Is It Legal in Missouri?
51 common questions
Straight answers to some of the most-searched Missouri law questions, each drawn from the real statute and linked to the full law in plain English. These are facts from the law itself — not legal advice.
Driving & DWI
What is Missouri's blood alcohol limit for driving?
It is against the law in Missouri to drive a regular vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.08% or higher, or to drive a commercial truck or bus with a blood alcohol level of 0.04% or higher.
Read the full law — RSMo 577.012 · Driving with excessive blood alcohol contentWhat happens if you get a DWI in Missouri?
It is against the law to drive a vehicle while drunk or intoxicated. The punishment depends on how many times the person has done it before and whether anyone got hurt or killed.
Read the full law — RSMo 577.010 · Driving while intoxicatedCan you refuse a breathalyzer in Missouri?
If someone is stopped or arrested and refuses to take a chemical test (like a breathalyzer), that refusal can be used against them in court. The officer must tell the person why the test is being requested and warn them that refusing can be used against them.
Read the full law — RSMo 577.041 · Refusal to submit to chemical testWhat happens if you leave the scene of an accident in Missouri?
If someone is driving a car or boat and gets into an accident that hurts someone, kills someone, or damages another person's property, that person has to stop and share their name, address, vehicle or boat registration number, and driver's license number with the other party or police.
Read the full law — RSMo 577.060 · Leaving the scene of an accidentWhen does Missouri suspend your license for points?
Points add up on your driving record and can trigger a suspension. See how the point system works.
Read the full law — RSMo 302.304 · Notice of pointsIs it illegal to drink alcohol while driving in Missouri?
It is against the law to drink alcohol while driving a moving vehicle on public roads. This includes state roads, county roads, streets, and alleys. Breaking this rule is a minor violation and does not go on a person's driving record.
Read the full law — RSMo 577.017 · Consumption of alcoholic beverages while drivingWhat is the speed limit in Missouri?
If someone is caught driving over the speed limit by five miles per hour or less, it is treated as an infraction — a minor violation, not a crime. No points are added to that person's driving record for this kind of ticket.
Read the full law — RSMo 304.009 · Speed limitIs it illegal to fly a plane while drunk in Missouri?
It is against the law to fly a plane or work as a copilot, flight engineer, or flight navigator while drunk. The first time someone does this, it is a class C misdemeanor. If the person has been found guilty of this before, or a similar offense in another state, it becomes a class A misdemeanor, which is more serious.
Read the full law — RSMo 577.015 · Operating an aircraft while intoxicated
Renting & housing
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Missouri?
A landlord cannot ask for a security deposit worth more than two months' rent. The landlord must keep that money in a government-insured bank.
Read the full law — RSMo 535.300 · Security deposits, limitationHow does eviction work in Missouri?
If a judge decides someone should be evicted, that person has 24 hours to leave, and then the landlord can take back the property. If someone in the home is doing criminal activity but is not the tenant, the judge can order just that person removed and banned from the property without ending the lease.
Read the full law — RSMo 441.770 · Court-ordered eviction, whenCan a Missouri landlord lock you out or take back the property?
If a renter breaks the rules in sections 441.020 or 441.030 (like using the place to sell drugs), the landlord can give the renter 10 days written notice to leave. After that, the landlord can legally remove the renter and anyone else staying there.
Read the full law — RSMo 441.040 · Landlord may take possession, when
Guns & self-defense
What are the requirements for a concealed carry permit in Missouri?
State law lists the application requirements for a concealed carry permit. See who qualifies and how.
Read the full law — RSMo 571.101 · Concealed carry permits, application requirementsWhere can't you carry a concealed gun in Missouri, even with a permit?
A concealed carry permit lets a person carry a hidden gun on them or in their car anywhere in Missouri — but not in certain places. Those off-limits places include police stations, jails, courthouses, schools, hospitals, churches (without permission), bars, airports, amusement parks, large stadiums, and more.
