Bolthole Index

St. Louis County, Missouri

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Ballwin, Missouri

Ballwin, Missouri requires a city building permit for all kinds of construction, from additions and decks to sheds, barns and fences1. The City of Ballwin, not St. Louis County, administers its own zoning under Ordinance No. 5572. We could not confirm who handles septic permits inside city limits, so ask the St. Louis County Department of Public Health.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for all kinds of construction inside Ballwin1
Zoning
Ballwin's own zoning ordinance (Ordinance No. 557)2
Occupancy permit
Required before a new resident, tenant or business moves in3
R-1 minimum lot
20,000 square feet4
R-1 minimum home size
1,150 sq ft single-story; 850 sq ft ground floor and 1,700 sq ft total for multi-story5
R-1 setbacks
Front 40 ft, side 10 ft, rear 25 ft6
Septic
Not confirmed inside city limits; ask St. Louis County Department of Public Health7

Who to call

Building permits

City of Ballwin Building Inspections Department

Building permits and occupancy inspections inside Ballwin city limits; applications go through the city's MyGov portal

(636) 227-2129

1 Government Ctr Ballwin, Missouri 63011

Septic permits

St. Louis County Department of Public Health

County onsite wastewater (septic) permitting contact; whether it applies inside Ballwin city limits is unconfirmed

(314) 615-0600

6121 N Hanley Rd, Berkeley, MO 63134

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Ballwin means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Ballwin, Missouri?

Yes. Ballwin requires building permits for all kinds of construction, including room and garage additions, basement finishes, sheds, barns, fences, decks, satellite dishes and swimming pools18. The city says to call the Building Inspections Department if you are unsure whether a particular project needs one8.

Ballwin also requires an occupancy inspection: all occupied buildings must be inspected and certified for compliance with the Ballwin Housing Code before a new resident, tenant or business can occupy them9. New occupants must obtain an occupancy permit first3. Plan for this when you buy a house inside the city.

These are the city's rules for land inside Ballwin. For land outside city limits, see the St. Louis County page.

Who issues building permits in Ballwin, and how do you apply?

The City of Ballwin issues its own building permits through its Building Inspections Department, at (636) 227-21298. The city accepts permit applications and payments online through its MyGov portal, so you do not have to come into the Government Center108.

The city currently uses the 2015 building code standards, and it has proposed an update to the 2024 International Codes11. We could not confirm a published permit fee schedule, so ask the department for the cost of your project. Unincorporated St. Louis County has its own permit office, but that office does not issue Ballwin's permits.

Does Ballwin have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Ballwin has its own zoning, set out in Ordinance No. 557 as amended2. The rules differ by district. In the R-1 Single-Family district, the minimum lot is 20,000 square feet4. Setbacks in R-1 are at least 40 feet in front, 10 feet on the sides and 25 feet in the rear, and the front setback is 60 feet next to Manchester Road or other major roads6. Buildings in R-1 may be at most 35 feet and three stories tall12.

In R-1, a single-story house must be at least 1,150 square feet, and a multi-story house needs 850 square feet on the ground floor and 1,700 square feet in total5. The city calls its chart a simplified summary, so read the full ordinance for your district before you buy13. Subdivision plats also need adequate storm sewers14.

How do septic permits work in Ballwin?

We could not confirm who administers septic permits inside Ballwin city limits, or whether a septic permit is required there. In St. Louis County generally, onsite wastewater permitting runs through county authorities, and Missouri lists both the county plumbing department and the county health department7. Missouri requires a construction permit before installing or repairing most onsite wastewater systems15.

Call the St. Louis County Department of Public Health at (314) 615-0600 before you assume a lot is on sewer or septic16. County soil data rate only about 5% of soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so a lot without sewer service will likely need a site evaluation or an engineered system17. That figure is for St. Louis County as a whole.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Ballwin?

We could not confirm. Ballwin's code has a chapter on trailers and recreational vehicles, but we did not find an operative rule on living in an RV, camping on private land, or occupying a tiny home. Ask the Building Inspections Department at (636) 227-2129 before you plan to live in one8. Because Ballwin has its own zoning, the county's unincorporated-area rules do not answer this question2.

Building a home in Ballwin: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and its lot, setback and height limits in Ballwin's zoning ordinance213.
  2. Ask the County Department of Public Health whether the lot needs a septic permit or is served by sewer16.
  3. Call Building Inspections at (636) 227-2129 and apply for your building permit through MyGov810.
  4. If you touch a state highway driveway, MoDOT requires a permit for driveways on its right-of-way18.
  5. Get the occupancy inspection and permit before anyone moves in3.

What stays with St. Louis County, and what to check before you buy

Septic, wells and flood questions may involve St. Louis County or the state even inside Ballwin. Missouri requires a water-well installation permit to construct or repair a well, and we could not confirm a Ballwin-specific well rule19. County flood-plain rules in the sources we reviewed apply to unincorporated areas, and we could not confirm Ballwin's own floodplain rule, so ask the city before you buy near a creek. Typical property tax in St. Louis County is an effective rate of 1.2%, with a median bill of $3,193 a year2021. For land outside city limits, use the St. Louis County page.

Watch-outs

  • The city's building code is the 2015 standards today, and Ballwin has proposed moving to the 2024 International Codes, so ask Building Inspections which edition applies to your project11.
  • We could not confirm an owner-builder exemption, a permit fee schedule, or driveway rules inside Ballwin, so call Building Inspections at (636) 227-21298.
  • The single-family district figures come from the city's simplified summary chart, and other zoning districts have different standards13.

