What Missouri requires
- After the rental agreement ends, the landlord gives the tenant or their representative reasonable written notice, at the last known address or in person, of the date and time of the inspection that decides what is withheld from the deposit, and holds it at a reasonable timeRevised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.5 · Missouri Attorney General, Missouri's Landlord-Tenant Law (Security Deposit)
- The tenant has the right to be present at the move-out inspection at the date and time the landlord setsRevised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.5 · Missouri Attorney General, Missouri's Landlord-Tenant Law (Security Deposit)
- Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord returns the full deposit, or gives the tenant a written itemized list of the damages it is withheld for along with the balance; mailing them to the tenant's last known address compliesRevised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.3 · Missouri Attorney General, Missouri's Landlord-Tenant Law (Security Deposit)
- For the unit's condition, the landlord may withhold only what is reasonably necessary to restore it to its condition at the start of the tenancy, ordinary wear and tear excepted; the other reasons allowed are unpaid rent and loss from a tenant not giving adequate noticeRevised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.4 · Missouri Attorney General, Missouri's Landlord-Tenant Law (Security Deposit)
- Carpet cleaning can come out of the deposit only where the rental agreement sets the amounts or fees and tells the tenant they may be liable for carpet cleaning beyond ordinary wear and tear; the landlord gives a receipt for the actual cost within 30 days after the tenancy endsRevised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.4 (2)
- A tenant whose deposit is wrongfully withheld recovers twice the amount wrongfully withheldRevised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.6 · Missouri Attorney General, Missouri's Landlord-Tenant Law (Security Deposit)
- The deposit does not cap the landlord's claim: actual damages above it can still be recovered, and the tenant may not apply the deposit in place of rentRevised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.7
- A deposit for a pet is not a security deposit under these rulesRevised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.8
Notice of the move-out inspection
After the rental agreement ends, the landlord gives the tenant or their representative reasonable written notice of the date and time of the inspection that decides what is withheld. The notice goes to the tenant's last known address or is handed over in person, and the inspection is held at a reasonable time.
The tenant has the right to be present at that inspection. Recording the notice date and who attended in the report keeps the record straight if the deposit is disputed.
Measured against the start of the tenancy
For the unit's condition, the landlord may keep only what is reasonably necessary to restore it to its condition at the start of the tenancy, ordinary wear and tear excepted. The other reasons the statute allows are unpaid rent and loss from a tenant who did not give adequate notice to end the tenancy.
That makes the move-in report the yardstick. Without a dated record of how each room looked at the start, there is little to restore the unit to. Carpet cleaning is a special case: it can be charged only where the rental agreement sets the amounts and warns the tenant, with a receipt for the actual cost within 30 days.
The 30 days and the itemized list
Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord returns the full deposit, or sends a written itemized list of the damages it is withheld for with the balance. Mailing them to the tenant's last known address complies.
A tenant whose deposit is wrongfully withheld recovers twice the amount wrongfully withheld. The deposit does not cap the landlord's claim: actual damages above it can still be recovered, and the tenant may not use the deposit in place of the last rent. A pet deposit falls outside these rules.
From walkthrough notes to a finished Missouri report
At move-out, note each room's condition against the move-in report, the date you gave the tenant written notice of the inspection, and who was there. ReportDraft writes it up room by room, keeps ordinary wear apart from damage, puts the notice date and the people present in the header, and leaves lines for the landlord and the tenant or their representative to sign.
Use the same rooms and items at move-in, so each line of the itemized list can point to a specific change.
Common mistakes
- Inspecting at move-out without giving the tenant reasonable written notice of the date and time.
- Holding the inspection at an unreasonable hour, or not letting the tenant attend.
- Charging for ordinary wear and tear instead of restoring to the move-in condition.
- Withholding for carpet cleaning when the rental agreement does not set the amounts and warn the tenant.
- Sending the itemized list after 30 days, or without the balance of the deposit.
Sources
- Revised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.5, checked October 9, 2026
- Missouri Attorney General, Missouri's Landlord-Tenant Law (Security Deposit), checked October 9, 2026
- Revised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.3, checked October 9, 2026
- Revised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.4, checked October 9, 2026
- Revised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.4 (2), checked October 9, 2026
- Revised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.6, checked October 9, 2026
- Revised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.7, checked October 9, 2026
- Revised Statutes of Missouri s. 535.300.8, checked October 9, 2026
Last reviewed October 9, 2026. Next review due January 9, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.