Columbia, MO Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Who must file
- every operator or registrant
- Filed with
- Director of Housing & Neighborhood Services
- Ineligibility period
- 3 years after revocation or ch. 29 conviction
- STR extra requirement
- designated agent based in Boone County
- Application fee
- $130 for a single-family dwelling
Summary
Every operator of a Columbia, Missouri rental -- long-term or short-term -- must file a formal application for a certificate of compliance with the director before renting a unit in Boone County.
Formal application required. Every operator shall submit an application for a certificate of compliance to the director. If the certificate of compliance has been revoked pursuant to section 22-193 of this article or if the owner, operator or tenant has been convicted of a violation of chapter 29 of this Code, the operator is ineligible for a certificate of compliance for that dwelling for a period of three (3) years.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 138).
Full Breakdown
Under City Code § 22-186(a)(1), every operator of a Columbia, Missouri rental must file a formal written application for a certificate of compliance with the director of housing and neighborhood services before leasing an apartment house, rooming house, two-family dwelling, or single rental unit; one application can cover all commonly owned property. An owner or operator whose certificate was revoked, or who was convicted of a chapter 29 violation, is ineligible to reapply for three years. Short-term rental registrants in Boone County face added requirements under § 22-186(b), including a designated local agent and disclosure of every listing platform used.
Violations & Fines
Renting without a filed, approved application and certificate is a misdemeanor under § 22-195; listing a short-term rental without a director-issued permit number is separately unlawful under § 22-187(b)(3).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Columbia require landlords to register rental property?
Is a short-term rental registration different from a long-term one?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbia
Compare Columbia to another location·View the Missouri rental property rules overview
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