How to become a landlord in Missouri

At or before the start of the tenancy, give the tenant in writing the name and address of the person authorized to manage the property and of an owner, or a person authorized to act for the owner, for service of process and for receiving notices and demands, and keep it current. If you know the property is or was used to produce methamphetamine, you must disclose that in writing to a prospective tenant, whether or not anyone was convicted (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.185; Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.236).

• Someone who fails to make the owner and manager disclosure becomes an agent of each landlord for service of process and notices, and for performing the landlord's duties and collecting rent (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.185.3).See Owner and manager identity on the Missouri page
• To withhold carpet cleaning costs actually spent under an agreed carpet cleaning term, the lease must also tell the tenant they may be liable for actual carpet cleaning costs beyond ordinary wear and tear (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.4(2)).See Returning the deposit on the Missouri page

In writing, at or before the start of the tenancy, give the tenant the name and address of the person authorized to manage the property and of an owner or a person authorized to act for the owner for service of process and for receiving notices and demands. Keep the information current; the duty binds any later landlord, owner or manager (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.185.1, .2).

• If the owner's or agent's address is a post office box, process and notices may be served by first class mail with two extra copies (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.185.1(2)).
• A person who fails to make the disclosure becomes an agent of each landlord for service and notices, and for performing the landlord's duties and collecting rent (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.185.3).
• If you buy a rented home, you may sue for rent and possession under the prior owner's lease only after notifying the tenant in writing of the transfer and how and when it happened, attached to a copy of the recorded deed (in first class counties, a notarized affidavit signed by both owners may replace the deed) (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.081).

Missouri's landlord and tenant chapters do not require a flood disclosure for a residential lease (Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 441; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 534; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 535).

• The landlord and tenant chapters were read whole and contain no flood rule (Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 441; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 534; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 535).

Missouri's landlord and tenant chapters do not mention smoke or carbon monoxide alarms. State fire safety rules and city codes were not read for this page, so check them (Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 441; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 534; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 535).

• The landlord and tenant chapters were read whole and contain no alarm rule (Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 441; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 534; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 535).

Missouri's landlord and tenant chapters do not require particular locks or rekeying between tenants (Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 441; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 534; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 535).

• A qualifying tenant may use repair and deduct for a code violation that affects the security of the premises (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.234.2).See Tenant repair remedies on the Missouri page

You may not demand or receive a security deposit of more than two months' rent. A security deposit is any money or property, whatever it is called, that the tenant gives you to secure performance of the rental agreement, including damage to the unit; money labeled as a deposit for a pet on the premises is not a security deposit under this section (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.1, .8).

• Because a pet deposit is not a security deposit under this section, it does not count toward the two-month limit (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.8).
• Section 441.043 generally preempts local limits on security deposits. It preserves regulation of public property and specified subsidized-rent arrangements; check the property's ownership and program before treating preemption as universal. The statewide deposit cap remains a separate rule (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.043.2(3), .3).See Rent control and local rules on the Missouri page

Hold every security deposit for the tenant in a bank, credit union or depository institution insured by an agency of the federal government. Any interest the deposit earns belongs to you. Missouri does not require you to pay interest to the tenant (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.2).

• A housing authority or other government landlord is not subject to this holding rule (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.2).

Missouri does not require a move-in checklist or condition report. The deposit rule measures damage against the unit's condition at the start of the tenancy, so a dated record of that condition is your evidence if you later withhold for damage (Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 441; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 534; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 535).

• Deductions for damage are limited to restoring the unit to its condition at the start of the tenancy, ordinary wear and tear excepted (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.4(2)).See Returning the deposit on the Missouri page
• Make a room-by-room record while the unit is empty when practical: note existing marks, worn finishes, appliance condition and missing items, with dated overview and close-up photos. Give both sides a copy, record disagreements rather than leaving them blank, and keep later repair requests with the original record. At move-out, compare the same rooms and surfaces and keep any proposed charge tied to the documented change and actual work. A checklist does not turn ordinary wear into chargeable damage (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.4(2)).

Missouri's landlord and tenant chapters set no limit on application or screening fees and no refund rule for them (Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 441; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 534; Mo. Rev. Stat. chapter 535).

• Cities and counties may not restrict your use of income-qualifying methods, credit scores or reports, eviction or property damage history, or criminal history under your own customarily applied criteria, or stop you from asking for that information (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.043.2(2)).See Rent control and local rules on the Missouri page
• Section 441.043 restricts county and city ordinances. Its protection of customary screening criteria does not replace the state housing-discrimination rules or the duty to consider a reasonable accommodation where required. Review those duties before applying a screening criterion to an applicant (Mo. Rev. Stat. 441.043.2(2); Mo. Rev. Stat. 213.040.1, .2).See Fair housing on the Missouri page