Deposit laws by state › Missouri
State law · Missouri
Missouri security deposit law
How long your landlord has to return your deposit, what they can deduct, and what happens if they get it wrong.
Short answer: Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit, or send a written itemized list of damages with any balance, mailed to the tenant's last known address.
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Missouri?
- Return deadline
- Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit, or send a written itemized list of damages with any balance, mailed to the tenant's last known address.Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300
- Itemized list
- The written itemized list of damages is due within the same 30 days.Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300
Prefer a full page? Use the security deposit deadline calculator.
What happens if a Missouri landlord misses the deadline?
- If the landlord misses it
- Missouri's statute does not state a forfeiture; the remedy is damages.Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300
- Penalty
- A tenant whose deposit was wrongfully withheld recovers twice the amount wrongfully withheld.Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300
What can a Missouri landlord deduct from your deposit?
What can be deducted: Only amounts reasonably necessary for unpaid rent, restoring the unit to its move-in condition (ordinary wear and tear excepted), and actual damages from breach. (RSMo § 535.300)
Normal wear and tear: Ordinary wear and tear is excepted from restoration charges. (RSMo § 535.300)
Cleaning: Carpet cleaning may be withheld only if the lease provides for it, and the landlord must give a receipt for the actual cost. (RSMo § 535.300)
What the itemized list must include: A written itemized list of the damages for which money is withheld. (RSMo § 535.300)
More on common charges: normal wear and tear, cleaning, painting, and a missing itemized list.
Is there a limit on security deposits in Missouri?
A landlord may not demand or receive a deposit of more than two months' rent. (RSMo § 535.300.1)
Taking a deposit case to small claims court in Missouri
Small-claims limit: Missouri small claims covers claims up to $5,000, not counting interest and costs. (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 482.305)
Most deposit disputes never get that far. A clear demand letter, sent by certified mail, often settles them first.
Good to know
- You have a right to be present at the move-out inspection, at a time the landlord sets with reasonable notice (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300).
- The statute's damages wording has appeared in two versions ('twice' and 'not more than twice'), so a judge may award less than double.
What to do if your Missouri landlord kept your deposit
- Pin down your dates. When you moved out, returned the keys, and gave a forwarding address in writing. Compare them with the deadline above.
- Gather your evidence. Move-in and move-out photos, the lease, the landlord's list of deductions, receipts and messages. The case checklist covers what matters.
- Send a demand letter by certified mail. Ask for the money, cite Missouri's rules, and give a deadline to pay. What a demand letter does.
- If they still don't pay, consider small claims court. You don't need a lawyer there.
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Sources
These rules come from the same verified table the Demand Letter Companion uses, checked against the sources below on October 25, 2026. Laws change; check the current official text before relying on a date.
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300: senate.mo.gov
Other states: see the guides for all 50 states and DC
This page is general legal information, not legal advice. Local ordinances can add rules, and your lease and facts matter. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in Missouri.