Can a tenant repair and deduct from rent in Missouri?
Yes, within limits. In Missouri, a tenant who has lived in the unit for six months, paid all rent and had no uncured lease violation notice may, if a code violation affecting habitability is not fixed within 14 days after written notice, have the work done and deduct the cost, up to $300 or half a month’s rent, whichever is greater, but never more than one month’s rent. If the landlord disputes the need in writing, the tenant needs the city’s written certification of a code violation first, and deductions may not exceed one month’s rent in any 12 months. Each step has to be followed as the statute sets it out, including the written notice and the waiting period, or the deduction can be treated as unpaid rent. This is Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.234.
| What | Missouri |
|---|---|
| Repair and deduct | Allowed by statute, within a cap |
| Limit | Up to $300 or half a month’s rent, whichever is greater |
Source
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.234
Read the statute in the Missouri Revised Statutes (Missouri Revisor of Statutes): revisor.mo.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
Every deadline on this page runs from the tenant’s notice. A repair request filed in Seayora keeps the date it was made and every update after it, on the website and both phone apps, so owner and tenant are working from the same date.
Guides on this rule
- How Long Does a Landlord Have to Make Repairs? Deadlines by State — Repair deadlines after a tenant’s notice in Washington, Texas, Arizona, Oregon, California and Florida, and what a tenant may do if the landlord misses one.
Compare this rule in every state
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