10 of the 10 rules below carry a statute citation that was read at the official source (most recently October 2026), with the controlling text quoted. The rest are conservative reference values from Aptoria's compliance data and are labeled unverified.
Security deposit size: Security deposit may not exceed two months' rent. (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.1, confirmed 2026-10). Returning the deposit: Within 30 days after termination of the tenancy, return the deposit or furnish a written itemized list of damages with the balance. Wrongful withholding: tenant may recover twice the amount wrongfully withheld. (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.3, .6, confirmed 2026-10).
How Missouri treats the landlord's core obligations
Late fees: No statewide cap on residential late fees and no mandatory grace period. A late fee must be agreed in the lease and is subject only to general contract-law limits on penalties. (RSMo chs. 441, 535 (no late-fee provision), confirmed 2026-10). Application fees: No statewide cap or refund rule for rental application fees. (RSMo chs. 441, 535 (no application-fee provision), confirmed 2026-10).
Nonpayment notice: No fixed statutory waiting period. A rent-and-possession action under Chapter 535 requires that rent be due and payment demanded and not made; the § 441.060 termination notice is not required before filing. (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.020; § 535.010, confirmed 2026-10). Rent increases: No statewide statute sets a rent-increase notice period. In practice a landlord changes rent on a month-to-month tenancy by giving written notice effective on a rent-paying date not less than one month after receipt (the termination mechanism in § 441.060(4)); fixed-term leases cannot be increased mid-term absent a lease clause. (RSMo §§ 441.060; ch. 441 (no rent-increase provision), confirmed 2026-10). Ending a month-to-month tenancy: Written notice stating the tenancy terminates on a periodic rent-paying date not less than one month after receipt of the notice (either party). (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.060.4(1), confirmed 2026-10). Entry: No statewide statute sets an entry-notice period for residential rentals. Entry rights are governed by the lease; a landlord who removes or excludes a tenant without judicial process is liable under § 441.233. (RSMo ch. 441 (no entry-notice provision), confirmed 2026-10).
Missouri has no statewide rent regulation on file, so any cap on increases would come from a local ordinance. Source-of-income protection is not on file statewide, although cities and counties can add it. Card surcharges on rent: allowed within card-network limits. Managing property for others for compensation generally requires a state license: State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Security deposits
What Missouri allows a landlord to collect up front, how it must be held, and the deadline and paperwork for returning it.
“A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit in excess of two months' rent.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “2× monthly rent”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The maximum a landlord may collect up front as security against unpaid rent or damage, usually expressed as a multiple of one month's rent. Separate pet, key or cleaning deposits often count toward the same limit.
Deposit return deadline
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Within 30 days after termination of the tenancy, return the deposit or furnish a written itemized list of damages with the balance. Wrongful withholding: tenant may recover twice the amount wrongfully withheld.
“Within thirty days after the date of termination of the tenancy, the landlord shall: ... Furnish to the tenant a written itemized list of the damages ... twice the amount wrongfully withheld”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days after move-out”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The window after the tenant vacates in which the landlord must refund the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. Missing the deadline is the most common way a landlord forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit.
Separate pet deposit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Permitted. A deposit denominated as a pet deposit is excluded from the statutory definition of 'security deposit', so it may be charged in addition to the two-months'-rent security-deposit cap and is not governed by § 535.300's holding/return/double-damages rules. No statutory cap on the pet deposit itself.
“the term "security deposit" means any deposit of money or property, however denominated, which is furnished by a tenant to a landlord to secure the performance of any part of the rental agreement, including damages to the dwelling unit. This term does not include any money or property denominated as a deposit for a pet on the premises.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Subsection 1: 'A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit in excess of two months' rent.' Version effective 8/28/2018.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Permitted”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a refundable pet deposit can be collected on top of the security deposit. Even where it is permitted, the combined amount usually has to stay inside the overall deposit limit.
In practice
• Hold the deposit the way the statute requires (separate or escrow account where applicable) and record the account in the file.
• Document move-in condition with a dated, photographed inventory the tenant can sign; it is the only evidence that supports a later deduction.
• Send the itemized statement and any refund by a trackable method, and keep the receipts or estimates behind every deduction.
Rent, late fees and application fees
The fees a Missouri lease can charge, the statutory ceilings that override the lease, and whether rent increases are regulated statewide.
Late fees
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide cap on residential late fees and no mandatory grace period. A late fee must be agreed in the lease and is subject only to general contract-law limits on penalties.
