This guide applies to Missouri law. Rules vary by county and city.

Service and emotional support animals are not "pets" for housing purposes. Missouri Landlords must accommodate Tenants who require these animals, subject to qualification requirements. The rules differ for service animals vs. emotional support animals.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service animal as any dog individually trained to assist a person with a disability. Certification or identifying markers are not required — training is the standard.

"No pet" policies cannot be used to deny or limit housing to a person with a disability who requires a service animal. A reasonable accommodation request for a service animal may not be denied without justification, and cannot be subjected to pet fees or deposits.

A request may be denied only if: (1) the animal poses a direct, unreducible threat to the health or safety of others; (2) the animal would cause substantial, unreducible physical damage to the property; or (3) accommodating the animal would impose an undue financial or administrative burden or fundamentally alter the housing provider's services.

Emotional support animals have similar protections under the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA). A Tenant may have an ESA even with a "no pets" policy. Unlike service animals, Landlords may request reliable documentation of the Tenant's disability and disability-related need for the animal — but only when the disability or need is not obvious.

Missouri does not have a state-specific ESA statute beyond federal law. In Missouri, ESA accommodation requests are governed by federal FHA standards and HUD guidance.

An emotional support animal must alleviate at least one identified symptom or effect of the Tenant's disability. There must be a disability-related need — not just a preference for companionship. If the need is not obvious, request reliable supporting documentation from a qualified professional.

"No pet" policies and pet fees/deposits do not apply to service or emotional support animals. You may not charge an additional security deposit or pet fee for a qualifying assistance animal. However, the Tenant is responsible for actual damage caused by the animal.

HUD Reasonable Accommodations for Assistance Animals (2020)

Missouri Commission on Human Rights

Fair Housing Act — 42 U.S.C. § 3604

Americans with Disabilities Act — 42 U.S.C. § 12101

HUD Assistance Animal Notice — FHEO-2020-01

⚖️ Disclaimer — This article is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice or a legal opinion on any specific case or situation. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. We make no guarantees as to accuracy, completeness, or changes in the law.