Missouri Tenant Screening and Source-of-Income Preemption

Missouri RSMo 441.043, as amended in 2025, bars counties and cities from enacting any ordinance that prohibits a landlord from refusing to lease based on a prospective tenant's lawful source of income, including federal housing assistance vouchers. Local governments also cannot restrict landlords from using credit checks, eviction history, criminal background checks, or other lawful screening criteria; cannot regulate security deposit amounts beyond state law; and cannot mandate tenant rights of first refusal. The preemption applies to all jurisdictions statewide, including charter cities. Local ordinances solely protecting veterans against discrimination remain permissible.

Local source-of-income, screening-restriction, deposit-cap, or right-of-first-refusal ordinances are preempted, void, and unenforceable.