Security deposit interest in Missouri
No — Missouri does not require landlords to pay interest on security deposits.
There is no interest to calculate — here is what does apply
Missouri sets no interest requirement, so there is no figure to work out. The rules below are the ones that decide whether you get your deposit back in full, which is usually the larger sum anyway.
Deadline to return your deposit
30 days after the tenancy ends.
Miss it and the consequences below start to apply.
What to do next
- Give your landlord a written forwarding address. Several states make the return duty conditional on it, and Missouri's rules are summarised below.
- Photograph the unit at move-out, dated, before you hand back the keys. The dispute is almost always about condition.
- If the deadline passes, put the request in writing and cite Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 535.300. Keep a copy of what you sent and when.
Not legal advice. This is general information, not legal advice. Security deposit laws change and vary by jurisdiction. Verify with the cited statute or consult a licensed attorney in your state before taking action.
What does Missouri law actually say?
Missouri does not require landlords to pay interest on residential security deposits. The statute contains no interest provision and imposes no escrow or separate account requirement. Deposits are capped at two months' rent.
The landlord holds the deposit for the tenant and may withhold only for unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear and tear caused by the tenant, their family, agents or guests, or where the tenant fails to give the required notice before vacating. Within 30 days of termination the landlord must return the deposit or provide a written itemised list of damages, and must give the tenant reasonable notice in writing of the date and time of the move-out inspection so the tenant may attend. The landlord bears the burden of proving that any withheld amount was reasonably necessary.
Where the property is sold or transferred, the deposit follows to the new owner, who becomes liable for it, and the original landlord remains jointly liable until the tenant is notified of the transfer.
What if your landlord does not comply?
No interest obligation, so no interest penalty. A landlord who wrongfully withholds any part of the deposit is liable for twice the amount wrongfully withheld. Failure to return the deposit or provide the itemised list within 30 days constitutes wrongful withholding.