Lodging Licensing Program

Whether for business or pleasure, thousands of people travel throughout Missouri each year. Many of these trips require overnight or extended stays away from the comforts of home. Through cooperative efforts with local public health agencies and the lodging industry, the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) strives to provide a level of excellence in all licensed lodging establishments operating throughout Missouri.

The DHSS regulates over 1,600 commercial lodging establishments throughout the state. Each establishment is inspected and is required to obtain a state-issued lodging license annually. The lodging industry is regulated under a rule that addresses water supplies, sewage/wastewater treatment, fire safety, electrical wiring, fuel-burning appliances, plumbing and swimming pools.

The licensing year runs from October 1 to September 30. Licenses are obtained by completing an application. Applications are mailed to each lodging establishment on the first of August; an additional copy of the application may be obtained by contacting us. With the application, establishments must include an approved inspection for the current year and pay the appropriate licensing fee using the Schedule of Licensing Fee table below.

Inspections are unannounced and can take place anytime throughout the year. DHSS contracts with local public health agencies to conduct annual inspections on all lodging establishments. Those establishments meeting the sanitation and safety standards outlined in the lodging rule, 19 CSR 20-3.050, receive an approved inspection report. This report is submitted along with the application as part of the licensing process. Re-inspections are conducted as needed on non-compliant establishments. No license will be issued until the violations are corrected.

The schedule of licensing fees is as follows:

• For lodging establishments with five (5) to ten (10) guest rooms, the fee is $50
• For lodging establishments with over ten (10) rooms; the fee is $50 plus $2 for each guest room (above ten (10) and through twenty (20) plus $1 for each guest room over twenty-one (21).
• A calculator is provided for your use in determining the licensing fee.

This license shall be renewed annually by submitting an application along with a current approved inspection report and the required license fee to:

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Fee Receipts Unit
P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102-0570

Attach check, bank draft or money order (do not send cash) made payable to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Upon receipt of the application, approved inspection and appropriate fee, the department will issue a Lodging Establishment License.