Absence finding: no section in ch. 441 (Landlord and Tenant) or ch. 535 (Landlord-Tenant Actions) addresses late fees.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Any statutory ceiling on the fee for late rent and any mandatory grace period before it can be charged. Where there is no statutory cap, courts still strike fees they find punitive rather than a reasonable estimate of the landlord's cost.
Application fee limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide cap or refund rule for rental application fees.
Absence finding from the ch. 441 and ch. 535 section indexes.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
A cap on what an applicant can be charged to apply, sometimes limited to the actual cost of screening and sometimes prohibited outright. Fee receipts and refund rules usually travel with the cap.
Statewide rent regulation
Source-confirmed 2026-10
(b) Statewide preemption: no county or city may enact, maintain, or enforce any ordinance regulating the amount of rent charged for privately owned residential or commercial rental property; exceptions for publicly owned property, voluntary agreements on subsidized units, and CDBG-assisted properties. No statewide rent cap or rent-increase cap.
“No county or city, or county or city with a charter form of government may enact, maintain, or enforce any ordinance or resolution which regulates the amount of rent to be charged for privately-owned, single-family, or multiple-unit residential or commercial rental property.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
As amended by H.B. 595 & 343 (eff. 8/28/2025), § 441.043.2 also bars local source-of-income, screening-criteria, deposit-cap and right-of-first-refusal ordinances.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide rent regulation (check local ordinances)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a statewide law caps annual rent increases or whether rent control exists for covered units. Local ordinances can add limits even where the state has none.
In practice
• State the late fee, the grace period and the application fee in the lease in dollars or a clear percentage; a fee that is not in the lease is rarely enforceable.
• Never charge above the statutory cap even when the lease says more; the excess is unenforceable and can expose the landlord to penalties.
• Keep fee calculations in the ledger so a tenant, a court or an auditor can reproduce them from the rent roll.
Notices, rent increases and termination
How much written notice Missouri requires before a rent increase, before ending a month-to-month tenancy, and before filing for nonpayment.
Rent-increase notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide statute sets a rent-increase notice period. In practice a landlord changes rent on a month-to-month tenancy by giving written notice effective on a rent-paying date not less than one month after receipt (the termination mechanism in § 441.060(4)); fixed-term leases cannot be increased mid-term absent a lease clause.
Absence confirmed against the chapter 441 and 535 section indexes; local ordinances are pre-empted on many landlord-tenant topics (§ 441.043) but confirm locally.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The written notice a landlord must give before a rent increase takes effect on a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy. Fixed-term leases generally cannot be changed mid-term.
Month-to-month termination notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Written notice stating the tenancy terminates on a periodic rent-paying date not less than one month after receipt of the notice (either party).
“the landlord or the tenant may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by a written notice given to the other party stating that the tenancy shall terminate upon a periodic rent-paying date not less than one month after the receipt of the notice.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
'One month' and tied to a rent-paying date, so effective notice can exceed 30 days.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a landlord must give to end a periodic tenancy without cause. Some jurisdictions require longer notice for long-term tenants or require a stated cause.
Pay-or-quit notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No fixed statutory waiting period. A rent-and-possession action under Chapter 535 requires that rent be due and payment demanded and not made; the § 441.060 termination notice is not required before filing.
“Whenever any rent has become due and payable, and payment has been demanded by the landlord or the landlord's agent ... Giving the notice provided in section 441.060 is not required prior to filing a statement or obtaining the relief provided in this chapter.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Demand is required but no minimum number of days; § 535.140 allows service of summons to substitute for demand.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide minimum”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a tenant must receive for nonpayment before the landlord can file for possession, and the time the tenant has to pay in full and cure. This is the step most often done wrong in an eviction.
In practice
• Serve notices in the form and by the method the statute names, and keep proof of service with the dated notice.
• Count notice periods the way the statute counts them (calendar days, business days, or "before the next rent due date") and build in a margin.
• Treat a notice to a possibly rent-regulated or subsidized unit as a legal check, because longer periods and extra content requirements usually apply.
Landlord entry
When a Missouri landlord may enter an occupied unit and how much notice the tenant must receive.
Non-emergency entry notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide statute sets an entry-notice period for residential rentals. Entry rights are governed by the lease; a landlord who removes or excludes a tenant without judicial process is liable under § 441.233.
Absence finding from the ch. 441 section index; 24 hours is a common lease convention, not law.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Reasonable notice”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The advance notice required before a landlord enters an occupied unit for repairs, inspections or showings. Emergencies are the usual exception.
In practice
• Give written notice with the date, a reasonable time window and the purpose, and log the entry afterwards.
