Home › FAQ

Buying a Home in St. Louis, MO: Your Questions Answered

These are the questions buyers ask most about what is different when you buy a home in St. Louis and Missouri: occupancy permits, sewer laterals and radon, Missouri property and personal property taxes, moving over from Illinois, and help for first-time buyers. Each answer is checked against Missouri law, an official county, city or state source, or how closings work here in St. Louis.

By Craig Ziegel, Single Tree Team, eXp Realty. Licensed in Missouri since 2017 and Illinois since 2011. Facts checked November 3, 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice.

Missouri law and costs

Does Missouri have a real estate transfer tax?

No. Missouri does not charge a state transfer tax when a home sells, and the Missouri Constitution bars the state, counties and cities from adding a new one. We have never seen a transfer tax line on a St. Louis City or County closing statement. You still pay normal recording fees to file the deed and loan. Across the river, Illinois does charge a transfer tax at closing, though the seller usually pays it there.

Is Missouri a buyer beware state?

Mostly, yes. Missouri law does not make a seller fill out a general disclosure form, so the seller’s disclosure statement most agents use is a custom, not a legal requirement. The law does require a seller to tell you if they know the home was used to make meth, and federal law requires a lead paint disclosure for homes built before 1978. That is why your own home inspection matters more here. See our Missouri seller disclosure guide.

St. Louis steps before you close

Do I need an occupancy permit when I buy a house in St. Louis County?

Often, yes. Unincorporated St. Louis County requires an occupancy inspection and permit every time a home gets a new occupant ($80 for a single family home or condo, checked November 3, 2026). Many cities in the county run their own inspection, such as Kirkwood and University City, and the City of St. Louis requires a certificate before you move in. Rules, fees and who orders it differ by city, and some cities let a home sell “as is” with the buyer taking on the repairs. In our sales the seller usually orders and pays for the inspection. Ask which rules apply before you write an offer.

What is the sewer lateral program, and does it cover my house?

The sewer lateral is the pipe from your house to the public sewer main, and you own it, not MSD. In unincorporated St. Louis County and some municipalities, homeowners pay $28 a year on the tax bill into a repair fund that pays to fix a broken lateral, plus seed and straw for the dug-up yard and patching of disturbed pavement. You pay a plumber to clear the line and confirm the break first, and sod, plantings and decks are not replaced. The City of St. Louis also charges $28 a year, but its program covers only the part of the line under the street or public right of way, not your yard and not clogs. Some cities run their own program, so ask the city before you rely on it, and consider a sewer scope with your inspection.

Should I test for radon in St. Louis?

Yes. The EPA puts St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County in Zone 2, where average indoor levels are expected between 2 and 4 pCi/L, and any single house can test higher. The EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above. A radon test can be added to your home inspection, and the result gives you something to negotiate with.

Missouri taxes

What is Missouri personal property tax, and why do I need the receipt?

Missouri taxes cars, trucks, boats and similar property you own on January 1 each year. It is assessed at one third of the value and due by December 31. You need a paid receipt, or a waiver if you owed nothing, to register a vehicle or renew your plates. If you moved here after January 1, St. Louis County gives you a waiver when you show your out-of-state title or registration. Declare your property with the county assessor each spring when the form comes.

How are property taxes figured in Missouri?

Your home is assessed at 19% of its market value, and the local tax rates are applied to that assessed value. Counties reassess every odd-numbered year, so new values come out in 2025, 2027 and so on. Your bill depends on your school district, city and fire district, so two homes at the same price can pay very different taxes. Look up the current bill for any home before you make an offer.

Is there a homestead exemption in Missouri?

Not like Illinois. Missouri has no general homestead exemption for every owner. Owners who are 65 or older, 100% disabled, or a surviving spouse 60 or older receiving survivor Social Security benefits may qualify for the Missouri Property Tax Credit, worth up to $1,100 a year for owners. For 2025 the income limit was $30,000 single and $34,000 married if you owned and lived in the home all year, and lower ($27,200 and $29,200) in the year you buy. Seniors may also qualify for the property tax freeze in the next answer.

Is there a senior property tax freeze in St. Louis?

Yes, in the counties that adopted it. Missouri lets each county freeze the property tax on a senior’s home, and St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County and the City of St. Louis have all adopted one. You must be at least 62 and own and live in the home. You have to apply, and each county sets its own window and rules. In the City it covers only the City’s share of the bill, for homes worth $528,392 or less. Check with your county collector, or the Assessor’s Office in the City, after you close.

Do I pay the St. Louis City earnings tax if I buy a home in the city?

Yes. The City of St. Louis charges a 1% earnings tax on residents’ wages wherever they work, and on wages people earn while working in the city. Voters renewed it in April 2026. Suburbs such as Clayton, University City and Webster Groves are in St. Louis County, not the city, so living there does not trigger the resident tax.

Moving from Illinois to Missouri

Are taxes higher in Illinois or Missouri?

It depends on the tax. Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax, and Missouri’s top rate is 4.7% for 2025 and 2026. Illinois property taxes usually run higher, but Missouri charges personal property tax on your cars and Illinois does not. Missouri has no transfer tax at closing, and Illinois does, though the seller usually pays it. Compare the actual tax bill on the homes you like, not state averages.

If I live in Illinois and work in Missouri, where do I pay income tax?

You file in both states, but the two states do not tax the same pay twice. Illinois and Missouri do not have a reciprocity agreement, so you file a Missouri nonresident return for the wages earned in Missouri, and Illinois gives you a credit for the tax you paid Missouri. If you work in the City of St. Louis, the City’s 1% earnings tax is on top of that. Ask a tax preparer about your own situation.

I just moved from Illinois. What do I need to do in Missouri?

Title and register your vehicles within 30 days, and get a Missouri driver license once you live here. In the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County, most cars need an emissions test. Then file your personal property declaration with the county assessor so you can renew your plates next year. If you bought a home, look into the senior freeze or the property tax credit if they apply to you.

Help with buying

What first-time buyer help does Missouri offer?

The Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) First Place loan is for buyers who have not owned a home in the past 3 years, with a credit score of at least 640. Veterans and buyers in certain targeted areas can qualify even if they have owned before. It can add cash assistance of 4% of the loan, which is forgiven if you stay in the home and keep the original loan for 10 years. Buyers over the limits, or who have owned before, can look at MHDC’s Next Step program. Income and price limits apply, so ask an MHDC lender. St. Louis County also offers a 0% first-home down payment loan that is repaid when you sell.

Is there a Missouri tax deduction for first-time home buyers?

Not right now. Missouri’s first-time home buyer savings account deduction ended after the 2024 tax year. Accounts that were already opened can still be used toward buying a first home in Missouri, but new deposits no longer earn a state tax deduction. The legislature has debated bringing it back, so ask a tax preparer before you open an account for the tax break.

Go deeper

• Missouri buyer closing costs: what to budget
• The first-time home buyer's guide to St. Louis County
• Can you buy with a low down payment in St. Louis?
• Moving to St. Louis? Start here
• St. Louis relocation guide for homebuyers
• Home inspection negotiation guide for buyers
• Buying in Illinois instead? Metro East home buying FAQ
• New construction FAQ for St. Louis County