State law guide · Checked November 14, 2026
Missouri landlord rules: late fees, deposits and rent increases
Missouri leaves late fees to the lease but does limit deposit size, and it doubles the penalty for wrongly keeping a deposit. Here is what the Revised Statutes of Missouri say, with the section for each rule.
The short version
- The statute sets no late fee cap and no required grace period. Your lease sets both.
- Deposit limit: two months' rent.
- Return the deposit, or send a written itemized list of deductions, within 30 days after the tenancy ends.
- Any interest earned on a deposit belongs to the landlord, and the deposit goes in a federally insured bank, credit union, or depository institution.
- No statute sets a notice period for raising rent, and cities and counties can't regulate rent.
Late fees in Missouri
- Limit
- None in the statute. Mo. Rev. Stat. chs. 441, 535
- Grace period
- None in the statute. Mo. Rev. Stat. chs. 441, 535
- Other conditions
- None in the statute. Mo. Rev. Stat. chs. 441, 535
Security deposits in Missouri
- Maximum deposit
- Two months' rent. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.1
- Return deadline
- 30 days after the tenancy ends. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.3
- Itemized deductions
- Required, in writing, within the same 30 days. Mailing the list to the tenant's last known address counts. The landlord must also give the tenant reasonable written notice of the move-out inspection, and the tenant may attend. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.3(2)
- Interest
- None owed. Any interest earned belongs to the landlord. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.2
- How it's held
- In a bank, credit union, or depository institution insured by a federal agency. No bond. Government landlords are exempt. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.2
- Penalty
- Twice the amount wrongfully withheld. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.6
Rent increases in Missouri
- Notice to raise rent
- No statute sets a notice period for a rent increase. The closest rule covers ending a month-to-month tenancy: one month's written notice, ending on a rent-paying date. Check your lease for its own notice term. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.060
- Statewide cap
- None in the statute. Mo. Rev. Stat. chs. 441, 535
- City rent control
- Not allowed. No county or city may enact, maintain, or enforce an ordinance that regulates the amount of rent for private residential property. Exceptions cover the government's own property, voluntary agreements for subsidized units, and property assisted with community development block grants. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.043.1
This page covers Missouri state law for ordinary residential rentals. Cities and counties can add their own rules, and subsidized housing and mobile home lots follow different ones.
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Questions landlords ask
Is there a late fee limit for rent in Missouri?
Not in the Missouri statutes on landlords and tenants (chapters 441 and 535). The lease sets the late fee and any grace period.
What is the maximum security deposit in Missouri?
Two months' rent (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.1).
How long does a Missouri landlord have to return a security deposit?
30 days after the tenancy ends, with a written itemized list of any deductions. The penalty for wrongly keeping a deposit is twice the amount withheld (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.3, .6).
Free templates you can use in Missouri
These are plain templates that aren’t tied to one state. Fill in the numbers your statute and lease call for.
- Rent increase letter kit: increase notice, renewal offer, pricing worksheet and delivery log.
- Late rent notice kit: friendly reminder, past-due notice, payment plan and delivery log.
- Security deposit return kit: itemized return letter, wear-and-tear guide and move-out checklist.
- Move-in kit: inspection checklist and deposit receipt, signed by the tenant.
- Rent ledger: running tenant balances and printable statements.
Keep Missouri rent and deposits on one ledger
Landlord’s Desk keeps a rent ledger for every tenant, shows who still owes and gets a late-rent reminder ready for your OK. No credit card needed to start. Create your account by December 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM Central and you’re a founding member: 60 days free from the day you choose a plan, then 30% off your first 12 monthly payments or your first yearly payment. Claim the offer by choosing a plan by March 1, 2027 at 11:59 PM Central.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. It summarizes state statutes as read on November 14, 2026; laws change and courts interpret them. Check the current statute (Revised Statutes of Missouri, section 535.300) or talk to a local attorney before you act.