Do you need a license to be a property manager in Missouri?

In Missouri, managing or renting property for others for pay is real estate work that needs a license: the real estate salesperson license, issued by the Missouri Real Estate Commission. The law exempts some staff employed by a property owner or a licensed broker, such as on-site or leasing employees doing limited tasks. The exact wording, with any exceptions, is below.

Managing property for others"1. A “real estate broker” is any person, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, association, professional corporation, or corporation, foreign or domestic who, for another, and for a compensation or valuable consideration, does, or attempts to do, any or all of the following: (1) Sells, exchanges, purchases, rents, or leases real estate; ... It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, association, professional corporation, or corporation, foreign or domestic, to act as a real estate broker, real estate broker-salesperson, or real estate salesperson, or to advertise or assume to act as such without a license first procured from the commission." official source
On-site and employee exemptions"(1) Any person, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, association, professional corporation, or corporation who as owner, lessor, or lessee shall perform any of the acts described in subsection 1 of this section with reference to property owned or leased by them, or to the regular employees thereof;" "(5) Any person employed or retained to manage real property by, for, or on behalf of the agent or the owner of any real estate shall be exempt from holding a license, if the person is limited to one or more of the following activities: ... (a) Delivery of a lease application, a lease, or any amendment thereof, to any person; ... (c) Showing a rental unit to any person, as long as the employee is acting under the direct instructions of the broker or owner, including the execution of leases or rental agreements;" "2. A “real estate salesperson” is any person, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, association, professional corporation, or corporation, domestic or foreign who for a compensation or valuable consideration becomes associated, either as an independent contractor or employee, either directly or indirectly, with a real estate broker to do any of the things above mentioned." official source
Leasing agents"(5) Any person employed or retained to manage real property by, for, or on behalf of the agent or the owner of any real estate shall be exempt from holding a license, if the person is limited to one or more of the following activities: ... (d) Conveying information prepared by a broker or owner about a rental unit, a lease, an application for lease, or the status of a security deposit, or the payment of rent, by any person;" official source
Licensing agencyMissouri Real Estate Commission (Department of Professional Registration) official source
CredentialReal estate salesperson license (also broker-salesperson and broker licenses) official source

Checked against official Missouri sources on Oct 27, 2026. This is not legal advice: rules change and exemptions depend on who employs you, so confirm with the licensing agency. This page lists only what we could confirm on an official page.

Open property management jobs in Missouri

23 listings right now: see all.