Building Permits

Building Permits

Building permits are necessary for most residential and commercial improvements that are not cosmetic in nature. The City of Manchester contracts with St. Louis County for the building permitting and inspection process.  However, Municipal Zoning Review by the City of Manchester is required prior to submitting a building permit to St. Louis County.  St. Louis County will require Municipal Zoning approval before approving any building permit.   

To determine if a building permit is required for a residential or commercial project, contact St. Louis County at (314) 615-8504, click on the hyperlinks or visit their website.  

Municipal Zoning Review

Several types of projects require Municipal Zoning Review, but do not require a building permit from St. Louis County. These projects include, but are not limited to:

• The construction of an accessory building no larger than 120 square feet in size
• The erection of a fence up to 6 feet in height

These projects require the appropriate application (accessory building application (PDF), fence application (PDF)), along with 2 sets of plans, and a payment for the application fee to be submitted to the City. Once the plans are approved by the City, construction can begin. These projects do not require review by St. Louis County.

Obtain a Permit

The process to obtain a building permit in the City of Manchester is as follows:

1. Submit to the City an Application for Municipal Zoning Authorization (PDF)* along with one copy of your plot or site plan (showing the improvement at the correct scale) and 1 copy of your building plans. Interior finishes will also require a plot or site plan (showing the property where the proposed project will be) .
2. There is a fee for Municipal Zoning Authorization. 
3. The City’s Department of Planning and Zoning will review your application and return your authorization to you, along with 1 approved set of plans (both plot and building).
4. The authorization and the approved plans will then need to be submitted to St. Louis County for the building permit and inspections.  After February 13, 2023, the St. Louis County permitting portal should be used to complete applications online. 
5. Once the final inspection has been completed, St. Louis County will forward an approval for occupancy to the City, which will then be sent to the property owner and / or applicant.

Questions

If you have questions regarding if a permit is necessary for your project, please e-mail or call the Department of Planning, Zoning and Economic Development.