Read the full law — RSMo 571.107 · Permit does not authorize concealed firearms, whereWhat is unlawful use of a weapon in Missouri?
This law lists things a person is not allowed to do with weapons in Missouri. Some examples: carrying a hidden weapon into restricted areas, shooting a gun at or from a car, bringing a gun to school, showing a weapon in an angry or threatening way, or having a gun while drunk and using it carelessly.
Read the full law — RSMo 571.030 · Unlawful use of weapons, offense ofWhen is self-defense legal in Missouri?
Missouri law says a person can use physical force to protect themselves or someone else if they honestly and reasonably think it is needed to stop an unlawful attack.
Read the full law — RSMo 563.031 · Use of force in defense of personsCan a person use force to defend their property in Missouri?
This law says a person can use physical force to stop someone from stealing, damaging, or messing with their property, as long as they truly believe it is needed. Regular people cannot use deadly force just to protect property unless another part of the law allows it.
Read the full law — RSMo 563.041 · Use of physical force in defense of property
Family & marriage
How old do you have to be to get married in Missouri?
In Missouri, two people must get a marriage license before getting married. They apply at the recorder of deeds office, and the license expires after 30 days. The marriage also has to be performed by someone legally allowed to do so.
Read the full law — RSMo 451.040 · Marriage license required, waiting periodWhat are the grounds for divorce in Missouri?
A Missouri court gives a divorce when both spouses (or one of them) have lived in Missouri for 90 days, 30 days have passed since the divorce was filed, and the marriage is permanently broken with no chance of saving it.
Read the full law — RSMo 452.305 · Judgment of dissolution, grounds forWhat does it mean that a marriage is 'irretrievably broken'?
This law explains how a Missouri court decides if a marriage is broken beyond repair. If both spouses agree the marriage is over, the court holds a hearing and decides whether to grant a divorce.
Read the full law — RSMo 452.320 · Finding that marriage is irretrievably broken, whenHow does a Missouri court decide child custody?
This law is about how Missouri courts decide who takes care of a child when parents split up. The court's main job is to figure out what is best for the child. The law starts by assuming that splitting time equally between both parents is best, but that can be changed if there is enough evidence.
Read the full law — RSMo 452.375 · CustodyHow is child support calculated in Missouri?
When parents split up or divorce, a court can order one or both parents to pay child support. The court looks at things like how much money each parent makes, what the child needs, and how much time the child spends with each parent.
Read the full law — RSMo 452.340 · Child support, how allocatedHow is property divided in a Missouri divorce?
When a couple gets divorced or legally separated, a court splits up what they own and owe. The court first figures out what property each person owned before the marriage or got as a gift or inheritance — that stays with that person.
Read the full law — RSMo 452.330 · Disposition of property and debts, factors to be consideredDo grandparents have visitation rights in Missouri?
Grandparents can be granted visitation in certain situations. See when a court may allow it.
Read the full law — RSMo 452.402 · Grandparent's visitation rights granted, when
Crimes & records
What counts as stealing in Missouri?
Stealing means taking someone else's property or services without permission, by tricking them, or by forcing them. It also includes keeping or getting rid of property a person knows was stolen.
Read the full law — RSMo 570.030 · StealingWhat is second-degree assault in Missouri?
Second degree assault covers four situations: trying to kill or badly hurt someone in the heat of the moment after something upsetting happened; hurting someone with a deadly weapon; recklessly causing serious injury to someone; or recklessly shooting and injuring someone.
Read the full law — RSMo 565.052 · Assault, second degree, penaltyWhat is third-degree assault in Missouri?
Assault in the third degree means someone on purpose hurts another person. This is normally a class E felony, but if the person who got hurt is a "special victim" (like a child, elderly person, or officer), the charge becomes a class D felony, which is more serious.
Read the full law — RSMo 565.054 · Assault in the third degreeWhat is fourth-degree assault in Missouri?
