Missouri Revised Statutes §535.300 caps residential security deposits at two months' rent and requires landlords to return deposits within thirty days of tenancy termination with an itemized list of any deductions, applied uniformly across Kansas City rentals.
Mo. §535.300 sets the statewide framework: deposits capped at two months' rent, a written list of damages within thirty days, and treble damages plus attorney fees if a landlord wrongfully withholds funds. The Kansas City Tenant Bill of Rights (Ord. 220011, 2022) layers in plain-language disclosure and education obligations and ties access to the City's Source-of-Income protections, but the substantive deposit cap remains a state-law floor. Landlords must allow tenants reasonable access to inspect for damages before move-out and provide receipts when deductions occur, consistent with the statute's good-faith standard.
Failing to return a deposit or send the itemized statement within thirty days of termination exposes landlords to treble damages plus reasonable attorney fees under Mo. §535.300, plus possible retaliation claims if linked to a tenant complaint.
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See how Kansas City's security deposit rules rules stack up against other locations.
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