The LCHD works with the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services to conduct annual inspections on all lodging establishments in the county.

What Qualifies as a Lodging Establishment?

A lodging establishment is defined as, “any building, group of buildings, structure, facility, place or places of business where five or more guest rooms are provided, which is owned, maintained, or operated by any person and which is kept, used, maintained, advertised or held out to the public for hire which can be construed to be a hotel, motel, motor hotel, apartment hotel, tourist court, resort, cabins, tourist home, bunkhouse, dormitory, or other similar place by whatever name called, and includes all such accommodations operated for hire as lodging establishments for either transient guests, permanent guests, or for both transient and permanent guests.”

Are Any Lodging Establishments Exempt?

Yes, the facilities operating with less than five (5) rooms and dormitories and other living or sleeping facilities owned or maintained by public or private schools, colleges, universities, or churches unless made available to the general public and not used exclusively for students and faculty, school-sponsored events, baseball camps, conferences, dance camps, equitation camps, football camps, learned professional society meetings, music camps, retreats, seminars, soccer camps, swimming camps, track camps, youth leadership conferences, or church-sponsored events.

Are There Any Regulations for Operating a Lodging Establishment?

Yes, there is a lodging statute and lodging rule. The statute is 315.005 to 315.065 RSMo, State Laws Governing Hotels, Motels, Resorts and other Public Lodging. The rule is 19 CSR 20-3.050, Sanitation and Safety Standards.

To obtain a copy of the statute and rule, click here.