Landlord tools · Missouri
Everything a Missouri lease must get right in 2026 — deposit limits, late fees, notice periods, and required disclosures — plus a free builder that applies each rule for you and outputs a signable PDF.
These rules are applied automatically. About 5 minutes, PDF download, no account.
Missouri caps security deposits at 2 months of rent. Max 2 months' rent After the tenancy ends, the deposit must be returned within 30 days. Within 30 days with itemized deductions; tenant may attend move-out inspection; 2x penalty for wrongful withholding Returning one now? Use the free Missouri deposit return letter generator — it computes the deadline and itemizes deductions for you.
Missouri sets no statutory dollar cap on late fees, but courts require them to be reasonable and they must appear in the written lease. No grace period is required by statute, though many leases include one. No statutory cap or grace period; must be in lease and reasonable under case law.
Missouri has no fixed entry-notice statute — reasonable notice is the standard, and the lease should spell it out. No entry-notice statute; lease should specify reasonable notice. Ending a month-to-month tenancy takes 30 days' written notice (One month's written notice ending on a rent-due date). No statute; changes to month-to-month terms require one-month notice. Planning an increase? The free Missouri rent increase notice generator applies the notice period automatically.
Utilities: No shared-meter statute; lease should allocate utilities. Landlord-caused shutoff to force out a tenant is unlawful. Pets: No separate pet deposit rules; pet deposits count toward the 2-month total cap.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Missouri?
Missouri caps security deposits at 2 months of rent. Max 2 months' rent
How long does a Missouri landlord have to return the deposit?
30 days after the tenancy ends. Within 30 days with itemized deductions; tenant may attend move-out inspection; 2x penalty for wrongful withholding
Are late fees limited in Missouri?
There's no statutory dollar cap, but fees must be reasonable and stated in the lease. No statutory cap or grace period; must be in lease and reasonable under case law
How much notice before a landlord can enter the unit in Missouri?
Missouri has no fixed statutory period — reasonable notice applies. No entry-notice statute; lease should specify reasonable notice
Does Missouri have rent control?
No statewide rent control. Local rent control preempted by state law
The builder pre-loads every Missouri rule on this page.
Key statutes: RSMo 535.300 · 441.060 · 441.233 · 441.236. Last reviewed 2026-07. This guide summarizes state law for convenience and is not legal advice; cities and counties may add their own rules.