R105.3).
- The application must be accompanied by construction documents (plans) and any other information the permit office requires, and must be signed by the applicant or an authorized agent (IRC R105.3).
- Certain minor or like-for-like electrical jobs, such as replacing a branch-circuit breaker of the required capacity in the same location, are commonly exempt from needing a separate permit (IRC R105.2).
- Once issued, the building permit or a copy of it must be kept at the job site until the project is complete (IRC R105.7).
General submittal guidance from International Residential Code (IRC), Section R105, Permits (2015 and 2021 editions, as locally adopted). Source. City of St. Louis Building Division, Permit Section (Department of Public Safety) sets the exact checklist for St. Louis.
Where to apply in St. Louis:
City of St. Louis Building Division, Permit Section (Department of Public Safety)
- Building Division Permit Section, City Hall, 1200 Market Street, Room 425, St. Louis, MO 63103
- Phone: (314) 622-3313
- Email: stlcitypermits@stlouis-mo.gov
Inspections and closing out your permit
Electrical work under a permit is inspected at least twice: a rough-in inspection of the wiring before it is covered by drywall or insulation, and a final inspection once all devices, panels, and labeling are complete. Inspectors also check specific safety items along the way, such as GFCI and AFCI protection, panel circuit directories, and the service disconnect location.
- A rough-in inspection of the electrical wiring is required before it is covered or concealed by insulation, drywall, or other finish material, and before fixtures or appliances are set (IRC R109.1.2).
- The framing inspection cannot proceed until the plumbing, mechanical, and electrical rough-in inspections have all been approved (IRC R109.1.4).
- Ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection is checked at receptacles in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, basements, crawl spaces, outdoors, and other damp or wet locations (NEC 210.8(A)).
- Arc-fault circuit-interrupter (AFCI) protection is verified on branch circuits serving bedrooms, living areas, and most other habitable rooms (NEC 210.12(A)).
- Panelboards must carry a circuit directory that legibly and specifically identifies the purpose of each circuit, not a vague label (NEC 408.4).
- The service disconnect must be installed in a readily accessible location, either outside the structure or just inside the point where the service conductors enter (NEC 230.70).
- A final inspection is made only after all permitted electrical work is complete, and the wiring cannot be used or the space occupied until it passes (IRC R109.1.6).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the St. Louis permit portal or by phone at (314) 622-3313.
Inspection sequence from International Residential Code (IRC), Section R109, Required Inspections, and NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC), 2020 and 2023 editions. Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Electrical Permit checklist for St. Louis
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Usually needed: Before starting any electrical work other than the code's listed minor repairs, and before energizing a service that has been disconnected for six months or more.
- Budget the fee. Electrical permit fees are established by City Ordinance 70802. The application fee for all electrical permits is $25.00. Residential inspection fees are $60.00 for the first unit and $60.00 for each additional unit to repair or modify, $60.00 for service only, $100.00 for repair or modify with service, and $120.00 for residential new construction including rehab of 50% or more. Re-inspection for faulty or incomplete work is $50.00 and "The re-inspection fee shall be doubled for each occurrence." Re-inspection of a service disconnected six months or more is $30.00. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In most US jurisdictions, the property owner or a licensed electrician applies for an electrical permit before work starts, describing the scope of work and the property and typically attaching plans. Some minor, like-for-like electrical repairs are commonly exempt, and once issued the permit is kept on site until the job is finished. Start at the St. Louis permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. City of St. Louis Building Division, Permit Section (Department of Public Safety). Phone: (314) 622-3313. Address: Building Division Permit Section, City Hall, 1200 Market Street, Room 425, St. Louis, MO 63103.
- Plan for inspections. Electrical work under a permit is inspected at least twice: a rough-in inspection of the wiring before it is covered by drywall or insulation, and a final inspection once all devices, panels, and labeling are complete. Inspectors also check specific safety items along the way, such as GFCI and AFCI protection, panel circuit directories, and the service disconnect location.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need an electrical permit in St. Louis?
