How Long Does a Demolition Permit Take in St. Louis?

How long does it take to get a demolition permit in St. Louis?

The City’s 2018 demolition handbook says the Building Division will process a submitted application in less than 30 days. The City permit page gives no current processing time. So treat “under 30 days” as a ceiling from an older document, and call the Permit Section at (314) 622-3313 for the wait today.

That number is only the City’s review step. Most delays come before it, because the City will not take a thin application. This post walks the whole path in the order it happens, so you can see where the weeks go.

What are the steps, and what does each one take?

Six steps stand between you and a permit, and only two have a time attached by an official source. The table shows each step and what the sources say about its length.

Notice the pattern. The long steps are the ones nobody publishes a time for. Start those first.

What are “walk around papers” and why do they slow things down?

They are the approvals you collect from other offices before the Building Division will take your application. The 2018 handbook calls them “walk around papers.” Each one has its own office, hours and wait.

The handbook lists these items:

1. Electric and gas disconnect proof. Contractors must get written verification from both utilities. The handbook names Ameren for electric and Spire for natural gas.
2. Water and sewer disconnect approval. The handbook says contractors disconnect sewer lines and water taps using a licensed plumber, which needs plumbing permits. Then they get approval from the St. Louis Water Department.
3. Asbestos inspection report and notice. Contractors give the City’s Air Pollution Control the inspection report and the asbestos NESHAP notification. The handbook says Air Pollution Control then approves or denies.
4. Photos, an owner letter if the owner is not the applicant, and insurance and bond. The City requires photos of all four sides and the neighbors. Contractors must provide insurance and a bond for approval by the Comptroller’s Office.
5. A Solid Waste Management Plan, for structures of 10,000 square feet or larger.

The handbook is addressed to contractors, because the City says demolition permits must be obtained by a demolition contractor certified by the City. An owner can pull a permit only for a small building or a garage or shed. See our City permits guide for the owner limit.

Does the asbestos notice add 10 working days?

For a regulated structure, yes. Missouri DNR says demolition notifications must reach the department at least 10 working days before the demolition of any regulated structure. Ten working days is about two calendar weeks. DNR says the notice is required even if no asbestos is identified. The asbestos survey glossary entry shows what the inspection covers.

The exception is narrow. DNR exempts a single residential structure that contains four or fewer dwelling units. Two or more residential structures are not exempt. A building converted from residential to commercial use, or the reverse, is not exempt. A house that fits the exception can still need a City inspection and notice, because the 2018 handbook says all structures to be demolished must be inspected for asbestos. The City also says demolition, renovation and abatement projects must be reported on the STL City Permits website.

Read our 10 working day post for how to count the days. Terms like NESHAP and regulated asbestos-containing material are in the glossary.

What is a realistic timeline from start to demolition?

Add the published numbers, then add the unknowns. For a regulated structure the stated minimums are 10 working days for the DNR notice and, for a contractor’s application, up to 30 days for the City’s review. The permit then runs 30 days. The inspection, the utility shutoffs and any historic review have no published time, so they sit on top.

Pick a start date only after the inspector and the utilities give you their dates.

What can add weeks to the timeline?

Three things do. A flagged building, a rejected application, and a schedule that runs backward.

• Historic review. The City says buildings in Local Historic Districts (about 10% of the city), Preservation Review Districts, or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places may be flagged. The Cultural Resources Office then runs a review. No time is published.
• Missing papers. If one approval is absent, expect to come back. Check the list twice.
• Asbestos found. Abatement by a registered contractor adds its own days, and the DNR notice clock may apply. See our asbestos survey page.

How long does the permit last once you have it?

Thirty days. The City says the permit is good for 30 days. The 2018 handbook says extensions are granted only if extenuating situations exist, must be requested in writing before the permit expires, and that private jobs can be extended by a district inspector.

Do not start the clock until the crew, the dumpster and the utility shutoffs are ready. The handbook also warns that for work started before a permit is obtained, the total fees increase by a surcharge. Starting early costs more, not less.

What does the permit cost?

The City says the cost depends on the size of the building to be demolished. It lists one flat number: $25.00 for a garage or shed. The fee tables in the 2018 handbook are old, so this post prints no house fee. Ask the Permit Section at (314) 622-3313 for the current amount. Contractors are quoted the cost after all documentation is submitted, according to the handbook, so you learn the fee at the end, not the start.

Fees are not the only cost of delay. A late permit holds a crew, a dumpster and sometimes a lender. If your schedule has a hard date, work backward from it: inspection, notice, permit, then the 30 days of work.

How do you shorten the wait?

You control the paperwork, not the City’s desk. These moves cut the most time:

• Order the asbestos inspection first. Everything else waits on its report.
• Call Ameren, Spire and your plumber on day one. Ask for their lead times in writing.
• Ask the Permit Section whether your address is in a historic or preservation district before you plan dates.
• Hire a City-certified demolition contractor who files these every month.
• Bring one complete package on the first visit.

Next step

Planning a demolition inside the City? If you are only taking down a small outbuilding, read do you need a permit to tear down a shed. For a house, read can you demolish your own house in St. Louis. Then read our demolition page and the house demolition page. Then call Advanced Environmental Services at (314) 865-2662 or use /contact with the address, building type and your target start date.