Pulaski County Landlord-Tenant Law

Missouri landlord guide — eviction rules, courthouse info & local regulations

Landlord-Tenant Law in Pulaski County, Missouri

Pulaski County is defined by Fort Leonard Wood, the U.S. Army installation that is simultaneously the county’s largest employer, largest population center, and the dominant force shaping its rental market. With approximately 54,000 permanent residents and a median age of just 27.8 years — one of the youngest counties in Missouri — Pulaski County’s population profile is fundamentally shaped by the military: active-duty soldiers, their families, trainees passing through the fort, civilian defense workers, and the service economy that has grown up around the installation. Fort Leonard Wood itself has a population of approximately 15,750. The communities of Waynesville and St. Robert, which bracket the post, serve as the primary off-post housing markets. All evictions file with the 25th Judicial Circuit at the Pulaski County Courthouse, 301 Historic 66 East, Suite 101, Waynesville, MO 65583. Phone: (573) 774-4701. Court hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The 25th Circuit also serves Maries, Phelps, and Texas counties. Median household income is approximately $66,435 and median gross rent approximately $903. All landlord-tenant matters are governed by Missouri state law (RSMo Chapters 441, 534, and 535).

Pulaski County Local Regulations

No county-level landlord-tenant ordinances. Missouri state law governs all residential rental matters.

Last verified: 2026-04-01

Missouri Eviction Laws

State statutes that apply throughout Pulaski County

A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Pulaski County, Missouri

Pulaski County has the most distinctive rental market in Missouri. Fort Leonard Wood — the U.S. Army installation that trains engineers, military police, and chemical corps soldiers — is the county’s economic engine, largest employer, and primary driver of rental demand. The county’s median age of 27.8 years is among the lowest in the state, reflecting the youth of the active-duty military population. The renter-occupied share of approximately 37.7% is significantly above Missouri’s statewide average, driven by the military tenant market. Waynesville gross median rent of approximately $1,152 is notably above the county-wide average, reflecting demand concentration in the communities immediately adjacent to the post.

The Military Tenant: Opportunity and Obligation

Military tenants represent the dominant demand driver in the Pulaski County rental market, and they come with specific characteristics that landlords must understand before signing leases with active-duty servicemembers. On the opportunity side: military households typically have guaranteed government income (Basic Allowance for Housing, or BAH, is specifically designed to cover off-post housing costs), often have dual incomes, and tend to maintain properties well due to military standards of cleanliness and discipline. BAH for Fort Leonard Wood rates are set by the Department of Defense based on local housing costs and soldier rank — they effectively function as a government rental subsidy that tracks market rates. BAH income is reliable, non-taxable, and paid regularly. Military tenants are, in aggregate, among the most financially reliable tenant pools a landlord can access.

On the obligation side: the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides active-duty military tenants with lease termination rights that do not exist in standard civilian landlord-tenant law. A servicemember who receives Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders or deployment orders of 90 or more days may terminate a lease with 30 days written notice plus a copy of the orders, effective 30 days after the next rent due date. This means a tenant who receives PCS orders on January 5th, provides written notice with orders on January 10th, and pays rent on February 1st would have the lease legally terminated effective March 1st — regardless of what the lease says about early termination penalties. This is not a lease-breaking arrangement that requires landlord consent; it is a federal statutory right. Landlords who attempt to enforce early termination penalties against SCRA-protected tenants face federal liability.

Structuring Leases for a Military Market

The practical response to the SCRA reality is to structure leases and business models for the high-turnover environment rather than fighting it. Military leases in Pulaski County typically run 12 months aligned with the typical PCS cycle, with month-to-month provisions after the initial term. Build marketing and leasing systems that allow rapid re-leasing when SCRA terminations occur — in Waynesville and St. Robert, demand for quality rental housing near Fort Leonard Wood is strong enough that vacancies are typically short-lived. Maintain a waiting list or referral network with the fort’s housing office. Price rents in alignment with current BAH rates for the relevant ranks at Fort Leonard Wood, which are published annually by the Department of Defense — this ensures your rents are accessible to the primary market while remaining competitive.

The 25th Judicial Circuit

All Pulaski County evictions file with the 25th Judicial Circuit at the Pulaski County Courthouse, 301 Historic 66 East, Suite 101, Waynesville, MO 65583. Phone: (573) 774-4701. Court hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The 25th Circuit also serves Maries, Phelps, and Texas counties; all Pulaski County matters file in Waynesville. Before initiating eviction proceedings against any active-duty military tenant, consult a Missouri attorney familiar with SCRA requirements — the federal law creates procedural requirements that must be satisfied before and during any eviction action involving a servicemember.

Neighboring Missouri Counties

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