How to get a dealer license in Missouri

RSMo 301.570.1 makes it unlawful 'to sell or display with an intent to sell six or more motor vehicles in a calendar year, except when such motor vehicles are registered in the name of the seller,' without a dealer license. It exempts financial institutions, sellers of repossessed vehicles, businesses disposing of vehicles used and titled in their ordinary course of business, and antique vehicle collectors. Selling six or more in a calendar year is prima facie evidence of acting as a dealer (RSMo 301.570.3).

• New motor vehicle franchise dealer: Dealers franchised by a manufacturer to sell a make of new vehicles. They may also sell used vehicles.
• Wholesale motor vehicle dealer: Dealers who sell only to new franchise or used dealers, or through auctions limited to dealers. They cannot make retail sales.
• Powersport dealer: Dealers who mainly sell motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and personal watercraft.
• Recreational motor vehicle dealer: Dealers of new or used vehicles built or modified as temporary living quarters.
• Historic and classic motor vehicle dealers: Separate dealer classes listed in RSMo 301.550.3 for historic and classic vehicles.
• Trailer dealer: Dealers who sell trailers. Selling six or more trailers in a calendar year is the evidence of eligibility for this license, and trailer dealers do not need a garage policy.
• Boat dealer: Dealers who sell vessels or vessel trailers. Selling six or more in a calendar year is the evidence of eligibility for this license.
• Public motor vehicle auction: Businesses that take vehicles on consignment and sell them at public auction through a licensed auctioneer.
• Wholesale motor vehicle auction: Auctions that provide services only in wholesale sales where the buyers are licensed dealers.
• Special event motor vehicle auction: Short auctions of up to 3 days, held up to 3 times a year, where 90% of vehicles are at least 10 years old. The fee is $1,000 and a $100,000 bond is required.

Surety bond. A $50,000 corporate surety bond (Exhibit A) or irrevocable letter of credit (Exhibit B) for new, used, wholesale, powersport, trailer and boat dealers (RSMo 301.560). It must stay in effect through December 31 of the license year or be non-expiring. Dealers who use delayed title delivery agreements (Form 5830) need a $100,000 bond or letter of credit. Use the bond forms printed in the current dealer manual. An older exhibit file on the Department of Revenue site, from 2014, shows outdated amounts.

Insurance. New, used, wholesale, powersport and boat dealers must send a copy of a current dealer garage liability policy with the application (RSMo 301.560), and trailer dealers are exempt. By signing the application, the dealer also certifies liability insurance on every vehicle it owns or operates on public roads, including vehicles held for resale.

Place of business. RSMo 301.560 requires a bona fide established place of business: a permanently enclosed building, owned or leased and occupied, where the public can reach the owner at reasonable times and where records are kept. A travel trailer or manufactured home office must be anchored with the wheels removed. The site needs a display area or lot that is not a public street, big enough for multiple vehicles, for the dealer's exclusive use and visible from the nearest street, and an enclosed garage does not qualify. It needs a permanent exterior sign with letters at least 6 inches high (a banner is not acceptable), a working phone number all year, and posted regular hours of at least 20 a week, counting only hours between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. A law enforcement officer must inspect and certify the site on Form 5748 before you apply.

Background check. Each owner listed on the application needs a name-based criminal record from the Missouri State Highway Patrol's MACHS site (machs.mo.gov), issued within 6 months of license issuance or renewal. Owners, partners or officers who live in another state submit a current background check from that state's highway patrol or background investigation bureau.

Pre-license education. Required (4 hours). Approved courses and details.

1. Register your business and any fictitious name with the Missouri Secretary of State.
2. Attend a DOR-approved Dealer Educational Seminar within 12 months before you apply.
3. Set up a place of business with an enclosed building, a display lot, a permanent sign with 6-inch letters and at least 20 posted hours a week.
4. Have the Missouri State Highway Patrol, or metro police in a first class county, inspect the location on Form 5748.
5. Get a $50,000 surety bond (Exhibit A) or letter of credit (Exhibit B) and a dealer garage liability policy.
6. Get a MACHS name-based criminal record for each owner, issued within 6 months.
7. Apply online at MyDMV.mo.gov under Businesses, upload photos of the building, lot and sign, and pay the license and plate fees.

Official forms:

• MyDMV online business license application (required for new and renewal applications since January 1, 2022)
• Inspection and Certification for Dealer, Auction, or Manufacturer Business License (5748)
• Corporate Surety Bond and Irrevocable Letter of Credit forms, in the Dealer and Business Operating Manual (Exhibit A, Exhibit B)
• Application for Dealer, Auction, or Manufacturer License and Number Plate(s), now used to update a current license (4682)
• Application for Replacement or Additional Dealer Plates (5690)
• Agreement for Delayed Delivery of Certificate of Ownership (needs a $100,000 bond), 5830

No. Missouri requires every dealer class, including wholesale dealers, to have an enclosed building and a display lot that is not a public street, and an enclosed garage does not count as the display area.

Under RSMo 301.550, a wholesale motor vehicle auction sells only to motor vehicle dealers licensed in Missouri or another jurisdiction, so a dealer license is needed to buy there. AuctionACCESS (auctionaccess.com), accepted at over 400 auction marketplaces in the US and Canada, limits membership to licensed vehicle dealers and their authorized representatives.

All dealer licenses and plates expire December 31, and there is no grace period. Renew online through MyDMV, and the department mails a renewal notice at least 90 days before expiration. A dealer must sell at least 8 vehicles in each full calendar year to renew, and dealers in business for 3 years get a two-year license. The location must be re-inspected every year for the first 3 years, then every other year.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm the details with the Missouri Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Bureau, Dealer Licensing Section before you apply. Last verified October 20, 2026.

Planning the business side too? Read how to start a car dealership. Used cars you offer for sale need an FTC Buyers Guide in the window. Selling your own car instead? See how to sell a car in Missouri.