• Emergencies are the only common exception; document what made the entry urgent.
• A pattern of unannounced entries is a common basis for tenant complaints and counterclaims.
Payments, fair housing and licensing
Operational rules that sit outside the landlord-tenant act but decide how rent can be collected, who can be screened out, and who may manage for others.
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Returned-payment (NSF) fee
No statewide statutory cap on file
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
Local ordinances can extend protection beyond the statewide rule.
Property-management licensing
License generally required to manage for others
State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Compliance posture values are reference data compiled from public statutes and are not source-confirmed line by line. Confirm with the state agency before relying on them.
Missouri next to its neighbors
Own units on both sides of a state line? These are the reference values for every bordering jurisdiction. Open a state to see which values carry a citation.
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard); 5 days grace
Capped at $20; 5 days grace
Capped at $60
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
Capped at 10% of monthly rent; 5 days grace
Rent-increase notice
30 days
30 days
30 days
30 days
30 days
30 days
30 days
30 days
30 days
Non-emergency entry notice
Reasonable notice
Reasonable notice
Reasonable notice
24 hours
24 hours
48 hours
24 hours
24 hours
24 hours
Pay-or-quit notice
No statewide minimum
10 days
5 days
3 days
3 days
7 days
7 days
5 days
14 days
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
Protected statewide
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Lease disclosures on file
Federal and state disclosures Aptoria's lease workflow surfaces for Missouri. This is a working checklist from public sources, not a complete legal inventory for a specific property.
• Lead-based paint hazards (pre-1978 housing) — EPA Pamphlet "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home"
Official sources
Primary sources a Missouri landlord should bookmark. Each link was fetched and read during the October 2026 review; the binding text is always the current official version.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Missouri?
Security deposit may not exceed two months' rent. (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.1, confirmed 2026-10).
How long does a Missouri landlord have to return the security deposit?
Within 30 days after termination of the tenancy, return the deposit or furnish a written itemized list of damages with the balance. Wrongful withholding: tenant may recover twice the amount wrongfully withheld. (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.3, .6, confirmed 2026-10).
What is the maximum late fee in Missouri?
No statewide cap on residential late fees and no mandatory grace period. A late fee must be agreed in the lease and is subject only to general contract-law limits on penalties. (RSMo chs. 441, 535 (no late-fee provision), confirmed 2026-10).
How many days does a Missouri pay-or-quit notice give the tenant?
No fixed statutory waiting period. A rent-and-possession action under Chapter 535 requires that rent be due and payment demanded and not made; the § 441.060 termination notice is not required before filing. (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.020; § 535.010, confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice must a Missouri landlord give before entering?
No statewide statute sets an entry-notice period for residential rentals. Entry rights are governed by the lease; a landlord who removes or excludes a tenant without judicial process is liable under § 441.233. (RSMo ch. 441 (no entry-notice provision), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to raise rent in Missouri?
No statewide statute sets a rent-increase notice period. In practice a landlord changes rent on a month-to-month tenancy by giving written notice effective on a rent-paying date not less than one month after receipt (the termination mechanism in § 441.060(4)); fixed-term leases cannot be increased mid-term absent a lease clause. (RSMo §§ 441.060; ch. 441 (no rent-increase provision), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to end a month-to-month tenancy in Missouri?
Written notice stating the tenancy terminates on a periodic rent-paying date not less than one month after receipt of the notice (either party). (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.060.4(1), confirmed 2026-10).
Does Missouri have statewide rent control?
No statewide rent regulation is on file for Missouri. Local ordinances can still limit increases, so check the city or county where the unit sits before setting a renewal rent.
Is source of income a protected class in Missouri?
No statewide source-of-income protection is on file for Missouri, but cities and counties can adopt it. Check local law before refusing a voucher or benefit income, and apply any screening criteria consistently.
Can a Missouri landlord add a surcharge for paying rent by card?
Allowed within card-network limits. Where a surcharge is allowed, it must still follow card-network rules and be disclosed before payment.
How this page was verified
Every rule is shown in one of two states. “Source-confirmed” means an editor opened the official statute page named next to the rule on the date shown, read the controlling text, and recorded the excerpt you see; the excerpt is quoted verbatim so you can check it. “Reference value” means Aptoria's compliance engine applies a conservative number for this rule, but nobody has yet tied it to a specific statute section on this page, so it must be checked before you rely on it.
This page meets Aptoria's evidence floor for publication (10 source-confirmed rules and 4 fetched official sources). Statutes change; local ordinances can be stricter; the facts of a tenancy change the result.