Title loans are legal in Missouri when made by a licensed title lender. State law limits a title loan to $5,000, requires a term of at least 30 days, and allows the interest rate to be agreed by the parties. After the third renewal, each later renewal must reduce principal by 10%.
Last reviewed: August 12, 2026. This page provides general consumer information, not legal advice.
Is a title loan legal in Missouri?
Missouri regulates title loans under RSMo sections 367.500 through 367.533. The Missouri Division of Finance administers the title-lending law and issues title-loan licenses to qualified applicants. Acting as a title lender without a license carries civil and criminal penalties; an agreement made in violation of the licensing requirement is void, and the borrower is liable only for return of principal.
Use the lender’s certificate number, business address, and telephone number shown in the agreement to verify who is making the loan. Those details, the monthly interest rate, federal Truth in Lending disclosures, and a warning that nonpayment may result in loss of the vehicle must appear in a Missouri title-loan agreement.
Sources: RSMo § 367.503 (Division of Finance authority), § 367.506 (licensing), § 367.512 (terms and renewals), § 367.515 (interest and fees), § 367.518 (agreement disclosures), and § 367.527 (limitations).
Missouri title loan limits
| Rule | Missouri limit or requirement |
|---|---|
| Maximum APR / interest rate | No numerical title-loan APR cap is stated in the Title Loan Act. RSMo § 367.515 applies §§ 408.100 and 408.140; § 408.100 permits interest at rates agreed by the parties on covered loans. The agreement must disclose the monthly interest rate. |
| Maximum loan amount | $5,000. A title lender may not make a loan above this amount. RSMo § 367.527(1)(2). |
| Minimum / maximum term | The agreed term may not be less than 30 days. No maximum term is specified in RSMo § 367.512(1)(3). |
| Rollovers or renewals | The lender must renew on the borrower’s written request when interest due is paid. At the third and every later renewal, the borrower must reduce principal by 10%. RSMo § 367.512(1)(4). |
| Repossession notice period | For a payment default, the lender may give a written right-to-cure notice after 10 days of default. It generally may not repossess until 20 days after that notice. RSMo §§ 408.554 and 408.555. |
| Right to cure / redeem | The borrower may redeem the title by satisfying the agreement on time. During the statutory cure period, tendering sums due plus permitted delinquency or deferral charges restores rights as if the default had not occurred. RSMo §§ 367.512 and 408.555. |
| Surplus return after sale | Not specified in the cited Title Loan Act provisions. Sale following lawful possession must comply with the referenced secured-transaction and consumer-credit provisions. Request a written accounting of sale proceeds and any balance claimed. |
What you need to apply in Missouri
A Missouri title loan must be secured by unencumbered titled personal property. The borrower must present clear title when the loan is made, and the written agreement must identify whether the lender will keep possession of the certificate of title. The agreement must also state where the titled property may be delivered if the loan is not paid and that location’s receiving hours.
Review the contract before handing over a title. It should identify the lender and certificate number, the monthly interest rate, the warning about possible vehicle loss, and the next-business-day cancellation right. Missouri law permits cancellation without cost by returning the full principal by the close of the lender’s next full business day.
How repossession works in Missouri
A lender cannot treat a missed payment as an immediate vehicle seizure. After a payment default, the cure-notice process ordinarily requires a written notice identifying the transaction, the amount due, the deadline, and the borrower’s right to cure. The lender generally must wait 20 days after giving that notice before enforcing the security interest for a payment-only default.
Once possession is lawfully obtained, the title lender may sell the titled property under the referenced Missouri secured-credit rules. A title lender may not store repossessed property more than 15 miles from the office where the agreement was executed. Keep all notices and promptly request the cure amount, status of the vehicle, and a sale accounting in writing.
Licensed alternatives in Missouri
Addressing the immediate bill can be less risky than pledging a vehicle title. These Missouri programs and options may be relevant depending on availability and eligibility.
- Home energy bills: Missouri’s LIHEAP and Energy Crisis Intervention Program may help with qualifying heating, cooling, termination, or disconnect situations.
- Food, health coverage, cash, and utility help: Missouri’s DSS application portal provides access to SNAP, MO HealthNet, Temporary Assistance, and home-utility assistance.
- Local referrals: Missouri’s housing resource directory directs residents to United Way 211 and local services for housing and utility support.
- Credit-union small loans: ask an eligible federal credit union whether it offers a small-dollar option such as a Payday Alternative Loan. The NCUA PALs II rule describes this federal-credit-union product.
- Complaint or lender concern: preserve the agreement and contact Missouri’s Division of Finance or the Attorney General if you believe a lender is unlicensed or has violated consumer-credit law.
Cities we serve in Missouri
Missouri city pages are still undergoing the execution plan’s lender-relationship and quality review. This state page does not link to unverified local inventory, so visitors are not sent to thin, retired, or redirected pages. It remains the current source for statewide Missouri title-loan rules.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum title loan amount in Missouri?
Missouri caps a title loan at $5,000. RSMo section 367.527 says a title lender may not make a loan exceeding that amount. A loan or lien made contrary to that section is void, so obtain the amount financed and all terms in writing.
How long must a Missouri title loan last?
A Missouri title-loan agreement may be for any agreed period of time, but not less than 30 days. The statute does not specify a maximum term. The agreement must state the repayment terms, and the borrower has a right to redeem by satisfying its terms.
Can I renew a Missouri title loan?
Yes. Missouri law requires renewal upon the borrower’s written request and payment of interest due at renewal. Beginning with the third renewal and every renewal after that, the borrower must reduce principal by 10% until the loan is paid in full.
Can a Missouri title lender repossess my vehicle after one late payment?
Not ordinarily for a payment-only default. The lender may give a written cure notice after the borrower has been in default for 10 days, then generally must wait 20 days after that notice before enforcing the security interest. Other defaults and voluntary surrender have different rules.
Can I cancel a Missouri title loan?
Missouri law requires the agreement to state that the borrower may cancel without cost by returning the full principal by the close of the lender’s next full business day. Keep a dated receipt or other written record when returning funds or a title.
