Mobile home park fees in Missouri
Missouri sets no cap on mobile home park fees; under the general landlord-tenant law a security deposit may not exceed two months' rent and must be returned, with an itemized list of any deductions, within 30 days.
Published June 3, 2026
Missouri has no dedicated mobile home park statute and no cap on park fees. Park charges are governed by the written lease and the general landlord-tenant law, and security deposits are governed by Missouri's general deposit statute. This page compiles that general law. For a specific charge, consider consulting a licensed attorney in Missouri.
What the statute says
On security deposits, Mo. Rev. Stat. §535.300 provides that "a landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit in excess of two months' rent." The deposit must be held "in a bank, credit union, or depository institution which is insured by an agency of the federal government," and within 30 days after the tenancy ends the landlord must either "return the full amount of the security deposit" or "furnish to the tenant a written itemized list of the damages for which the security deposit ... is withheld, along with the balance." If the landlord "wrongfully withholds all or any portion of the security deposit ... the tenant shall recover as damages twice the amount wrongfully withheld."
There is no statute capping any other park fee; those are set by the written lease.
How it works in general
A security deposit can't exceed two months' rent, must be held in an insured institution, and must be returned (or itemized in writing) within 30 days of the tenancy's end, with double damages for a wrongful withholding. The landlord must give reasonable written notice of the move-out inspection, which the tenant may attend. Beyond the deposit, Missouri sets no statewide cap on park fees — the lease defines what may be charged, so its fee terms are the place to look.
Common scenarios
General examples Missouri park residents commonly encounter:
- A deposit is not returned after move-out. Section 535.300 requires return (or a written itemized list) within 30 days, with double damages for wrongful withholding.
- A new fee appears. With no statewide mobile-home fee cap, the written lease governs what may be charged.
- A resident expects a deposit larger than the law allows. The deposit may not exceed two months' rent.
Other authorities that may apply
The written lease defines the fees, and the general landlord-tenant statutes (chapters 441 and 535) govern the tenancy and the deposit. Federal law can apply in particular situations. The lease's fee terms are the first place to look.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Missouri cap mobile home park fees?
- No. Missouri has no dedicated mobile home park statute and no cap on park fees. What the general landlord-tenant law caps is the security deposit, not other park fees, which are set by the written lease. This is general information, not advice about a specific charge — consider consulting a licensed attorney in Missouri.
- What is the security deposit limit in Missouri?
- Two months' rent. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. §535.300, 'a landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit in excess of two months' rent,' the deposit must be held in an insured financial institution, and within 30 days after the tenancy ends the landlord must return it or 'furnish to the tenant a written itemized list of the damages' withheld.
- What happens if a Missouri landlord wrongfully keeps the deposit?
- Double damages. Under §535.300, 'if the landlord wrongfully withholds all or any portion of the security deposit in violation of this section, the tenant shall recover as damages twice the amount wrongfully withheld.' The landlord must also give reasonable written notice of a move-out inspection the tenant may attend.