Leaving A Lease Early
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.920 — no rent after moving out, for a tenant who was a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking
In Missouri, an applicant, tenant or lessee of residential property may not be denied tenancy, evicted, or found in violation of a lease on the basis of, or as a direct result of, being, having been, or being in imminent danger of becoming a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, if the person otherwise qualifies for the tenancy.
No rent after moving out. In an action a landlord brings against a tenant, the tenant has an affirmative defense and is not liable for rent for the period after vacating if the court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the tenant was a victim or in imminent danger of becoming one, and that the tenant notified the landlord and provided any documentation the landlord requested.
The statement. The protections apply once the person gives the landlord or property owner a statement of the domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. If the landlord or owner requests it, the person provides documentation in one of two forms.
- A document signed by an employee of a victim service provider, or a health care or mental health professional the victim sought help from, stating under penalty of perjury that the signer believes the incident occurred and meets the definition, and signed by the victim as well.
- A record of a federal, state or local law enforcement agency, including a police report, or of a court or an administrative agency, about the incident.
A reasonable termination fee. A landlord or property owner may impose a reasonable termination fee on a tenant who ends a lease before its expiration date under the section.
Where the protection stops. The protection against denial, eviction or a lease violation does not apply if the tenant allowed the person named in the documentation into the premises, or if the landlord reasonably believes that person poses a threat to the safety of other occupants or the property. Submitting false information may itself be a basis for denying tenancy, eviction or a lease violation.
Leaving early for any other reason, and what a landlord may then recover, are not on this page, and neither are the definitions of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, which are in another section. Whether the defense applies in a particular case is a question for a court and for a licensed Missouri attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.920 — Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking — no discrimination against applicants, tenants, or lessees for residential properties
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Missouri attorney.