No, Florissant lets you sell a house as-is without the occupancy inspection, but the buyer must get the permit before anyone moves in.
Unincorporated St. Louis County inspects when the occupant changes, and the separate City of St. Louis requires a certificate before occupancy after a residential sale. Which rule applies depends on the city your address sits in, not the mailing ZIP.
This is general information, not legal advice. State rules vary.
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In Florissant, you can sell a house without the occupancy inspection, as-is. The permit comes into play when someone new moves in, and the City of Florissant puts that job on the buyer. The St. Louis County occupancy permit, which covers unincorporated areas, and the City of St. Louis certificate follow different rules, and many sellers mix the three up.
This guide lays out who inspects your address, what sets off the inspection, and how long each clock runs. It also covers the choice between fixing a repair list and selling the house as it stands.
Can you sell a Florissant house without an occupancy inspection?
Yes. The City of Florissant lets an owner sell without the inspection and puts the inspection and the occupancy permit on the buyer.
"A property in the City of Florissant can be sold without an inspection, 'as is'. However, the buyer will then be responsible for obtaining and paying for the inspection and attaining occupancy permit ..."
City of Florissant, its Occupancy Inspection page
The same page says the permit must be in place "prior to anyone moving into or occupying the property." The inspection follows occupancy, and a sale by itself does not set it off.
The same page notes that the city's report can differ from a private inspection company or an FHA or VA appraisal. That matters if a buyer's loan has its own repair conditions, because a lender's list and the city's list may differ.
Florissant is a city of mostly older single-family houses. Its 2026-2030 Consolidated Plan counts 21,229 housing units in the 2024 American Community Survey, 82.3% of them single-family detached. The plan credits "the City's occupancy permit process and code enforcement efforts" with keeping many 50 to 70 year old houses in good condition.
What does the Florissant occupancy permit rule say?
Florissant City Code Section 505.050 makes it unlawful to occupy a dwelling, or for an owner to permit its occupancy, until the city issues an occupancy permit. The rule applies when a change of occupancy happens.
The Florissant occupancy permit section, Code 505.050, was last amended by Ordinance 9173 on February 9, 2026. Its main parts:
- The trigger. The section does not apply to an occupancy that already exists "until a change of occupancy occurs as defined in the Property Maintenance Code."
- Repairs first. The permit is not issued until all violations are brought into compliance, unless a conditional permit applies.
- The conditional permit. The city can issue one when the deficiencies "would not demonstrate a visual blight or seriously endanger the health or safety" of occupants. The owner signs an affidavit promising to correct them within a set time.
- Reporting. Real estate brokers, agents, similar businesses, and owners "shall report each change of occupancy."
- The clock. Any occupancy permit process "shall become invalid one hundred twenty (120) days after the initial inspection date."
The city sets its occupancy fees in the same section. For the current amounts, the Florissant Public Works Department is at 314-839-7648.
What does the Florissant inspection report cover?
The city of Florissant occupancy permit inspection covers the whole property, outside and in, room by room. The city's inspection report form lists each item an inspector marks.
The groups below come straight from that three-page form. The form shows what gets looked at, not what usually fails; a house in good repair can pass every line.
Roof and outside walls
Roof flashing and shingles, chimney and flues, plumbing and attic vents, fascia and soffit, gutters and downspouts, siding and trim, the foundation, and address numbers.
Windows, doors, and power outside
Windows, trim, and screens; exterior doors; hose faucets; the air conditioner disconnect; outdoor outlets and fixtures; wiring; and the electrical service drop.
Yard and outbuildings
Driveway and carport, porches and steps, walks, patio, decks, fencing, trees and shrubs, weeds and debris, sheds, pools, a detached garage, and signs of insects or rodents.
Every room inside
Walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, outlets, switches, and fixtures in each room, plus a smoke alarm in each bedroom and smoke and CO alarms in the hall.