This law covers lower-level assaults. A person commits this crime by trying to hurt someone, accidentally hurting them through careless actions, making someone fear they are about to be hurt, creating a serious risk of death or injury, or making unwanted physical contact that a reasonable person would find offensive —…
Read the full law — RSMo 565.056 · Assault in the fourth degreeWhat is identity theft under Missouri law?
Identity theft is when someone uses another person's identifying information (like their name, Social Security number, etc.) without permission, trying to cheat or trick others. The punishment depends on how much money or stuff was stolen — ranging from a minor misdemeanor up to a serious felony for large amounts.
Read the full law — RSMo 570.223 · Identity theftWhat is harassment in Missouri?
Missouri defines first-degree harassment as a specific offense. See what it includes.
Read the full law — RSMo 565.090 · Harassment, first degree, penaltyWhat is stalking under Missouri law?
First-degree stalking is when someone repeatedly follows or bothers another person on purpose in a way that scares them, AND at least one of these is also true: they made a threat against that person's life or safety, they broke a protection order, they broke probation or parole rules, the victim is 17 or younger and t…
Read the full law — RSMo 565.225 · Stalking, first degree, penaltyWhat is trespassing in Missouri?
Trespass in the first degree means a person goes into or stays in a building, a place people live, or on someone's land when they are not allowed to be there.
Read the full law — RSMo 569.140 · Trespass in the first degreeIs it illegal to possess burglar's tools in Missouri?
It is a crime to have tools made or commonly used for breaking into buildings if the person has them in order to break in, or knows someone else plans to use them to break in illegally. This is a class E felony, which is the lowest level felony in Missouri.
Read the full law — RSMo 569.180 · Possession of burglar's toolsIs edible marijuana regulated in Missouri?
In Missouri, edible marijuana products cannot be shaped like a person, animal, or fruit — even as a cartoon or drawing. Simple shapes like circles or squares are allowed.
Read the full law — RSMo 195.805 · Edible marijuanaHow do you expunge an arrest record in Missouri?
A person can ask a court to erase an arrest record in two situations. First, if the arrest was based on false information, there is no reason to believe the person did anything wrong, no charges were filed, and the person never got a suspended sentence for it.
Read the full law — RSMo 610.122 · Arrest record expunged, requirementsWhat criminal records can be expunged in Missouri?
Many offenses can be cleared after a waiting period. See what's eligible.
Read the full law — RSMo 610.140 · Expungement of certain criminal records
Work & money
What is Missouri's minimum wage?
This law sets the minimum amount employers in Missouri must pay workers per hour. Starting in 2025, the rate is $13.75 per hour, going up to $15.00 per hour in 2026. If the federal minimum wage goes higher than Missouri's rate, employers must pay the higher federal amount instead.
Read the full law — RSMo 290.502 · Minimum wage rateWhen do you get your final paycheck after being fired in Missouri?
When a business fires or lets go of a worker, that worker's earned pay is due on the last day of work. If the worker asks in writing for their pay to be sent to a nearby station or office, the business has seven days to get it there.
Read the full law — RSMo 290.110 · Payment due discharged employeeWhat are Missouri's overtime rules?
Most workers must be paid extra if they work more than 40 hours in a week. That extra pay has to be at least one and a half times their normal pay rate. Workers at amusement or recreation businesses have a different rule — they get that extra pay after 52 hours in a week.
Read the full law — RSMo 290.505 · Overtime compensation, applicable number of hours, exceptionsCan your wages be garnished in Missouri?
Wages can be garnished within legal limits. See the procedure and caps.
Read the full law — RSMo 454.505 · Garnishment of wages, when, procedure, limitationsWho qualifies for unemployment benefits in Missouri?
Eligibility depends on specific conditions. See what a person must meet.
Read the full law — RSMo 288.040 · Eligibility for benefits
Consumer & contracts
Can you cancel a contract in Missouri?
