on September 10, 2026

Missouri Dog Poop Laws

Quick answer: Missouri has no statewide pooper scooper law. Picking up after your dog is regulated city by city, and two of the three largest cities we checked have an ordinance requiring it. Springfield has no pickup ordinance at all. None of them uses a set ticket amount. Fines are set by a judge within a range the code allows.

Why Missouri leaves it to cities

Missouri has no statewide law requiring people to pick up after their dogs; pick-up rules are local, and some Missouri cities do not have one. The statewide rule that does exist covers state land and deals with leashes only: 10 CSR 90-2.020(11)(A) bars letting any animal range within a state park or historic site unless it is on a leash no longer than 10 feet, and says an electric collar does not meet the requirement. That regulation contains no pick-up duty.

  • State parks and historic sites: 10-foot leash limit; electric collars do not satisfy it: 10 CSR 90-2.020(11)(A) (read it)

Pooper scooper laws in Missouri's largest cities

Each row comes from the city's own municipal code. "Up to" is the most a court can impose, not a standard ticket. Where a city publishes no amount, we say so rather than estimate one.

City Ordinance Fine Must carry a bag
Kansas City Kansas City Code of Ordinances § 14-19(b), (c), Disposal of manure; removal of waste (penalty under § 14-51(a)) $75 to $1,000 No
St. Louis Revised Code of the City of St. Louis § 10.04.310, Feces removal - Required (exception § 10.04.340; penalty § 10.04.350) $100 to $500 No
Springfield No pickup ordinance None No

The rule people miss: carrying the bag

None of the cities we checked in Missouri spell out a separate duty to carry a bag, but the pickup duty applies the moment your dog goes, and "I did not have a bag" is not a defense in any of them.

A bag holder on the leash solves that for good. Ours is the Walk Dispenser, which clips on and holds a full roll.

Worth knowing about Missouri

  • St. Louis has one of the harshest repeat-offender penalties we have found: a third pick-up conviction carries a fine of at least $500 plus a mandatory minimum of 10 days in jail (§ 10.04.350). A dog caught in violation without current registration and vaccination is also impounded as a stray (§ 10.04.330).
  • Springfield, Missouri's third-largest city, has no stand-alone pick-up ordinance. Pet waste is regulated only as a stormwater pollutant, and the City acknowledges on its own website that the rule is 'very challenging to enforce.' Instead, the City has run a downtown #scoopthepoop campaign with message boards, 'poop flags' marking uncollected waste, and a published map of waste locations and bag dispensers.
  • Kansas City's rule applies to cats and 'fowl' as well as dogs, and it is enforced under a general animal-code penalty of $75 to $1,000 and up to 180 days in jail.
  • Missouri state parks require leashes of 10 feet or less and state that an electric collar does not count as a leash.

Common questions

Is it illegal to not pick up dog poop in Missouri?

There is no statewide law, so it depends on where you are. It is illegal in Kansas City and St. Louis, but Springfield has no pickup ordinance. Check your own city or county code, and remember property owners can still act against you.

How much is the fine for not picking up dog poop in Missouri?

It depends on the city. Kansas City: $75 to $1,000. St. Louis: $100 to $500. Springfield does not publish an amount.

Do I have to carry a poop bag in Missouri?

Not as a separate rule in the cities we checked. You still have to pick up, so in practice you need one.

Are service dog handlers exempt?

In St. Louis, the ordinance exempts handlers who have a disability and cannot physically pick up. The exemption covers the handler, not the dog.

Other states in the Midwest

Illinois · Ohio · Michigan · Indiana · Wisconsin · Minnesota · Iowa · Kansas

See all 50 states · How scoop laws work in general

Sources

Checked 2026-09-10. Ordinances change, so if you are dealing with an actual citation, read the current code at the link rather than relying on this page.

This page is general information, not legal advice.