The City of Springfield passed an ordinance for garage and yard sales for the benefit of the citizens. The main concern is when neighborhood problems arise because of garage sales. Another concern is that of resale. The ordinance clearly states that a garage sale may not be used to sell items purchased for resale. You may have two garage sales within a 12-month period. Each sale should last no longer than three days.

You should contact the Finance Department’s Licensing division at 417-864-1617 to register your garage sale or register online. The permit is free, but must be obtained before your garage sale begins.

Garage sale signs may be placed in your yard or in your neighbor’s yard (with his or her agreement), but they should never be placed in the city’s right-of-way (on streets signs, utility poles, between the sidewalk and the curb, and so on). Also, no garage sale signs should look like traffic signs. Garage sale signs may be purchased at several locations throughout Springfield.

You may legally sell your own items at your own garage sale. You should sell only used, accumulated items, not items purchased for resale.

Charitable organizations that would like to have a garage sale must call the licensing division to receive an application. All of the same guidelines apply, except regarding what may be sold at the garage sale.