Kitchen and bathrooms
Exhaust fans, tubs and showers, toilets, sinks, cabinets and counters, the garbage disposal, and the gas or electric supply.
Basement and garage
Stairs and handrail, waste and soil stacks, water and drain lines, laundry, the furnace, the water heater, and the service panel. Also a basement smoke alarm and an attached garage's separation wall.
The form's own notice gives the timing. Repairs "must be completed within 120 days from the initial inspection date," or the owner needs an approved extension. The application "is invalid after 120 days or with any change in occupancy." Each extra reinspection carries its own fee, paid before it is scheduled.
An owner who disagrees with an item can appeal to the Property Maintenance Board of Appeals, the form says. The written notice goes to the Building Division within 30 days of the inspection.
How does the St. Louis County occupancy permit work?
St. Louis County runs its own occupancy inspection for houses in unincorporated areas, and it inspects at the time of an occupant change. The County's Transportation and Public Works department handles it.
The County's occupancy requirements page describes a minimum standard of safety and health inspection on properties in unincorporated St. Louis County when the occupant changes. The St. Louis County occupancy inspection is separate from Florissant's, because Florissant is an incorporated city with its own Building Division that issues occupancy permits.
The County's rules, from its own pages:
- Fee. The County's cost page lists $80 for a single-family house in unincorporated St. Louis County. A cancelled application carries a $20 administrative fee, and no refund is issued after the first inspection. Houses in municipalities that contract with the County have their own rate on that page.
- Repairs. The single-family application lapses if the deficiencies on the inspection report are not corrected within 90 days, and a new application and fee are then needed.
- Occupant names. The names of the new occupants are due within 120 days of the approved inspection, and the permit is not issued until they are in.
- Temporary permit. The County also publishes an application for a temporary residential occupancy permit.
If you live in a city inside the County that runs its own program, that city's code applies to the occupancy permit, and the County's page does not. The next section shows how to tell which one covers your address.
Which occupancy rules apply to your address?
The rule that applies depends on the government your address sits in: the City of Florissant, unincorporated St. Louis County, or the separate City of St. Louis. A mailing address alone may not tell you.
Mailing ZIP codes reach past city lines. The Census Bureau geocoder places 12000 Old Halls Ferry Road, mailed as "Florissant, MO 63033," inside the city of Black Jack. A property tax bill or the geocoder can show which city, if any, a house is in. Our guide to St. Louis City versus County covers the other differences between the two.
| Question | City of Florissant | Unincorporated St. Louis County | City of St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who inspects | Florissant Public Works, Building Division | County Transportation and Public Works | City Building Division |
| What starts it | A change of occupancy | An occupant change | A residential sale, a rental, or a vacant unit before occupancy |
| Can you sell first? | Yes, as-is; the buyer gets the permit before moving in | The County pages tie it to the occupant change, not the sale | A certificate is needed before occupancy after a residential sale |
| Fee | Set in Code 505.050; Public Works at 314-839-7648 | $80 for a single-family house | $120 application; $200 for an occupied dwelling without a current certificate |
| Clock | Repairs within 120 days of the first inspection, or an approved extension | Deficiencies corrected within 90 days; occupant names within 120 days of approval | Inspection 3 to 15 days after applying; certificate valid 12 months |
Sources: City of Florissant Occupancy Inspection page, Code 505.050, and inspection report form; St. Louis County occupancy pages; City of St. Louis Residential Occupancy page. Checked November 6, 2026.
The City of St. Louis works differently. Its Residential Occupancy page says all of the city sits in a Housing Conservation District. It adds that "for residential sales, a Certificate of Inspection must be obtained before occupancy of the unit is permitted." A certificate is not needed for the sale of an occupied structure if one was issued within the prior 12 months.
Neighboring cities such as Hazelwood, Ferguson, and Black Jack are separate municipalities with their own codes. Their rules are not covered here, so the city hall for that address is the place to confirm them.
Fix the repair list or sell as-is?
