Columbia, MO local landlord rules
State law also applies. See Missouri landlord-tenant law and the Missouri landlord FAQ. State rules: Security deposit limit · Deposit return deadline · Notice to enter · Late fees · Eviction notice (nonpayment) · Rent increase notice.
Quick facts
| Topic | At a glance |
|---|---|
| Short-term rentals (Airbnb) | Yes. Operating a short-term rental requires a City business license and a short-term rental certificate of compliance. Licensees must also carry business liability or short-term rental insurance. |
| Rental licensing / registration | In Columbia, a landlord needs a certificate of compliance from the city before a rental unit can be rented or occupied (§ 22-184). Code text: "(a) The following provisions shall apply to long-term rental units: (1) It shall be unlawful to operate within the city any apartment house, rooming house, two-family dwelling, or single rental unit without a current certificate of compliance." |
Details & sources
Short-term rentals (Airbnb)
Yes. Operating a short-term rental requires a City business license and a short-term rental certificate of compliance. Licensees must also carry business liability or short-term rental insurance.
Verified Source: Columbia Code of Ordinances §§ 13-260.6, 13-260.7 (Browser transcription) · last checked 2026-10-15
Back to quick facts ↑Rental licensing / registration
In Columbia, a landlord needs a certificate of compliance from the city before a rental unit can be rented or occupied (§ 22-184). Code text: "(a) The following provisions shall apply to long-term rental units: (1) It shall be unlawful to operate within the city any apartment house, rooming house, two-family dwelling, or single rental unit without a current certificate of compliance."
Verified Source: Columbia, MO Code of Ordinances § 22-184 · last checked 2026-10-16
Back to quick facts ↑Research coverage
0 of 13 topics checked at the local level (state law is covered on the state page). A topic counts as checked only when every subtopic in it is checked or no additional requirement was found after a recorded full read. How coverage works.
| Topic | Status | Subtopics done |
|---|---|---|
| Deposits | Not researched | 0 of 2 |
| Deposit return deadlines | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Rent increases and rent control | Not researched | 0 of 1 |
| Late fees | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Landlord entry | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Repairs and habitability | Not researched | 0 of 1 |
| Screening and application fees | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Fair housing and assistance animals | Not researched | 0 of 1 |
| Disclosures | Not researched | 0 of 2 |
| Renewal and termination | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Eviction | Not researched | 0 of 3 |
| Registration and licensing | Partially researched | 1 of 3 |
| Short-term rentals | Partially researched | 1 of 2 |
Also applies statewide
Missouri rules that also apply in Columbia:
- Security deposit limit
- No more than two months' rent. Since Aug. 28, 2025, cities and counties may not set their own deposit caps (RSMo 441.043.2(3)). Verified Source: RSMo § 535.300(1); RSMo § 441.043.2(3) · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Missouri security deposit limit page
- Deposit return deadline
- Within 30 days after the tenancy ends: return the full deposit, or an itemized list of damages for any amount kept. Verified Source: RSMo § 535.300(3) · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Missouri deposit return deadline page
- Notice to enter
- Missouri's landlord-tenant statutes (RSMo ch. 441 and 535) set no notice requirement for landlord entry (full-text search of the chapters). Verified Source: RSMo ch. 441, 535 · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Missouri notice to enter page
- Late fees
- Missouri's landlord-tenant statutes (RSMo ch. 441 and 535) set no late-fee cap or rule (full-text search of the chapters). Verified Source: RSMo ch. 441, 535 · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Missouri late fees page
Other Missouri cities
- Belton landlord rules
- Branson landlord rules
- Cape Girardeau landlord rules
- Ferguson landlord rules
- Hannibal landlord rules
- Independence landlord rules
- Kansas City landlord rules
- Mountain Grove landlord rules
- Springfield landlord rules
- St. Louis landlord rules
- Sunset Hills landlord rules
Back to Missouri landlord-tenant law
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