- The City Electrical Code requires a permit before any electrical work begins, with a narrow minor-repairs exemption: swapping a convenience outlet of the same current rating (unless an ungrounded outlet is being replaced with a grounding type that needs new wiring), a like-rated light switch, a light socket and holder, a single light fixture on the same outlet box, and, inside a dwelling unit, a like-for-like fractional horsepower fan, blower or pump motor limited to 240 volts. Permits are issued to electrical contractors certified by the City of St. Louis, and to owners of single-family homes who pass a written Building Division test. That homeowner permit is limited to a room addition, repairs, modifications of existing systems or burglar alarm systems, and expressly does not cover service changes, rehab or new construction. Always confirm with the City of St. Louis Building Division, Permit Section (Department of Public Safety) before starting.
- How much does an electrical permit cost in St. Louis?
- Electrical permit fees are established by City Ordinance 70802. The application fee for all electrical permits is $25.00. Residential inspection fees are $60.00 for the first unit and $60.00 for each additional unit to repair or modify, $60.00 for service only, $100.00 for repair or modify with service, and $120.00 for residential new construction including rehab of 50% or more. Re-inspection for faulty or incomplete work is $50.00 and "The re-inspection fee shall be doubled for each occurrence." Re-inspection of a service disconnected six months or more is $30.00. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- How long does an electrical permit take in St. Louis?
- Approved permit or feedback by email within 10 business days of submission, and most applications are approved within 1 to 3 business days. Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.
- Where do you apply for an electrical permit in St. Louis?
- You can apply through the St. Louis permit portal or contact the City of St. Louis Building Division, Permit Section (Department of Public Safety) directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull an electrical permit themselves in St. Louis?
- Under Missouri law (RSMo 701.055.1 and 701.055.2; RSMo 327.101.2(5)(a); RSMo 327.191.2(5)(a); RSMo 700.656.5): Missouri does not license general contractors at the state level and has no statewide owner-builder permit statute, disclosure affidavit, or resale restriction comparable to Florida's one year rule. Whether a homeowner may pull the permit and do the work is decided by the city or county that issues the permit. Where state law does speak, it is permissive: RSMo 327.101.2(5)(a) and RSMo 327.191.2(5)(a) let an unlicensed person render architectural and engineering services for the construction, remodeling or repair of a privately owned dwelling house, provided the drawings say the person is not licensed, so plans for a house do not have to be sealed by an architect or engineer. RSMo 701.055.1 expressly preserves a property owner's right to install, modify or repair their own on-site sewage disposal system as long as the state standard is met, and RSMo 701.055.2 adds that no permit or contractor registration is required simply to clean it. RSMo 700.656.5 exempts a person who installs a manufactured home on his or her own property for his or her own occupancy from the otherwise mandatory state installer license. None of these exemptions excuses a local permit where the local jurisdiction requires one. Confirm how St. Louis applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in St. Louis
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | inches above adjacent grade for an uncovered wood deck or patio resting directly on the ground or a rock base with no permanent foundation | Charged as a building permit on estimated construction cost: $25.00 application fee plus... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Not specified | A fence is permitted as a Miscellaneous Structures Permit under Section 109.2.3 of the... |
| HVAC Permit | It depends | Not specified | Mechanical permit fees are established by City Ordinance 70800. |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Not specified | A patio cover is charged as a building permit on estimated construction cost: $25.00... |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | Not specified | Plumbing permit fees are established by City Ordinance 71644. |
| Pool Permit | It depends | inches of water depth, applied together with a 250 square foot surface area test | Charged as a building permit on estimated construction cost: $25.00 application fee plus... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | percent of roof sheathing removed and replaced during a like-material roof covering replacement | Charged as a building permit for alterations and repairs on estimated construction cost:... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | square feet of floor area for a detached accessory building, which must also keep the setbacks required by the Zoning Ordinance | Charged as a building permit on estimated construction cost: $25.00 application fee plus... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Charged as a building permit on estimated construction cost: $25.00 application fee plus... |
Electrical Permit in other Missouri localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not St. Louis documents; the office above sets the local rules.
Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with City of St. Louis Building Division, Permit Section (Department of Public Safety). Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Electrical Permit requirements across Missouri localities
Permit office
City of St. Louis Building Division, Permit Section (Department of Public Safety)
(314) 622-3313Permit portal