Selling a house in Ellisville, MO: what the city requires
St. Louis County, Missouri · Last checked November 2026
Ellisville requires a residential occupancy inspection before a home is sold or reoccupied. The buyer usually needs the occupancy permit to move in.
What Ellisville requires
Residential occupancy inspection at sale
- Who does it
- City building or code enforcement inspector. Schedule it as soon as you list.
- Applies to
- Sale or change of occupancy of a residential property.
- Rental properties need an occupancy inspection when tenants change.
Who to call
Ellisville occupancy permit information
Official page
Housing in Ellisville
- Median year homes were built
- 1983
- Median home value
- $366,600
- Owner-occupied homes
- 3,097 of 4,155 (75%)
- Total housing units
- 4,349
Homes here are typically from 1983 or later, so inspections tend to focus on safety items like smoke and CO alarms, GFCI outlets and handrails.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Ellisville city, Missouri.
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How the st. louis-area occupancy inspection process works
Most municipalities in St. Louis County, and the City of St. Louis, inspect a home before it is sold or reoccupied. The new owner needs the occupancy permit, and failed items must be fixed or formally assumed by the buyer.
- Call the city building or code office to schedule. In spring, waits can run several weeks.
- Prepare for common items: smoke and CO detectors, GFCI outlets near water, handrails, trip hazards, gutters and downspouts, house numbers, and peeling paint.
- Fix the items on the report and pass a reinspection, or ask whether the buyer can assume them with an escrow or a signed agreement.
- The occupancy permit is issued to the new owner before move-in.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Municipal inspection fee | About $50 to $150 |
| Typical repair list | $200 to $3,000 |
Read the full st. louis-area occupancy inspection guide
If the house fails
You can repair before closing, use an escrow or extension where the city allows it, let the buyer assume the work for a credit, or sell as-is. Compare the options.
Frequently asked questions
What does Ellisville require before I sell my house?
Ellisville requires a residential occupancy inspection before a home is sold or reoccupied. The buyer usually needs the occupancy permit to move in.
What if my house fails?
You can make the repairs before closing, negotiate a credit with the buyer, or sell as-is to a buyer who will handle the work. Ask the municipality whether it allows a buyer to assume the work or an escrow.
Who pays, the buyer or the seller?
The ordinance usually makes the seller responsible for ordering it, but who pays for repairs is negotiable in the purchase agreement.
How old are the homes in Ellisville?
The median home in Ellisville was built in 1983, and the median home value is $366,600, according to the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey.
Nearby: St. Louis area
- Crestwood No point-of-sale rule
- Creve Coeur No point-of-sale rule
- Crystal Lake Park Required at sale
- Dellwood Required at sale
- Des Peres No point-of-sale rule
- Edmundson Required at sale
- Fenton No point-of-sale rule
- Ferguson Required at sale
- Flordell Hills Required at sale
- Florissant Required at sale
- Frontenac No point-of-sale rule
- Glendale Required at sale
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Sources
- St. Louis Area Occupancy Permit & Inspection Requirements by Municipality (updated April 2026)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25035, B25077, B25003, B25001)
Last checked November 2026. Rules and fees change by ordinance and resolution. Confirm with the municipality before you list. See something out of date? Report a change.