Short-term rentals in Warrensburg, explained properly.

For renewals of existing licensed locations, the request for inspection is due by the month of January of the renewal year and approval is due by May 31. The license fee includes the first inspection and one follow-up inspection if needed, if completed before the last day of February for the upcoming license year for renewals; new applications get the first inspection and one follow-up. Further inspections needed for issuance cost an additional inspection fee set by City resolution. The fee amounts were not part of the text read.

The City requires proof from the applicant of no delinquent real property taxes, personal property taxes, or state or local sales taxes or local lodging tax. At the time of application, every applicant provides evidence that regular and sufficient refuse or trash collection service has been contracted for the premises. The lodging tax rate was not part of the text read.

Sec. 22-81(3) lists the items checked at inspection: local contact information for the owner or manager and a map of escape routes in the dwelling unit of a short-term rental; smoke detectors on each habitable floor, inside each sleeping room and immediately outside each sleeping area; carbon monoxide detectors outside each separate sleeping area where the rental has an attached garage that opens directly into the dwelling unit or contains any type of fuel-burning appliance; at least one 2A:10BC fire extinguisher, with number and placement following the City's adopted fire code; an automatic closing device on doors from an attached garage; and an emergency escape and rescue window in each sleeping room of dwelling units built after December 31, 1984 or issued a certificate of occupancy after the section's effective date.

Sec. 22-81(3)(i) and (j) tie the license inspection to the City's adopted building, fire and development codes and to the Code of City Ordinances, including Chapter 6 Article VIII (Property Maintenance Code), Chapter 11 (garbage and trash), Chapter 13 (nuisances), Chapter 25 (vegetation) and Chapter 27 (zoning).

Sec. 27-234 applies these standards in addition to all other zoning requirements. In residential districts, the principal building may not be altered in a way that changes its character or appearance so as to be inconsistent with dwellings in the immediate area.

Sec. 27-234(4) allows one small sign for a bed and breakfast inn in residential districts, but signs for a short-term rental in a residential district are not allowed. Signs in commercial districts comply with the sign regulations in Sec. 27-500.

Section 144.020.1(6) of the Revised Statutes of Missouri imposes a tax equivalent to four percent on the amount of sales or charges for all rooms, meals and drinks furnished at any hotel, motel, tavern, inn, restaurant, eating house, drugstore, dining car, tourist cabin, tourist camp or other place in which rooms, meals or drinks are regularly served to the public. The Department of Revenue says the state sales and use tax is 4.225 percent in total, split among General Revenue (3.0 percent), Education (1.0 percent), Conservation (0.125 percent) and Parks/Soils (0.10 percent), and that cities, counties and special taxing districts may add their own sales taxes. The sources read do not say whether, or when, a privately owned home rented for short stays counts as a place in which rooms are regularly served to the public; check with the Department of Revenue. City and county taxes are shown on each place's page.

Section 144.752, in effect since January 1, 2023, requires marketplace facilitators that do business in Missouri to register with the Department of Revenue to collect and remit use tax on sales made through their marketplaces that are delivered into the state. The section's definition of a marketplace facilitator does not include a person with respect to the provision of travel agency services, which it defines as facilitating, for a commission, fee or other consideration, travel packages, travel reservations, tickets, or hotel or other lodging accommodations. The Department of Revenue pages read do not say whether booking platforms collect state sales tax on short-term rental stays; check with the platform and the Department of Revenue. City rules on platform collection of city taxes are shown on each place's page.

A word search of the Revised Statutes of Missouri found no section regulating the short-term rental of homes, so local rules apply. In the 2026 Regular Session, House Bill 1768 (combined with HB 2060), which modifies provisions relating to the classification of certain residential real property used for short-term rentals, was sent to the Senate, which adopted its own substitute; its last action, on May 15, 2026, was referral to the House Fiscal Review Committee, and the House bill page shows it was not truly agreed to and finally passed. In the 2025 Regular Session, House Bill 1086 on the same subject was last voted do pass by a Senate committee on May 1, 2025. A similar bill could be filed in a later session.