Home / States / Missouri

Missouri security deposit: 30 days to get it back

Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must either return the full deposit or send the tenant a written itemized list of damages along with any remaining balance. Mailing the list and payment to the tenant's last known address counts as compliance.

Double-check before you rely on this. Parts of this page come from legal-aid and other secondary summaries instead of the official statute text. Confirm the deadline and penalty in Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300, and check whether a local ordinance changes the rules.

What the law requires

Itemized statement: The written list must itemize the damages. The landlord may keep only amounts reasonably necessary for unpaid rent, restoring the unit to its move-in condition (ordinary wear and tear excepted), and actual damages from a tenant's inadequate notice of termination. The landlord must give reasonable notice of the move-out inspection, and the tenant has the right to be present.
Forwarding address: The landlord complies by mailing the list and any payment to the tenant's last known address, so give your new address in writing.
If the landlord breaks the rules: A landlord who wrongfully withholds part of the deposit can be ordered to pay the tenant up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld.
Deposit cap: A landlord may not demand or receive a deposit of more than two months' rent. Money labeled as a pet deposit is not counted as a security deposit under this section.
Small claims limit: $5,000 in Small Claims Court (a division of the Associate Circuit Court)
Statute: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300

If your landlord misses the deadline

Write down your dates and gather proof: move-out date, the date you gave your forwarding address, the deposit amount, and anything the landlord sent. Photos and receipts help.
Send a written demand by certified mail, keep the receipt, and cite Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300. Give a date to respond.
If you still aren't paid, file in Small Claims Court (a division of the Associate Circuit Court). Deposit claims up to $5,000 can be filed there, usually without a lawyer. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

What a Missouri demand letter looks like

Re: Demand for return of security deposit / Rental address: [Street address, unit, city, state ZIP]

Dear [Landlord name]:

I rented the property above from you under a lease that began on [lease start date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount] on [date paid]. I moved out and returned possession on [move-out date].

My forwarding address is [forwarding address]. Please send my deposit and any required statement to that address.

[A.] I have not received my deposit or an itemized statement of deductions. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300, a landlord must return a tenant's security deposit, or send an itemized statement of any deductions, within 30 days after the tenant moves out. That deadline passed on [deadline date].

Preview of the first part of letter one. Yellow marks the parts you fill in.

Common questions

How long does a landlord in Missouri have to return a security deposit?

What happens if a Missouri landlord keeps the deposit wrongfully?

A landlord who wrongfully withholds part of the deposit can be ordered to pay the tenant up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld.

Do I have to give my Missouri landlord a forwarding address?

The landlord complies by mailing the list and any payment to the tenant's last known address, so give your new address in writing.

Where do I sue for my deposit in Missouri?

Deposit claims up to $5,000 can be filed in Small Claims Court (a division of the Associate Circuit Court). Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

Other states

Rules reviewed October 2026. Laws change, so confirm with the statute before you rely on this page.