Missouri Short-Term Rental Laws by City (2026)
Short-term rental rules in Missouri are set city by city — a property that is legal to rent nightly in one town can be prohibited a few miles away. The table below covers 3 Missouri cities (3 human-verified against official sources), with each city's legal status, permit cost, and last-verified date.
Statewide short-term rental rules in Missouri
Missouri has no statewide short-term rental license, registration, or permit, and no state law preempting local STR regulation — cities and counties are free to allow, restrict, or ban short-term rentals. The state's main role is tax: stays of less than 30 days are subject to Missouri's 4.225% state sales tax (plus local sales and tourism taxes), and since January 1, 2023 marketplace platforms like Airbnb must register with the Department of Revenue and collect these taxes on facilitated bookings. A separate statewide pain point is property tax: some county assessors reclassify STRs from residential (19% assessment) to commercial (32%) under the 'transient housing' loophole in RSMo 137.016; bills to fix this (HB 1086 in 2025, SB 1066 / HBs 1768 & 2060 in 2026) passed at least one chamber but died before final passage. City and county rules apply on top of state law — check your local market's page.
Full statewide rules: permits, taxes & enforcement
Missouri has no statewide short-term rental license, registration, or permit, and no state law preempting local STR regulation — cities and counties are free to allow, restrict, or ban short-term rentals. The state's main role is tax: stays of less than 30 days are subject to Missouri's 4.225% state sales tax (plus local sales and tourism taxes), and since January 1, 2023 marketplace platforms like Airbnb must register with the Department of Revenue and collect these taxes on facilitated bookings. A separate statewide pain point is property tax: some county assessors reclassify STRs from residential (19% assessment) to commercial (32%) under the 'transient housing' loophole in RSMo 137.016; bills to fix this (HB 1086 in 2025, SB 1066 / HBs 1768 & 2060 in 2026) passed at least one chamber but died before final passage. City and county rules apply on top of state law — check your local market's page.
Reviewed by the STR Rule Watch research team against 8 official sources. How we verify data
Missouri statewide STR rules at a glance
| Legal status | Allowed, no permit required |
|---|---|
| Permit required | No |
| Renewal | No renewal required |
| Total occupancy taxes | ~4.22% of gross revenue |
| Insurance | No statewide insurance mandate for short-term rentals; any insurance requirement is imposed locally or by the platform. |
| Enforcement | State-level enforcement is limited to tax compliance by the Missouri Department of Revenue (sales tax audits of lodging operators; marketplace facilitator obligations). |
State law & local authority
No state preemption: Missouri statute is silent on local short-term rental regulation, so cities and counties retain full zoning, licensing, and police-power authority over STRs. Kansas City, St. Louis, Branson, Columbia, and others each run their own permit/zoning regimes, and some (e.g. Jackson County for property tax) treat STRs as commercial. No Arizona/Tennessee/Florida-style preemption or grandfathering statute has been enacted; the 2025-2026 statewide bills (HB 1086, SB 1066, HBs 1768 & 2060) addressed only property tax classification, not local regulatory authority, and none became law.
State-level taxes
| Tax | Rate | Who collects |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri state sales tax on transient accommodations (RSMo 144.020.1(6))Applies to sleeping-room charges (including cleaning fees) for stays under 30 days; stays of 30+ days by individuals qualify for the permanent-resident exemption (12 CSR 10-110.220). Statutory base rate is 4%; combined state rate with constitutional add-ons is 4.225%. Since January 1, 2023, marketplace facilitators (Airbnb, Vrbo) must register with the Department of Revenue and collect/remit on facilitated bookings (RSMo 144.752); Airbnb confirms it collects the 4.225% state sales tax plus local sales/tourism taxes in Missouri. Hosts taking direct bookings must register and remit themselves. | 4.225% | varies |
| Local sales, tourism, and transient guest (lodging) taxesNot a state tax, but state statutes (e.g. RSMo 67.1360) authorize cities and counties to impose voter-approved transient guest/lodging and tourism taxes on stays; rates vary by jurisdiction (e.g. St. Louis 3.5% hotel/motel room tax + 3.75% convention & tourism tax). Airbnb collects some local taxes under its marketplace registration; others must be remitted by the host locally. Rate shown as 0 because it varies by locality — see each city page. | 0% | varies |
Enforcement & penalties
State-level enforcement is limited to tax compliance by the Missouri Department of Revenue (sales tax audits of lodging operators; marketplace facilitator obligations). Operational STR enforcement (permits, zoning, safety inspections) happens entirely at the city/county level. A notable state-law-driven issue: county assessors (Jackson County prominently) use the RSMo 137.016 'transient housing' definition — rooms whose rents are subject to state sales tax — to reclassify STRs from residential (19% assessed value) to commercial (32%), roughly tripling property tax bills.
No statewide STR-specific penalties. Failure to collect or remit state sales tax on stays exposes hosts to standard Missouri DOR assessments, penalties, and interest.
Statewide sources
- RSMo Section 137.016 — classification of real property; 'transient housing' definition (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)retrieved July 10, 2026
- RSMo Section 144.020 — sales tax imposed on rooms furnished at hotels, tourist cabins, tourist camps, etc. (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)retrieved July 10, 2026
- RSMo Section 144.752 — marketplace facilitators, registration and collection required (effective Jan 1, 2023)retrieved July 10, 2026
- Missouri Department of Revenue — Hotels: Top 5 Educational/Guidance Items (sales tax on rooms, 30-day permanent resident exemption)retrieved July 10, 2026
- Missouri House — HB 1768 (2026): classification of certain residential real property used for short-term rentals (died 5/15/2026)retrieved July 10, 2026
- Missouri House — HB 1086 (2025): classification of certain residential real property used for short-term rentals (died in Senate)retrieved July 10, 2026
- Airbnb Help Center — Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Missouriretrieved July 10, 2026
- Missouri Independent — Missouri lawmakers fail to deliver property tax relief amid rising assessments (2026 session wrap-up)retrieved July 10, 2026
| City | Status | Permit fee | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branson | Permit required | $150 | July 10, 2026 |
| Kansas City | Restricted | $200 | July 21, 2026 |
| St. Louis | Restricted | $150 | July 21, 2026 |
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This page is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Regulations change frequently — verify current requirements with each jurisdiction before operating. HOA and condo rules may prohibit short-term rentals regardless of city law.