Title Loans in Missouri

Missouri has a dedicated title loan law, but it doesn’t set a maximum interest rate. Lenders can charge whatever rate you agree to in the contract, which is why the cost of title loans in Missouri varies so widely from one lender to the next. The law does cap the loan size, force principal paydowns on later renewals and require notice before repossession. In this guide from Auto Cash Title Loans, we cover those rules, the local ordinances in St. Louis and Springfield, and lower-cost options to consider first.

Are title loans legal in Missouri?

Yes. Missouri authorizes title loans under RSMo §§ 367.500 to 367.533. Title lenders must be licensed by the Missouri Division of Finance, which administers the law, and each office needs its own license. Because the product is expressly allowed and regulated, we classify Missouri as legal.

The governing law: RSMo 367.500 to 367.533

The main rules come from a handful of sections:

• Interest (RSMo 367.515): title lenders charge simple interest and fees under RSMo 408.100 and 408.140. Section 408.100 allows interest “at rates agreed to by the parties,” so there is no fixed statutory rate cap.
• Loan size (RSMo 367.527): a title lender may not make a loan over $5,000. A loan made in violation of that section, and its lien, are void.
• Term and renewals (RSMo 367.512): the agreement may run for any agreed period of at least 30 days. The lender must renew when you ask in writing and pay the interest due. Starting with the third renewal, you must reduce the principal by 10% at each renewal until the loan is paid off.
• Required warning and ability to repay (RSMo 367.525): before accepting your application, the lender must give you a written notice that you may lose your automobile if you don’t repay, and you sign to acknowledge it. Lenders must post their maximum rates in each office and consider your ability to repay when setting the loan size and length.
• Other limits (RSMo 367.527): no loans to anyone under 18, no waivers of your rights, clear title required, and repossessed vehicles must be stored no more than 15 miles from the office where you signed.

Default, right to cure and repossession

Missouri’s title loan law ties repossession to the state’s general consumer credit rules (RSMo 408.551 to 408.562) and the Uniform Commercial Code. Under RSMo 408.554 and 408.555:

• After you’ve been in default for 10 days for a missed payment, the lender may send a written notice of your right to cure.
• The lender can’t take the vehicle for that missed payment until 20 days after the notice is given. During that time you can cure by paying the past-due amount plus any unpaid delinquency charges.
• The lender doesn’t have to follow this cure process if you’ve already defaulted twice on the same loan.

Once the lender has the vehicle, it may sell it under the UCC rules the statute cross-references. Any money left after the debt and allowed costs must be paid to you (RSMo 400.9-615). The lender can collect a shortfall only if more than $500 was financed and you still owed $300 or more at default (RSMo 408.556). Our guide to the title loan repossession process explains the general steps.

How a Missouri title loan works

You bring in a vehicle with clear title, the lender sets a loan amount up to $5,000 and records a security interest, and you keep driving. Because the law doesn’t cap the rate, the most important number is the APR on your federal Truth in Lending disclosure. Before signing, compare:

1. The APR and total finance charge for the first term.
2. What each renewal costs, and when the 10% paydowns start.
3. The maximum rates posted in the office.
4. Whether you can prepay without penalty.

Since there’s no statutory cap, we can’t give a maximum-cost example for Missouri. Renewing only by paying interest for the first two renewals means the balance doesn’t shrink, so a loan can become expensive quickly.

Title loans in Missouri’s major cities

State law applies everywhere, so the $5,000 cap, the renewal rules and the right to cure are the same in Kansas City and St. Louis. Two cities have added their own permit rules for short-term lenders:

• St. Louis: Ordinance 70391 (Board Bill 69, effective December 23, 2016) created a city short-term lending code covering payday and car-title lenders. Voters approved a $5,000 annual permit fee in 2017 (Proposition S). As reported, the code also sets distance rules for new lenders, requires posted rates and fees, and requires lenders to offer information on alternatives.
• Springfield: the city adopted a short-term lending code in 2020 requiring an annual permit for lenders that lend against a car title, a post-dated check or a paycheck. Voters approved a $5,000 annual permit fee that August.
• Kansas City: on the state line. Lenders a few blocks west in Kansas City, Kansas, operate under Kansas’s open-end credit rules, with no $5,000 cap. Compare the Kansas title loan rules.
• Columbia and Independence: no separate city title loan rules that we verified. Missouri law and the Division of Finance license requirement apply.
• Fort Leonard Wood and Whiteman AFB areas: active-duty members and dependents are covered by the federal Military Lending Act, which caps the military APR at 36%. See title loans for military members.

Safer alternatives in Missouri

With no rate cap, shopping around matters. Our guide to title loan alternatives covers more options.

• Credit union Payday Alternative Loans (PALs): federal credit unions may offer PALs from $200 to $2,000 with APRs capped at 28% and an application fee of no more than $20.
• Bank or credit union auto-secured loans: usually far cheaper than a title loan.
• Licensed installment lenders: compare the total of payments, not just the monthly amount.
• Payment plans and assistance: utilities, hospitals and landlords often offer hardship arrangements.
• Nonprofit credit counseling: help with a budget and creditor negotiations.

How to check a lender’s license and file a complaint

Ask to see the lender’s Missouri title lender license, which must be held for each location, and check it with the Division of Finance. If a lender ignores the renewal paydown rules, repossesses without proper notice or lends more than $5,000, contact the Division. Keep your contract, the signed notice and payment receipts. Review your borrower rights before you call the lender.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an interest rate cap on Missouri title loans?

No fixed cap. RSMo 367.515 points to RSMo 408.100, which allows interest at rates agreed to by the parties.

What is the maximum Missouri title loan amount?

$5,000 under RSMo 367.527. A loan over that amount, and its lien, are void.

Do Missouri title loans work as open-end or revolving credit?

The title loan statute describes a loan agreement of at least 30 days that can be renewed, with 10% principal reductions starting at the third renewal. It is not structured as a revolving credit line.

How long does a Missouri lender have to wait before repossessing?

For a missed payment, the lender can send a right-to-cure notice after 10 days of default, then must wait 20 days after that notice. The protection doesn’t apply after two prior defaults on the same loan.

Does St. Louis regulate title lenders?

Yes. St. Louis requires short-term lenders, including car-title lenders, to hold a city permit with a $5,000 annual fee approved by voters in 2017.

Sources

• Missouri Revisor of Statutes: RSMo 367.512, title loan requirements
• Missouri Revisor of Statutes: RSMo 367.527, limitations of title lenders
• Missouri Revisor of Statutes: RSMo 408.555, borrower’s right to cure
• Missouri Division of Finance: Title Lenders
• City of St. Louis: Board Bill 69 (Ordinance 70391), Short-Term Lending Code
• KSMU: Springfield short-term loan establishments required to have annual permit

Last reviewed: October 2026.