Home sellers in Missouri are required by law to disclose some information about the status and condition of their property, including issues related to asbestos and sewer systems.
Missouri also has laws against fraud. It's in the seller's best interest to disclose significant issues with the property to protect against future lawsuits.
Sellers should fill out the Seller's Disclosure Statement for Residential Property or another form that informs buyers about what they're potentially purchasing. They also need to comply with federal law and any local disclosures.
In a traditional sale, your real estate agent guides you through the property disclosure process and helps you avoid legal risks. If you're selling without a realtor in Missouri, however, you're on your own. We recommend seeking the counsel of a real estate professional or attorney to ensure you follow the law.
🚨 DISCLAIMER: We provide this article for informational purposes. It isn't intended to convey legal advice. Clever Real Estate recommends sellers consult a real estate agent or a real estate attorney to guide you through the disclosure process.
Missouri real estate disclosure requirements
State real estate disclosures
Missouri requires sellers to disclose basic information about your property, like how long you've owned it, plus detailed specifics.
We've summarized the key questions you'll have to answer on your seller's disclosure statement below, grouped by topic.
These questions provide a good sense of the disclosures you'll need to make, but they aren't all the questions you'll be asked, nor are they all the disclosures you'll need to make.
You'll find everything the state of Missouri requires you to disclose in the Seller's Disclosure Statement for Residential Property.
Key questions on the Missouri disclosure form
Click a topic to see the questions you'll need to answer.
Air conditioning
- Does the property have an air conditioning system?
- What type of air conditioning system does the property have?
Appliances
- Does the property have a microwave oven?
- Does the property have a dishwasher?
- Does the property have a garbage disposal?
- Does the property have a security system?
Boundary issues
- Are there any known boundary issues with the property?
Electrical problems
- Does the property have any known electrical problems?
Exterior drainage
- Does the property have any known problems with the rain gutters?
- Is there a history of standing water on the property?
Fire safety
- Does the property have smoke detectors?
Flood dangers
- Is the property in a flood zone or floodway?
Hazardous materials
- Is there hazardous material present on the property?
Heating system
- Does the property have a central heating system?
- What is the power source for the heating system?
- Is the property's heating system operational?
Permitted improvements
- Have there been improvements on the property without proper permits?
Roof
- How old is the property's roof?
- Does the property's roof have any leaks?
Sewage and plumbing
- What type of sewage system does the property have?
- Is the sewer system operational?
Structure of the house
- Does the property have foundation problems?
- Does the property have structural defects?
Water
- What is the source of the water supply?
- Are there any known problems with the water supply?
- What is the power source for the water heater?
- What is the age of the water heater?
- Is there evidence of water damage on the property?
Wood-destroying insects
- Has the property been damaged by termites?
- Has there been repairs or treatment of termite damage?
Federal real estate disclosures
The Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 requires sellers to do the following for homes built before 1978:
- Give buyers the Environmental Protection Agency's Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home pamphlet.
- Disclose lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards.
- Provide records or reports of lead-based paint in the house, if applicable.
- Include a Lead Warning Statement confirming you complied with all notification requirements in the sales contract.
- Allow buyers a 10-day period to conduct a lead-based paint inspection or risk assessment.
The federal government requires no other specific real estate disclosures.
Local real estate disclosures
Check with your county or city government regarding local laws and seller disclosure requirements. Sometimes, you'll need to disclose local concerns like:
- Deaths that have occurred in the home
- Environmental hazards such as radon gas and asbestos
- Events that have stigmatized the property (violent crimes, suicide, reports of supernatural phenomena)
- History of methamphetamine production
- Homeowners Association (HOA) fees and rules
- Noise issues in the area
- Protected trees or other flora on your property
- Proximity to military facilities
- Proximity to power lines or wind farms
- Proximity to prisons and other detention facilities
- Proximity to sex offenders
🤔 How stressful is the paperwork for selling a home?
58% of sellers worry that a home inspection will reveal problems with their property.[1]
Exemptions from Missouri real estate disclosures
We found no exemptions from making disclosures in Missouri.⚡ Sellers of houses that need repairs or have complicating factors can sell quickly to a cash buyer. Clever Offers lets you compare competitive cash offers and alternatives quickly in one place. Request offers now!
FAQs about real estate disclosures in Missouri
Share your disclosures with prospective buyers sooner rather than later.
"It makes sense to share disclosures before a buyer submits an offer," says Clever Real Estate's Steve Nicastro, a former licensed real estate agent in the Charleston, S.C. market. "You'll avoid a situation where you go under contract, then the buyer sees the disclosure and decides that they don't want to proceed with the purchase."
In some states, you're required to post your disclosures with your listing.
If you're selling for sale by owner, read Clever's full list of documents required to sell a house, which covers the selling process from pre-listing to closing.
If you're selling with a real estate agent, you'll generally use the same documents, but your agent will guide you through all the paperwork.
🔍 10% of for sale by owner sellers say the paperwork is the most difficult step in the process.
Yes, you must disclose your property's flood risk on the Seller's Disclosure Statement for Residential Property.
Only eight states don't require their own flood risk disclosure.
Lying on a disclosure document is illegal, so a buyer may have cause to sue you.
A buyer could seek payment for repairs and attorney fees. In some cases, a buyer may attempt to reverse the sale.
We recommend hiring a real estate agent or a real estate attorney to guide you through your disclosures and avoid legal trouble.
The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors describes a material defect as "a specific issue with a system or component of a residential property that may have a significant, adverse impact on the value of the property or that poses an unreasonable risk to people."
A system or component near or at the end of its life cycle is not considered a material defect.
Generally, you're not required to get a home inspection before completing your disclosure form. Most states only require sellers to disclose issues they know about.
Check the Seller's Disclosure Statement for Residential Property or another form that complies with state law to get details about your state's disclosure requirements.
Why trust us
Data sources
Our Research Team reviews federal and Missouri real estate disclosure requirements once a year. We use trusted sources like federal and state governments, state and local realtor associations, and real estate professionals in our articles.
About Clever Real Estate
Clever Real Estate has helped more than 30,000 people buy and sell homes. We partner with over 16,000 top-performing real estate agents nationwide at national brokers, including Keller Williams, RE/MAX, Century 21, and more. Our free agent-matching tool connects sellers with real estate agents who have agreed to work for a 1.5% commission rate, while Clever Offers lets sellers compare cash offers on their home at no charge.
We’ve earned sellers’ trust with a rating of 5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot and over 3,500 customer reviews.
Our team of industry-leading researchers is committed to making the home selling process more accessible by educating sellers through guides like this one. We've spent thousands of hours analyzing publicly available data, surveying consumers, and interviewing industry experts. The New York Times, Business Insider, Inman, Housing Wire, and many more publications have featured our research.
