RR
Rent Regulations

Cal. Civ. Code § 441.920

Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking — no discrimination against applicants, tenants, or lessees for residential properties

In Force
Verified 10/14/2026 · Next check 10/21/2026
effective 10/14/2026MissouriState Survivor Laws

Operative Text

Cal. Civ. Code § 441.920
1. For purposes of this section, the following terms mean:

(1) "Domestic violence", as such term is defined in section 455.010;

(2) "Sexual assault", as such term is defined in section 455.010;

(3) "Stalking", as such term is defined in section 455.010.

2. No applicant, tenant, or lessee shall be denied tenancy, be evicted from the premises, or found to be in violation of a lease agreement on the basis of or as a direct result of the fact that the applicant, tenant, or lessee is, has been, or is in imminent danger of becoming a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking if the applicant, tenant, or lessee otherwise qualifies for tenancy or occupancy in the premises. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply if:

(1) The applicant, tenant, or lessee allowed the person named in any documentation listed in subsection 4 of this section into the premises; or

(2) The landlord or property owner reasonably believes that a person named in any documentation listed in subsection 4 of this section poses a threat to the safety of the other occupants or the property.

3. In any action brought by a landlord against a tenant under this chapter, chapter 534, or chapter 535, a tenant shall have an affirmative defense and not be liable for rent for the period after which the tenant vacates the premises owned by the landlord if, by a preponderance of the evidence, the court finds that the tenant was a victim or was in imminent danger of becoming a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking and the tenant notified the landlord and has provided any requested documentation under subsection 4 of this section.

4. An applicant, tenant, or lessee shall qualify for the protections under this section if he or she provides a statement of such domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking to his or her landlord or the property owner. If the landlord or property owner requests, the applicant, tenant, or lessee shall provide documentation of the domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, which may be in any of the following forms:

(1) A document signed by an employee of a victim service provider, or a health care professional or mental health professional from whom the victim has sought assistance relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or the effects of abuse stating that, under penalty of perjury, the individual believes in the occurrence of the incident of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking that is the ground for protection, and that the incident meets the applicable definition of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Such document shall be signed by the victim; or

(2) A record of a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, including a police report, a court, or an administrative agency pertaining to the alleged incident of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

5. The submission of false information by an applicant, tenant, or lessee under this section may be a basis for a denial of tenancy, eviction, or a violation of a lease agreement.

6. Any landlord or property owner may impose a reasonable termination fee on a tenant or lessee who desires to terminate a lease before the expiration date of such lease under the provisions of this section.

7. The provisions of this section shall only apply to residential properties.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Missouri Revised Statutes § 441.920 prohibits landlords from denying housing, evicting, or finding a lease violation against someone solely because they are, have been, or are in imminent danger of becoming a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking — provided they otherwise qualify for tenancy. The law also gives qualifying tenants an affirmative defense against rent liability for the period after they vacate, if they properly notify the landlord and supply requested documentation. Two exceptions exist: the protection does not apply if the tenant allowed the named abuser onto the premises, or if the landlord reasonably believes that person poses a safety threat to other occupants or the property.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 14, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.920, compliant residential property operators generally refrain from using a person's status as a domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking victim as a basis for denial, eviction, or lease-violation findings. When a tenant or applicant invokes these protections, operators may request supporting documentation — such as a signed statement from a victim-service provider or a law enforcement record — before extending the protections. Operators should also be aware that the statute permits charging a reasonable termination fee when a qualifying tenant ends a lease early, and that the protections carry exceptions where the named abuser was allowed onto the premises or poses a documented safety threat to others.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.920 gives residential tenants and applicants in Missouri the right not to be denied housing, evicted, or cited for a lease violation simply because of their status as a victim — or someone in imminent danger of becoming a victim — of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. If a landlord brings a legal action for rent or possession, a qualifying tenant may raise an affirmative defense under this section, potentially eliminating rent liability for the period after vacating, provided the landlord was notified and any requested documentation was supplied. Tenants who believe their rights under § 441.920 have been violated may consider consulting a local tenant-rights organization, a legal aid office, or a victim-services provider to understand the documentation process and available options.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 14, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 455.010
Not yet ingested

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.650
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.650
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.020
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.020
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.050
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.060
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.130
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.240
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.280
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.065
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.240
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.250
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.280
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.290
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.500
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.643
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.500
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.643
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.510
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.500
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.643
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.570
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.590
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.500
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.643
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.630
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.570
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.570
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.500
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.643
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.500
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.640
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.500
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.643
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.500
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.643
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.500
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.643
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.530
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.740
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.750
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.770
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.830
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.740
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.750
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.740
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.750
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.740
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.820
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.710
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.880
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.020
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.060
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.050
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.060

Related Rules

§ 23
Definitions applicable to Secs. 23 to 29
§ 24
Termination of rental agreement or tenancy by victim of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault or stalking
§ 29
Owner immunity from liability

Source Information

Source:https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=441.920
Snapshot SHA:
Fetched:Oct 14, 2026, 11:12 PM UTC
Raw bytes:Download from R2 →