Missouri Tenant Law: Security Deposits, Late Fees & Landlord Entry (2026)

What Missouri law says about the clauses that matter most in a residential lease. Data as of 2026-10-18.

Main statute: Missouri landlord-tenant statutes (RSMo Chapter 441; security deposits in RSMo 535.300) (RSMo ch. 441; § 535.300)

Security deposits

Max: Two months' rent. Must be held in a federally insured bank, credit union or depository institution; interest earned belongs to the landlord. Pet deposits are not counted as 'security deposit'.
Return deadline days: 30 days
Itemization required: Yes
Interest required: No

Source: RSMo § 535.300

Calculate your Missouri deposit return deadline

Late fees

We haven't verified a statewide rule for this yet. Check your lease, your city's rules, or a local tenant organization.

Check if your Missouri late fee is legal

Landlord entry

We haven't verified a statewide rule for this yet. Check your lease, your city's rules, or a local tenant organization.

Ending a month-to-month tenancy

Tenant: Written notice; tenancy ends on a rent-paying date at least one month after the landlord receives it
Landlord: Written notice; tenancy ends on a rent-paying date at least one month after the tenant receives it

Source: RSMo § 441.060.4

Rent increases

Statewide rent control: Cities and counties may not enact or enforce rent control ordinances (with narrow exceptions for subsidized/public property).

Source: RSMo § 441.043

Repairs & habitability

Rule: Repair-and-deduct: a tenant who has lived there 6+ consecutive months, is current on rent and has no uncured written lease-violation notice may fix a local housing/building-code violation affecting habitability, sanitation or security if the landlord doesn't within 14 days of written notice. Cap: the greater of $300 or half a month's rent, never more than one month's rent; deduct with itemized receipts. If the landlord disputes in writing, the tenant first needs city/government certification of the code violation. A lease cannot waive this right.

Source: RSMo § 441.234

Retaliation

We haven't verified a statewide rule for this yet. Check your lease, your city's rules, or a local tenant organization.

Clauses often unenforceable in Missouri

Waiving the tenant's repair-and-deduct rights under 441.234 (the statute says no lease may contain such a waiver)
Security deposit above two months' rent (535.300.1)
Lockouts, removing doors/locks, or shutting off utilities without a court order (441.233; counts as forcible entry and detainer)
Deposit deductions for ordinary wear and tear (535.300.4); carpet-cleaning charges only if the lease includes the required notice and a receipt is given within 30 days

Notes

Wrongfully withheld deposit: tenant recovers twice the amount wrongfully withheld (535.300.6). The landlord must give reasonable written notice of the move-out inspection date and time (535.300.5). Tenant cannot use the deposit as last month's rent (535.300.7). Presumed reasonable occupancy limit: two persons per bedroom, not counting children born during the lease (441.060.2). Belongings can be treated as abandoned only after 30 days of unpaid rent plus a posted and mailed notice the tenant ignores for 10 days (441.065).

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Common lease red flags, explained

General information only, not legal advice. Laws change — verify with the linked source or a licensed attorney.

Missouri Tenant Law: Security Deposits, Late Fees & Landlord Entry (2026)

What Missouri law says about the clauses that matter most in a residential lease. Data as of 2026-10-18.

Security deposits

Max: Two months' rent. Must be held in a federally insured bank, credit union or depository institution; interest earned belongs to the landlord. Pet deposits are not counted as 'security deposit'.
Return deadline days: 30 days
Itemization required: Yes
Interest required: No

Source: RSMo § 535.300

Calculate your Missouri deposit return deadline

Late fees

We haven't verified a statewide rule for this yet. Check your lease, your city's rules, or a local tenant organization.

Check if your Missouri late fee is legal

Landlord entry

We haven't verified a statewide rule for this yet. Check your lease, your city's rules, or a local tenant organization.

Ending a month-to-month tenancy

Tenant: Written notice; tenancy ends on a rent-paying date at least one month after the landlord receives it
Landlord: Written notice; tenancy ends on a rent-paying date at least one month after the tenant receives it

Source: RSMo § 441.060.4

Rent increases

Statewide rent control: Cities and counties may not enact or enforce rent control ordinances (with narrow exceptions for subsidized/public property).

Source: RSMo § 441.043

Repairs & habitability

Rule: Repair-and-deduct: a tenant who has lived there 6+ consecutive months, is current on rent and has no uncured written lease-violation notice may fix a local housing/building-code violation affecting habitability, sanitation or security if the landlord doesn't within 14 days of written notice. Cap: the greater of $300 or half a month's rent, never more than one month's rent; deduct with itemized receipts. If the landlord disputes in writing, the tenant first needs city/government certification of the code violation. A lease cannot waive this right.

Source: RSMo § 441.234

Retaliation

We haven't verified a statewide rule for this yet. Check your lease, your city's rules, or a local tenant organization.

Clauses often unenforceable in Missouri

Waiving the tenant's repair-and-deduct rights under 441.234 (the statute says no lease may contain such a waiver)
Security deposit above two months' rent (535.300.1)
Lockouts, removing doors/locks, or shutting off utilities without a court order (441.233; counts as forcible entry and detainer)
Deposit deductions for ordinary wear and tear (535.300.4); carpet-cleaning charges only if the lease includes the required notice and a receipt is given within 30 days

Notes

Signing a lease in Missouri?

Scan it free and see which clauses break these rules.

Scan my Missouri lease

General information only, not legal advice. Laws change — verify with the linked source or a licensed attorney.