Both paths are open in Florissant. Some owners order the inspection and make repairs before listing, and others sell as-is and let the buyer take on the inspection and permit. Which one fits depends on the house, the budget, and the time you have.
Here is how the two paths usually compare:
- Fixing first. An approved inspection can make a house easier for a financed buyer to move into. The trade-off is the cost of repairs, reinspection fees, and the 120-day window to finish the work.
- Selling as-is. The city allows it, and the buyer takes on the inspection and permit. An as-is buyer usually weighs the expected repairs in the price.
- A conditional permit. Where the items are not a visual blight or a serious safety risk, Section 505.050 lets the city issue a conditional permit with an owner affidavit to finish repairs later.
Florissant's houses are older, which can lengthen a repair list. The Florissant 2050 plan puts the median year built for all housing in the city at 1960. Our guide to selling a St. Louis house that needs major repairs walks through the systems that most often need work on older houses.
Some owners face a second rule at the same time. Rental owners also deal with Florissant's rental license, covered in our guide to selling a Florissant rental house. Owners of empty houses face registration fees, covered in selling a vacant house in Florissant.
Where does a cash sale fit?
A cash sale is one way to sell a Florissant house as-is, with the buyer taking on the occupancy inspection and permit. Propcash is a direct cash buyer of houses and can take on the inspection and permit when it buys.
Because a cash buyer does not need a mortgage approval or appraisal, the sale does not wait on a lender's repair conditions. A cash sale to Propcash can close in as few as 7 days after the contract is signed, and sellers pay no fees to Propcash. Propcash makes one written cash offer and shows how it got to the number.
For context on the local market, Redfin's September 2026 data puts the Florissant median sale price at $188,610, with a median of 23 days on market. A cash offer can sit next to a listing so you can compare the two. Our Florissant cash sale page explains how a sale works, or you can request a cash offer on your house.
Heirs selling a parent's house in Florissant often face the same permit question. Our guide to selling an inherited house in Florissant covers probate and the steps around it.
Common questions about occupancy permits
Who pays for the Florissant occupancy inspection when a house sells as-is?
The buyer does. The City of Florissant says a house can be sold without an inspection, "as is." The buyer is then responsible for obtaining and paying for the inspection and the occupancy permit before anyone moves in. A seller and buyer can still agree on other terms in the purchase contract.
How long does a Florissant occupancy inspection stay valid?
Florissant Code Section 505.050 says an occupancy permit process becomes invalid 120 days after the initial inspection date. The city's inspection report form says repairs must be done within those 120 days unless the owner gets an approved extension. The application also becomes invalid with any change in occupancy.
Does the St. Louis County occupancy permit apply inside Florissant?
Florissant is an incorporated city, and its own Building Division issues occupancy permits under the city code. The St. Louis County program covers unincorporated areas and municipalities that contract with the County. A house with a Florissant mailing address may sit in another city or in unincorporated County, so the tax bill or the Census geocoder can confirm which rules apply.
Can a new owner move in before the repairs are finished?
In Florissant, a new owner or tenant cannot occupy the house without an occupancy permit or a conditional occupancy permit. The city can issue a conditional permit when the remaining items are not a visual blight and do not seriously endanger health or safety. The owner signs an affidavit agreeing to finish the repairs within a set time.
What if I disagree with the inspector's report?
The Florissant inspection report form gives a right of appeal to the Property Maintenance Board of Appeals. The appeal is made by written notice to the Building Division within 30 days of the inspection. It can help to keep a copy of the report and any photos of the items in question.
Does a cash buyer still need an occupancy permit?
Yes. Florissant ties the permit to occupancy, not to how the house is paid for, so whoever moves in next needs a permit first. A cash buyer who plans to repair the house before anyone lives there can take on the inspection and the repairs as part of buying it as-is.
Reviewed by the Propcash Editorial Team under our editorial standards. Published by Propcash, a direct cash buyer of houses. This guide is general information. Laws, fees, and market figures change, so check the current rules for your state.