A homeowner who signs a certain type of contract has the right to cancel it up until midnight of the third business day after signing. Weekends and holidays do not count toward those three days. If the cancellation notice is mailed, it counts as sent the moment it goes in the mailbox.
Read the full law — RSMo 407.937 · Right to cancel contract
Alcohol
What hours can alcohol be sold in Missouri?
Places that sell alcohol in Missouri cannot sell it, give it away, or let people drink it between 1:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on weekdays, or between 1:30 a.m. Sunday and 6:00 a.m. Monday.
Read the full law — RSMo 311.290 · Time fixed for opening and closing premisesCan you buy liquor on Sunday in Missouri?
In Missouri, a store that sells packaged alcohol (like a liquor store) can get a special license to also sell on Sundays, from 6:00 a.m. Sunday until 1:30 a.m. Monday. To get this, the store pays an extra $200 per year to the state.
Read the full law — RSMo 311.293 · Sunday sales, package liquor licensee allowed, hours, feeCan you order a drink at a bar on Sunday in Missouri?
On certain special Sundays — when New Year's Day, St. Patrick's Day, July 4th, or New Year's Eve falls on a Sunday, the Sundays before Memorial Day and Labor Day, and Super Bowl Sunday — a bar or restaurant with a drink license is allowed to sell alcohol that day during the same hours it normally could on a regular wee…
Read the full law — RSMo 311.298 · Certain holidays, sale by the drink on Sunday allowed
Animals & pets
What counts as animal abuse in Missouri?
This law is about hurting animals. A person breaks this law if they kill an animal in a way that is not allowed, hurt or cause suffering to an animal on purpose, or own or take care of an animal but fail to give it proper care and the animal is seriously harmed.
Read the full law — RSMo 578.012 · Animal abuseWhat is animal neglect under Missouri law?
Animal neglect means someone owns or takes care of an animal but does not give it proper food, water, shelter, or care. It also means leaving an animal somewhere without making sure it will be taken care of. This is a small crime, but if the person has been in trouble for this before, the punishment gets worse.
Read the full law — RSMo 578.009 · Animal neglectCan you own an exotic or dangerous wild animal in Missouri?
It is against the law in Missouri to keep certain wild animals — like lions, tigers, bears, wolves, apes, venomous reptiles, or large snakes over eight feet long — at home or in a private place. The only legal places to keep these animals are zoos, circuses, research labs, vet hospitals, schools, or animal refuges.
Read the full law — RSMo 578.023 · Keeping a dangerous wild animalIs there a law protecting dogs from cruelty in Missouri?
This law is called the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act. It covers people who own more than ten female dogs and breed them to sell the puppies as pets.
Read the full law — RSMo 273.345 · Canine Cruelty Prevention Act
Weird but real
Is it legal to wrestle a bear in Missouri?
Bear wrestling is illegal in Missouri. This covers everything related to it — actually wrestling a bear, letting it happen on their property, organizing or advertising it, charging people to watch, buying or selling a bear for this purpose, training a bear for it, or doing surgery on a bear to prepare it for wrestling.…
Read the full law — RSMo 578.176 · Bear wrestlingCan you buy a car on Sunday in Missouri?
In Missouri, car dealers, distributors, and manufacturers are not allowed to open their business on Sundays to buy or sell cars.
Read the full law — RSMo 578.120 · Sale of motor vehicles on Sunday prohibited, exceptionsIs dogfighting illegal in Missouri?
Dogfighting is a crime in Missouri. A person breaks this law if they own, keep, or train a dog to fight other dogs, make dogs fight each other for fun or money, or let any of that happen on property they control. This crime is a class E felony, which is the least serious type of felony.
Read the full law — RSMo 578.025 · Dogfighting
These answers come straight from Missouri statutes but are not legal advice. Laws change, and rules can vary by city or county. For your situation, consult a licensed attorney.