Sources

  1. Building Permits & Occupancy Inspection Information (Ballwin), quoted and re-checked
  2. Ballwin Code of Ordinances, Chapter 19—Planning and Development (Ballwin), quoted and re-checked
  3. Building Permits & Occupancy Inspection Information (Ballwin), quoted and re-checked
  4. Ballwin Residential Zoning Districts (Ballwin), quoted and re-checked
  5. Ballwin Residential Zoning Districts (Ballwin), quoted and re-checked
  6. Ballwin Residential Zoning Districts (Ballwin), quoted and re-checked
  7. OWTS Construction Permit Process — St. Louis County authorities, quoted and re-checked
  8. City of Ballwin Building Inspections Department (ballwin.mo.us)
  9. Building Permits & Occupancy Inspection Information (Ballwin), quoted and re-checked
  10. Building Permits & Occupancy Inspection Information (Ballwin), quoted and re-checked
  11. Building Permits & Occupancy Inspection Information (Ballwin), quoted and re-checked
  12. Ballwin Residential Zoning Districts (Ballwin), quoted and re-checked
  13. Ballwin Residential Zoning Districts (Ballwin), quoted and re-checked
  14. Ballwin Code of Ordinances, Chapter 25—Subdivisions (Ballwin), quoted and re-checked
  15. OWTS Construction Permit Process, quoted and re-checked
  16. St. Louis County Department of Public Health (stlouiscountymo.gov)
  17. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Permits | Missouri Department of Transportation (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Water Wells - PUB2945, quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Ballwin

Ballwin’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction inside Ballwin city limits.

    • The page says to contact the Building Inspections Department regarding whether a permit is needed for a particular project.
    • parameters for plans larger than 11 by 17 inches must include digital plans.
    “Building permits are required for all kinds of construction, including room and garage additions, basement finishes, sheds, barns, fences, decks, satellite dishes and swimming pools.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Ballwin city limits.

    • The city page says a 2024-code update is proposed; it identifies the 2015 standards as those currently used.

    currently used standards: 2015 (The City was taking steps to adopt 2024 International Building Codes.)

    “This is an update from the 2015 standards the City currently uses, covering everything from new home construction and fire safety to energy efficiency and plumbing.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Occupied buildings before occupancy by a new resident, tenant, or business inside Ballwin city limits.

    • Inspection and certification concern compliance with the Ballwin Housing Code.
    “In the City of Ballwin, all occupied buildings must be inspected and certified for compliance with the Ballwin Housing Code before they can be occupied by a new resident, tenant or business.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New occupants of houses, condominiums, apartments, and commercial buildings inside Ballwin city limits.

    • The occupancy permit must be obtained before taking up occupancy.
    “New occupants are required to obtain an Occupancy Permit before taking up occupancy in any house, condominium, apartment or commercial building.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Ballwin city limits.

    • Ballwin's zoning ordinance is Ordinance No. 557, as amended from time to time.
    “Nothing contained in this Code or in the ordinance enacting this Code shall be construed to repeal or affect the zoning ordinance of the city, being Ordinance No. 557, as amended from time to time, or any other zoning ordinance of the city not specifically repealed.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Residential zoning districts inside Ballwin city limits.

    • The city states that its chart is a simplified summary and is not a complete listing of zoning requirements.
    “The above chart is a simplified summary of zoning districts in Ballwin and is not intended to provide a complete listing of zoning requirements. Refer to zoning ordinances for all requirements.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family district inside Ballwin city limits.

    • The city describes the chart as a simplified summary and directs readers to the zoning ordinances for all requirements.

    single-story dwelling area minimum: >= 1150 square feet · multi-story dwelling area minimum, ground floor: >= 850 square feet · multi-story dwelling area minimum, total: >= 1700 square feet

    “R-1 SINGLE-FAMILY 20,000 sf 100 feet 100 feet 40 feet 60 feet 10 feet 25 feet 3 stories or 35 feet 1,150 sf 850 sf / 1,700 sf”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family district inside Ballwin city limits.

    • The city describes the chart as a simplified summary and directs readers to the zoning ordinances for all requirements.

    minimum lot area: >= 20000 square feet

    “R-1 SINGLE-FAMILY 20,000 sf 100 feet 100 feet 40 feet 60 feet 10 feet 25 feet 3 stories or 35 feet 1,150 sf 850 sf / 1,700 sf”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family district inside Ballwin city limits.

    • The city describes the chart as a simplified summary and directs readers to the zoning ordinances for all requirements.

    front yard minimum: >= 40 feet (60 feet adjacent to Manchester Road or major roads) · side yard minimum: >= 10 feet · rear yard minimum: >= 25 feet

    “R-1 SINGLE-FAMILY 20,000 sf 100 feet 100 feet 40 feet 60 feet 10 feet 25 feet 3 stories or 35 feet 1,150 sf 850 sf / 1,700 sf”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family district inside Ballwin city limits.

    • The city describes the chart as a simplified summary and directs readers to the zoning ordinances for all requirements.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet (Three stories maximum.)

    “R-1 SINGLE-FAMILY 20,000 sf 100 feet 100 feet 40 feet 60 feet 10 feet 25 feet 3 stories or 35 feet 1,150 sf 850 sf / 1,700 sf”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Plats of subdivisions proposed within Ballwin city limits.

    • Approval requires provision for adequate storm sewers based on the topography and general makeup of the subdivision.
    “Plats of subdivisions proposed within the limits of the city shall not be approved unless provision is made in such plats for adequate storm sewers, depending upon the topography and the general makeup of such subdivision.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Permit applications inside Ballwin city limits.

    • The MyGov portal is the city-described online application and payment method.
    “The new portal will allow residents, contractors and business owners to apply for permits online and pay for them right away without having to come into the Government Center.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Ballwin or St. Louis County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Ballwin city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lots inside Ballwin city limits.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Ballwin city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Ballwin city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Ballwin city limits.
13 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Ballwin publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. St. Louis County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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