🇺🇸 Missouri tenant document
Landlord kept your deposit? Check the Missouri return rules, then challenge withheld funds with an organized written demand, your dates and amounts, an evidence plan, and official starting points in one downloadable pack.
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Official framework
Revised Statutes of Missouri § 535.300
Missouri generally requires the landlord, within 30 days after the date the tenancy terminates, to return the full security deposit or to furnish a written itemized list of the damages for which any portion is withheld, along with the balance; mailing to the tenant’s last known address counts as compliance.
Read the official statute ↗Content reviewed October 1, 2026. General information only—not legal advice.
Missouri security deposit rules
Missouri law, RSMo 535.300, caps residential security deposits at two months’ rent and generally requires the landlord, within 30 days after the tenancy terminates, to return the full deposit or mail the tenant a written itemized list of damages along with the remaining balance. Deductions are limited to unpaid rent, restoring the unit beyond ordinary wear and tear, qualifying carpet cleaning, and losses from inadequate notice to terminate, and the statute provides that a tenant shall recover twice any amount a court finds was wrongfully withheld.
Watch your own deadline: Because the landlord complies by mailing the itemized list and any payment to your last known address, give the landlord your current mailing address in writing promptly and keep proof of when you sent it. RSMo 535.300.7 also states that a tenant may not apply the deposit in lieu of rent.
Check coverage: Section 535.300.8 excludes money denominated as a pet deposit. Since August 28, 2025, RSMo 441.043 bars counties and cities from limiting the amount of security deposit a landlord may require. Missouri small claims courts hear claims up to $5,000, exclusive of interest or costs.
These are general summaries, not conclusions about your situation. Review the linked official text and obtain legal advice when needed.
Deadline calculator · Normal wear and tear vs. damage · How to get your deposit back · Deadlines in other states
Missouri deposit dispute
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Missouri generally requires the landlord, within 30 days after the date the tenancy terminates, to return the full security deposit or to furnish a written itemized list of the damages for which any portion is withheld, along with the balance; mailing to the tenant’s last known address counts as compliance. Check the official statute for the conditions that apply to your tenancy.
No. The pack organizes a written demand and supporting record. The lease, facts, delivery, evidence, defenses, and any court decision control the result.
A personalized demand letter, timing worksheet, deduction dispute organizer, evidence and delivery log, and escalation-preparation sheet with official source links.
No. It identifies provisions to review and makes clear that potential enhanced remedies depend on facts and, if disputed, a court determination.
Yes. Complete the guided form to see a personalized preview. The finished five-part PDF costs $39 USD as a one-time purchase.