What's Required in St. Louis
- Building permit for any in-ground pool 24 in or more deep or 250 sq ft or more, or with a permanently equipped recirculating system or structural materials
- No building permit for above-ground pools, hot tubs or spas placed on a slab, or in-ground pools under 24 in deep and under 250 sq ft; zoning setbacks still apply
- Fee: $25 application plus $10 per $1,000 of estimated cost or fraction thereof over $3,000 (costs include excavation, structure, finishes and trades)
- Electrical permit ($25 + $60) for the pump and light circuits by a city-licensed electrical contractor or tested owner-occupant
- Barrier at least 48 in high on all sides with outward-opening, self-closing, self-latching gates; door alarms or self-closing doors where the house is part of the barrier
- Pool wall at least 6 ft from any rear or side property line and 10 ft from any street property line
- Plans: site plan with barrier type and height, pool plan with depths, and details of drain, skimmer, filter, light, gate and barrier; in-ground pool documents sealed by a Missouri licensed design professional
- Replacing a fence that encloses a pool, hot tub or spa needs a building permit even when like-for-like
Do You Need a Permit to Build a Pool in St. Louis?
For an in-ground pool, yes. The city's 2018 Residential Code ordinance (70795, Section 105.2 item 29) exempts above-ground swimming pools, hot tubs and spas placed on a slab, and in-ground pools with less than 24 inches of water depth and less than 250 square feet of surface area; every other in-ground pool needs a building permit before it is constructed, installed, enlarged or altered. The Building Code's pool section (3109, as amended by Ordinance 70794) adds that any pool with a permanently equipped recirculating system or structural materials is regulated regardless of size, and the Building Division's handout says the same: in-ground pools of 24 inches or 250 square feet, or with a recirculating pump, need a permit. Exempt pools still have to meet zoning setbacks, and the pump circuit for any pool, above-ground included, needs an electrical permit.
St. Louis Pool Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Above-ground pool, hot tub or spa set on a slab | No building permit; electrical permit for the pump circuit, $85 | Sec. 105.2 item 29; Electrical Code 80.8.1 |
| In-ground pool costing $40,000 | Building permit $425 ($25 + $30 + $370) + electrical $85 = $510 | Fee table: $30 to $3,000, then $10 per $1,000 |
| In-ground pool costing $80,000 | Building permit $825 + electrical $85 = $910 | Fee table |
| In-ground wading pool under 24 in deep and under 250 sq ft, no pump | None | Item 29; Building Code 3109.1 |
| Relining, patching or shotcreting an existing pool shell | None | Sec. 105.2 item 10 |
| New fence around the pool, or replacing the pool fence | Building permit; 48 in barrier with self-closing, self-latching gates | Item 6 exception; pool handout 5.3 |
| Pool wall closer than 6 ft to a rear or side line or 10 ft to a street line | Not allowed | Building Code 3109.1.3 |
How Much Does a Pool Permit Cost in St. Louis?
The building permit fee follows the estimated cost of the project, which the ordinance says includes excavation, structural work, finishes and the plumbing, mechanical and electrical work. The Building Division's table charges a $25 application fee plus $19 (total $44) for work up to $1,000, $23 ($48) up to $2,000, $30 ($55) up to $3,000, then $10 per $1,000 or fraction above that, so a $40,000 pool pays $425 ($25 + $30 + $370) and an $80,000 pool $825 ($25 + $30 + $770). The pump and lighting circuit is a separate electrical permit: $25 application plus $60 for a residential "repair or modify" job, pulled by a city-licensed electrical contractor or, after a short test, by an owner-occupant. If the pool needs a new water line or a backflow device, a city-licensed plumber pulls a plumbing permit ($30 application, $25 per tap, $10 per fixture, $25 per inspection). Only the $25 application fee is due at filing; the permit fee is paid when the permit issues. Table R109.4 adds a $360 surcharge if work on a $501 to $2,000 permit starts early.
What Are the Pool Barrier and Setback Rules in St. Louis?
The city adopted the 2018 IRC with Appendix G (swimming pools, spas and hot tubs), and its handout spells out the practical rules: a barrier at least 48 inches high measured on the outside face, gates that open away from the pool and are self-closing and self-latching, and, where a house wall forms part of the barrier, either an audible alarm on every door to the pool or self-closing, self-latching doors. A pool wall may not be closer than 6 feet to any rear or side property line or 10 feet to a street line. The exemption for replacing a like-for-like fence does not apply to a fence enclosing a pool, hot tub or spa.
How Do You Apply for a Pool Permit in St. Louis?
Apply online at stlcitypermits.com or in Room 425, City Hall, with five sets of plans: a site plan with distances to every property line and the barrier type and height, a pool plan with dimensions and depths, and details of the deck, coping, drain, skimmer, filter, light, gate and barrier. The Building Code says in-ground pool construction documents must be sealed by a Missouri licensed design professional; your pool builder's engineered plans normally cover that. Routed reviews typically take 2 to 4 weeks. The permit issues in the owner's name for six months, extendable in writing. A Health Department permit applies to public and commercial pools, not a backyard pool; the handout's line that all pools need one predates the Health Department's current page.
How to Get a Pool Permit in St. Louis
Classify the pool
Above-ground on a slab, or in-ground under 24 in and under 250 sq ft with no pump: no building permit. Any other in-ground pool, or any pool with a recirculating system: building permit.
Lay out setbacks and the barrier
Pool wall 6 ft from rear and side lines, 10 ft from a street line; a 48 in barrier with self-closing, self-latching gates on the site plan.
Assemble the plans
Site plan, pool plan and pool details per the handout, sealed by a Missouri licensed design professional for an in-ground pool. Five sets in person, or upload online.
Apply and pay the $25 application fee
File at stlcitypermits.com or Room 425. Your electrician and plumber pull their own permits; routed review typically takes 2 to 4 weeks.
Pay the permit fee, build, inspect
Pay the balance ($425 on a $40,000 pool) when approved, post the permit, and call each inspection a working day ahead through the final barrier check.