Missouri Security Deposit Law: Limits, Deadlines, and Penalties
What Missouri landlords can charge, when deposits must be returned, and what it costs to get it wrong. Last reviewed 2026-08-12.
How much can a landlord charge in Missouri?
A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit greater than two months' rent (RSMo 535.300.1). Money denominated as a pet deposit is excluded from the statutory definition, so it sits outside this cap.
Missouri expressly excludes money denominated as a pet deposit from the definition of security deposit, so pet deposits are not subject to the two-month cap or the statutory return rules — the lease terms govern them.
When must the deposit be returned?
Within 30 days after termination of the tenancy, the landlord must return the full deposit or the balance along with a written itemized list of the damages for which any portion is withheld, mailed to the tenant's last known address.
Any withholding requires a written itemized list of damages. The landlord must also give reasonable written notice of the move-out inspection date and time, and the tenant has the right to be present at that inspection.
What happens if a landlord misses the deadline?
A landlord who wrongfully withholds all or part of the deposit is liable to the tenant for twice the amount wrongfully withheld (RSMo 535.300.5).
Interest and holding requirements
No interest is owed to the tenant; the statute expressly lets the landlord keep any interest the deposit earns.
Since 2016, deposits must be held in trust for the tenant in a bank, credit union, or depository institution insured by a federal agency, in an account in the name of the trustee — not mixed into the landlord's personal funds.
What Missouri landlords get wrong
Two Missouri quirks matter for small landlords. First, the pet deposit carve-out: because a payment labeled 'pet deposit' is by definition not a security deposit, it escapes the cap and the 30-day rules — but only if the lease genuinely denominates it as a pet deposit, and you should still document how it is applied. Second, the inspection duty: you must give reasonable written notice of when you will inspect after move-out, and the tenant may attend; skipping this undermines your deductions. Deposits belong in a federally insured trust account, deductions are limited to unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear, and rent lost from an abandoning tenant, and wrongful withholding costs double.
The law itself
Frequently asked questions
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Missouri?
Up to two months' rent. A payment the lease labels a pet deposit does not count toward that limit, because Missouri's statute excludes pet deposits from the definition of a security deposit. Everything else refundable collected to secure the lease falls under the two-month cap, and charging above it violates RSMo 535.300.
How long does a Missouri landlord have to return a security deposit?
30 days after the tenancy terminates. Within that period the landlord must mail the full deposit, or the balance plus a written itemized list of damages, to the tenant's last known address. Before making deductions, the landlord must give reasonable written notice of the move-out inspection, which the tenant has a legal right to attend.
What is the penalty if a Missouri landlord wrongfully keeps a deposit?
The tenant can sue and recover twice the amount wrongfully withheld. Deductions are lawful only for unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, and rent the landlord loses because the tenant abandoned the unit early. Amounts kept for anything else — routine repainting, normal carpet wear, or without the required itemized list — are wrongfully withheld and subject to doubling.
Does a Missouri landlord have to keep deposits in a separate account?
Yes. Missouri requires security deposits to be held in trust for tenants in a federally insured bank, credit union, or depository institution, in an account held in the trustee's name. The landlord cannot spend the money during the tenancy, but any interest the account earns belongs to the landlord — Missouri does not require paying interest to the tenant.
Keep reading
Deposit deadlines are easy to miss — until they cost you triple.
Vantric tracks your leases, deposits, and move-out dates in one place, built for landlords with 1–10 units.
Start Free TrialThis page is general information, not legal advice. Statutes change — verify against the official text linked above or consult a local attorney before acting.