Security deposit return law in Missouri

In Missouri, a landlord must return the security deposit within 30 days (RSMo 535.300).

Return deadline: 30 days after the tenancy ends
Deposit cap: Two months' rent (conditions below)
Itemized list of deductions: Required
If you get it wrong: A landlord who wrongfully withholds all or part of the deposit in violation of the section owes the tenant twice the amount wrongfully withheld (535.300.6).; RSMo 535.300. Verified 2026-09-25.

When the clock starts, and what goes with the money

Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must either return the full deposit or give the tenant a written itemized list of the damages for which any part is withheld, along with the balance.
Mailing the statement and any payment to the tenant's last known address counts as compliance (535.300.3).
Deductions are limited to unpaid rent, restoring the unit to its move-in condition minus ordinary wear and tear, and actual damages from the tenant's failure to give proper notice to end the tenancy (with reasonable efforts to mitigate) (535.300.4).
Carpet cleaning costs may be withheld only if the lease sets the amount or fee and tells the tenant they may be liable for actual carpet cleaning costs beyond ordinary wear and tear, and the landlord must give the tenant a receipt for the actual carpet cleaning cost within 30 days of the end of the tenancy (535.300.4(2)).
The landlord must give the tenant reasonable written or in-person notice of the date and time of the move-out inspection, and the tenant has the right to attend (535.300.5).

How much you can collect

Missouri caps the security deposit at two months' rent (RSMo 535.300). The conditions attached to that cap matter as much as the number:

A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit of more than two months' rent (RSMo 535.300.1).
The statute's definition of security deposit excludes money or property denominated as a deposit for a pet, so a separately labeled pet deposit is outside this section (535.300.8).
The two-times damages remedy has been held not to apply to commercial tenants (PDQ Tower Services, Inc. v. Adams, Mo. App. 2007, noted on the official section page).

What it costs to get this wrong

A landlord who wrongfully withholds all or part of the deposit in violation of the section owes the tenant twice the amount wrongfully withheld (535.300.6). The landlord keeps the right to recover actual damages above the deposit, and the tenant may not apply the deposit to rent (535.300.7).

Holding the deposit

Deposits must be held for the tenant in a bank, credit union, or depository institution insured by a federal agency. Any interest earned belongs to the landlord. Housing authorities and other government landlords are exempt from this holding rule (535.300.2).

Common questions

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

30 days, under RSMo 535.300. Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must either return the full deposit or give the tenant a written itemized list of the damages for which any part is withheld, along with the balance. When the clock starts and what goes back with the money is covered above.

Does Missouri cap the security deposit?

Yes, two months' rent. A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit of more than two months' rent (RSMo 535.300.1). The statute's definition of security deposit excludes money or property denominated as a deposit for a pet, so a separately labeled pet deposit is outside this section (535.300.8). The two-times damages remedy has been held not to apply to commercial tenants (PDQ Tower Services, Inc. v. Adams, Mo. App. 2007, noted on the official section page).

What happens if a Missouri landlord misses the deadline or withholds wrongly?

A landlord who wrongfully withholds all or part of the deposit in violation of the section owes the tenant twice the amount wrongfully withheld (535.300.6). The full rule is under "What it costs to get this wrong" above.

Does a Missouri security deposit have to be held a particular way?

Deposits must be held for the tenant in a bank, credit union, or depository institution insured by a federal agency. The rest is under "Holding the deposit" above.

The deposit paperwork is the part that gets lost. PropManager keeps the deposit on the lease, the move-out itemization with the tenant's file, and the refund in the ledger, so the record exists before a dispute does.

Sources

RSMo 535.300. Source: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=535.300. Verified 2026-09-25.

General information, not legal advice. Check your own lease and any city or county ordinance before you rely on it.