Missouri (MO) lease form
Missouri residential lease agreements are primarily governed by RSMo Chapters 441 and 535, which set the floor for disclosure obligations, tenant protections, and unenforceable lease terms. Missouri is a relatively landlord-friendly state with fewer mandatory disclosures than many others, but meth contamination and landlord contact disclosures are non-negotiable. Landlords operating in Kansas City or St. Louis should also check local ordinances, which may impose additional requirements beyond state law.
Revun generates a Missouri-ready lease with the required disclosures and clauses built in, then handles e-signature, rent, and renewals on the same platform.
At or before the start of tenancy, landlords must disclose in writing the name and address of the person authorized to manage the premises and an owner or agent authorized to receive notices and service of process (RSMo 535.185). Failure to comply makes the non-disclosing person an agent of the landlord by default.
Landlords with actual knowledge that the property was previously used for meth production or storage must disclose that fact to prospective tenants (RSMo 441.236). The obligation is triggered by actual knowledge, not mere suspicion.
Federal law (42 U.S.C. 4852d) requires landlords of housing built before 1978 to disclose any known lead-based paint hazards, provide the EPA pamphlet "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home," and include a standard lead warning in the lease. Missouri has no separate state lead-paint statute, so the federal rule governs.
While not a formal statute-mandated disclosure, Missouri best practice and lease enforceability requires the lease to clearly identify which utilities (gas, electric, water, trash) are the tenant's responsibility versus the landlord's, to avoid disputes during tenancy.
General information, not legal advice. Governing statute: RSMo Chapters 441 (Landlord and Tenant) and 535 (Landlord-Tenant Actions). Confirm current requirements or consult an attorney before finalizing a lease.
Missouri lease FAQ
Missouri requires landlords to disclose in writing the name and address of the property manager or owner authorized to receive notices (RSMo 535.185), and to disclose any known methamphetamine contamination (RSMo 441.236). Federal law also requires a lead-paint disclosure for units built before 1978.
Missouri does not require all residential leases to be in writing; oral month-to-month tenancies are recognized. However, any lease term exceeding one year must be in writing to be enforceable under Missouri's statute of frauds, and written leases are strongly recommended for all tenancies to document agreed terms.
Missouri courts will void clauses that waive the landlord's duty of habitability, authorize self-help evictions (lock-outs or utility shut-offs), include confessions of judgment, or release a landlord from liability for their own negligence.
No. Missouri law under RSMo 441.043 presumes that two persons per bedroom is a reasonable occupancy limit; a lease that sets a lower cap may be found unreasonable, and the limit cannot be applied to a child born to tenants during the lease term.
