A landowner’s field guide · Missouri

Missouri Building Codes by County (2026)

Compare the state’s historical county-code data, then follow the verified local documents where we have them.

Only 13 of Missouri's 115 counties have adopted a residential building code.

A useful starting point, not a current permit determination.

Important: this is historical state data

Source: Missouri Department of Economic Development, County Building Codes for Missouri (data.mo.gov), last updated August 2021. Counties update their codes over time; always confirm with the county. Cities inside a county often have their own codes.

County documents take precedence over this statewide snapshot. Cities within a county may also enforce their own codes; confirm current requirements with the authority responsible for your parcel.

The statewide snapshot

Compare all 115 county entries

Search names, code editions, or details. Select a column heading to sort.

Historical Missouri Department of Economic Development residential and energy code entries by county. Data last updated August 2021.

Adair County	None	None	—
Andrew County	None	None
Atchison County	None	None
Audrain County	None	None
Barry County	None	None	—
Barton County	None	None
Bates County	None	None	—
Benton County	None	None
Bollinger County	None	None
Boone County	2015 IRC	2015 IECC
Buchanan County	None	None	Full verified rules on the county page
Butler County	None	None
Caldwell County	None	None	Full verified rules on the county page
Callaway County	None	None
Camden County	None	None
Cape Girardeau County	None	None
Carroll County	None	None	Full verified rules on the county page
Carter County	None	None
Cass County	2006 IRC	None
Cedar County	None	None
Chariton County	None	None
Christian County	2012 IRC	2012 IECC
Clark County	None	None
Clay County	2012 IRC	None	Full verified rules on the county page
Clinton County	None	None	Full verified rules on the county page
Cole County	2000 IRC	None
Cooper County	None	None
Crawford County	None	None
Dade County	None	None
Dallas County	None	None
Daviess County	None	None	—
DeKalb County	None	None
Dent County	None	None	—
Douglas County	None	None
Dunklin County	None	None	—
Franklin County	2015 IRC	None
Gasconade County	None	None
Gentry County	None	None
Greene County	2012 IRC	None
Grundy County	None	None
Harrison County	None	None
Henry County	None	None
Hickory County	None	None
Holt County	None	None
Howard County	None	None	—
Howell County	None	None
Iron County	None	None
Jackson County	2015 IRC	None	Full verified rules on the county page
Jasper County	None	None
Jefferson County	2015 IRC	2015 IECC
Johnson County	None	None
Knox County	None	None
Laclede County	None	None
Lafayette County	None	None
Lawrence County	None	None
Lewis County	None	None
Lincoln County	None	None
Linn County	None	None
Livingston County	None	None
Macon County	None	None	—
Madison County	None	None	—
Maries County	None	None
Marion County	None	None
McDonald County	None	None
Mercer County	None	None
Miller County	None	None
Mississippi County	None	None	—
Moniteau County	None	None
Monroe County	None	None	—
Montgomery County	None	None	—
Morgan County	None	None
New Madrid County	None	None	—
Newton County	None	None
Nodaway County	None	None
Oregon County	None	None	—
Osage County	None	None
Ozark County	None	None
Pemiscot County	None	None
Perry County	None	None
Pettis County	None	None
Phelps County	None	None
Pike County	None	None
Platte County	2018 IRC	2018 IECC	Full verified rules on the county page
Polk County	None	None
Pulaski County	None	None	—
Putnam County	None	None
Ralls County	None	None
Randolph County	None	None
Ray County	None	None	Full verified rules on the county page
Reynolds County	None	None
Ripley County	None	None
Saline County	None	None
Schuyler County	None	None	—
Scotland County	None	None
Scott County	None	None
Shannon County	None	None
Shelby County	None	None
St. Charles County	2015 IRC	2015 IECC
St. Clair County	None	None
St. Francois County	None	None
St. Louis City	2018 IRC	2018 IECC	—
St. Louis County	2015 IRC	2015 IECC	—
Ste. Genevieve County	None	None
Stoddard County	None	None
Stone County	None	None
Sullivan County	None	None
Taney County	None	None
Texas County	None	None	—
Vernon County	None	None
Warren County	None	None
Washington County	None	None
Wayne County	None	None
Webster County	None	None
Worth County	None	None
Wright County	None	None	—

Showing 115 of 115 entries · Horizontal scrolling is available on small screens.

A code is only one layer

No building code doesn't mean no rules

A county without an adopted residential building code may still regulate what you can build and where. Before planning a homestead shell, check permits, zoning, lot size, and septic requirements for the exact parcel.

Buchanan CountyBuilding permits apply to structures; acreage, zoning, density and on-site wastewater rules matter. Check its 2026 amendments before relying on the 2024 reprint.Clinton CountyA permit is required before construction; zoning orders set district-specific lot sizes and additional standards.Ray CountyPlatting, a building permit, inspections, minimum lot and home sizes, and roof pitch are addressed in county documents.

These examples are not a substitute for parcel-specific confirmation. The verified county pages link directly to their approved source documents.

Before you break ground

A couple of useful answers

Which Missouri counties have no building codes?

The Missouri Department of Economic Development's August 2021 dataset lists no adopted residential building code for 102 of its 115 county entries. Use the county table to find them. This is historical state data, not a guarantee of current rules: county documents take precedence, and cities within a county may have their own codes.

Do I need a permit to build a house in a county with no building code?

Often yes. Zoning and septic permits still apply, and many counties also require building or land-use permits, minimum lot sizes and inspections even without an adopted residential building code. Check the county and the authority responsible for your parcel before you build.

Make your next step a clear one

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