Missouri short-term rental laws (2026)
The Department of Revenue issues the retail sales license a Missouri host needs before the first paid night. State law makes it free. It stays valid until the state revokes it or the host surrenders it. Zoning and permits are a city matter.[4]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 2, 2026.
Is Airbnb legal in Missouri?
Legal, taxed like a retail sale
Each city decides on permits, zoning and any lodging tax. Statewide, nightly stays owe the 4.225% sales tax.
16 official sources · verified October 2, 2026
Photo: Kenny Nguyễn on Unsplash
- PermitNot required · State retail sales license, free. Cities add their own
- Primary residenceVaries
- Number on listingNot required
- Night capOnly where local zoning sets one
Missouri short-term rental laws
Department of Revenue guidance puts nightly rentals of Missouri homes, condominiums and cabins under the state sales tax. Hosts collect the 4.225% state rate plus local sales taxes. The tax covers cleaning and service fees as well as the room charge. Once a guest contracts for 31 days or more, no sales tax is due on the stay.[2]
Every Missouri rule, sorted by what it asks
Filter by topic. Each line carries the number of its official source, listed at the bottom of the page.
You must
- Get a free retail sales license before your first booking[4]
- Collect the 4.225% state sales tax on nightly stays[1][2]
- Charge sales tax on cleaning and service fees too[2]
- Get your city's registration, license or permit where it requires one[7][13][10]
- Pay Branson's 4% tourism tax to the city by the 20th of each month[14]
You must not
Cities in this state
Short-term rental rules in 5 Missouri cities
Ranked by the share of housing the Census counts as seasonal.
| City | Local rule | Primary residence | Night cap | Seasonal homes per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Village of Four Seasons short-term rental rulesCamden County, MO | Allowed by zone | Not published | No stays under 31 days in the R-1 and R-2 districts | 591 |
| Osage Beach short-term rental rulesCamden County, MO | Allowed by zone | Not required | No night cap. R-3 zones require a 30-day minimum stay | 572 |
| Branson short-term rental rulesTaney County, MO | License required | Not required | No night limit in the city's short-term rental article | 317 |
| St. Louis short-term rental rulesIndependent city, MO | License required | Not published | No night limit in the license ordinance | 5 |
| Kansas City short-term rental rulesJackson County, MO | Registration required | Varies | No yearly night limit in the registration code | 4 |
How to apply in Missouri
- 1
Check your city's code first. The Village of Four Seasons bars stays under 31 days in its R-1 single-family district.[16]
- 2
Get a retail sales license from the Department of Revenue before your first booking.[4]
- 3
Collect the 4.225% state sales tax, plus any local sales tax, on each nightly stay.[1]
- 4
Register for your city's own lodging tax where it has one, such as Branson's 4% tourism tax.[14]
Five jurisdictions, same questions
The Missouri column comes from the official sources on this page. The other columns show the headline rule from each WonderGuest page. Open a page for the full detail.
| Question | Missouri | Tennessee | Florida | Hawaii | Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit | Not requiredState retail sales license, free. Cities add their own | RequiredCity permit where one exists | RequiredState license, $170 a year | RequiredState GET and TAT licenses | Not requiredNone issued by the state |
| Primary residence | Varies | Varies | Not required | Varies | Not required |
| Night cap | Only where local zoning sets one | None. Under 30 nights is the definition | None published by the state | No state cap, county rules vary | None published by the state |
| Number on listing | Not required | Not required | Not required | Required | Not required |
| Where allowed | Where the city's zoning allows it | City zoning decides, legacy status aside | No local bans after June 1, 2011 | Set by each county | Under the city's own regulations |
| Occupancy tax | 4.225% state sales tax, plus local taxes | City tax up to 4%, 8% with the county | 6% state tax, Airbnb collects | 11% state TAT plus county TAT | 6% state, plus a local rate |
| Fine without permit | Set by each city | Use suspended while unpermitted | Second-degree misdemeanor | $500 fine, $2,000 if cash-based | None set by the state |
| Tennessee short-term rental rules | Florida short-term rental rules | Hawaii short-term rental rules | Texas short-term rental rules |
Coming up
What's changing
No change with an effective date appears in the official sources on this page as of October 2, 2026.
FAQ
Missouri short-term rental questions
Is Airbnb legal in Missouri?
What sales tax applies to a Missouri short-term rental?
How much does Kansas City charge on a short-term rental stay?
Does St. Louis enforce its short-term rental permit ordinance?
What happened to the Lake of the Ozarks lodging tax?
Sources
- Sales/Use Tax, Missouri Department of Revenue, read on October 2, 2026
- Audit Services, Vacation Home Rentals Tax Matrix, revised March 28, 2025, Missouri Department of Revenue, read on October 2, 2026
- RSMo Section 144.020, sales tax rates, rooms, meals and drinks, Missouri Revisor of Statutes, read on October 2, 2026
- RSMo Section 144.083, retail sales license, Missouri Revisor of Statutes, read on October 2, 2026
- RSMo Section 67.1360, transient guest tax for the promotion of tourism, Missouri Revisor of Statutes, read on October 2, 2026
- RSMo Section 67.1177, lake area business district hotel and motel tax, with 2024 annotation, Missouri Revisor of Statutes, read on October 2, 2026
- Ordinance No. 250965, Chapter 56, Article VIII, Short-term rental registration, City of Kansas City, Missouri, City Clerk, read on October 2, 2026
- Short-Term Rental (STR), City of Kansas City, Missouri, read on October 2, 2026
- Tax Guide for Short-Term Rentals, City of Kansas City, Missouri, Finance Department, read on October 2, 2026
- Ordinance 72095, Short Term Rentals (Board Bill 126), City of St. Louis, read on October 2, 2026
- Notice: Short Term Rental Permit Applications Paused Due to Court Order, City of St. Louis, Building Division, read on October 2, 2026
- Short-Term Rentals, City of Branson, read on October 2, 2026
- Code of Ordinances, Chapter 22, Article VI, Short-Term Rentals, City of Branson, read on October 2, 2026
- Tourism Tax & Bond Requirements, City of Branson, read on October 2, 2026
- FAQ: I have a short-term rental in the city, what are my requirements?, City of Osage Beach, read on October 2, 2026
- Code of Ordinances, Chapter 32, Zoning, Village of Four Seasons, read on October 2, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 2, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.
Before you list
Free tools for new hosts
Short-term rental agreement generator
Parties, dates, rent, deposit checked against your state's cap, and the house rules clauses you enforce. A signed-ready PDF for direct and Vrbo bookings.
Airbnb host fee calculator
What Airbnb takes on a booking under the 15.5% host-only fee or the old split fee, what the guest pays on top, and the payout that reaches you.
Airbnb house rules
Generate a complete PDF house rules document for your property: rules, schedule, amenities, emergency contacts.
Check-in instructions
The message a guest reads before getting in: access, keys, WiFi, parking, contact. English or bilingual output.