Getting a used car dealer license in Missouri

In Missouri, used-car dealers are licensed by Missouri DOR Motor Vehicle Bureau.

Before your first retail sale you’ll need a $50,000 surety bond, a pre-licensing course and a business location that meets the state’s rules. The state also inspects the location.

This page gathers what a new independent lot needs, each fact linked to the official source it came from.

Sources checked

At a glance

License
Used motor vehicle dealer dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)
Issued by
Missouri DOR Motor Vehicle Bureau dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)
Surety bond
$50,000 standard bond/irrevocable letter of credit; $100,000 for authorized delayed-title delivery sales. dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab) That’s the bond’s face amount, not what you pay: a surety company charges a yearly premium, usually a small percentage of it, set mainly by your credit.
Pre-licensing course
First-time used applicants need approved Dealer Educational Seminar certificate. dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)
Official fees
Annual license $150 and first plate $50, prorated monthly; later two-year license $300. dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)
Renewal
Annual first three years, then two-year renewal; $150/year equivalent. dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)
Site inspection
Yes: MSHP/authorized designee, or eligible metropolitan police; sheriff/marshal cannot certify. dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)
Sales to keep the license
Eight sales per full calendar year for renewal; prorated agency table applies to shorter first years. dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)

Step by step

  1. Make sure you need a used dealer license

    Missouri's Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Bureau licenses used motor vehicle dealers. Wholesale, auction, powersport and franchised dealers hold different licenses. dor.mo.gov › dealers-lienholders (source, opens in a new tab) dor.mo.gov › 4682.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

  2. Attend the Dealer Educational Seminar

    First-time used dealers need a certificate from an approved Dealer Educational Seminar. dor.mo.gov › 4682.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

  3. Set up the premises

    You need an exclusive display area for several vehicles, visible from the street; an enclosed garage doesn't count. The enclosed office needs a working phone and accessible records, with at least 20 hours a week posted across at least four days Monday to Saturday, between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Put up a permanent sign with 6-inch letters; a temporary sign is accepted only with a work order for the permanent one. dor.mo.gov › Dealer-Operating-Manual.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

  4. Get the site inspected

    The inspection (form 5748) must be done by the Missouri State Highway Patrol or its authorized designee, or by eligible metropolitan police. A sheriff or marshal can't certify it. Do this before you file. dor.mo.gov › Dealer-Operating-Manual.pdf (source, opens in a new tab) dor.mo.gov › 4682.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

  5. Records, bond and insurance

    Get a name-based criminal history for each owner (nonresidents also need home-state checks), a garage policy, and a $50,000 bond or irrevocable letter of credit ($100,000 if you'll make authorized delayed-title sales). Register the entity or DBA and take photos of the site. You don't pay that amount: a surety company charges you a premium, a fraction of it, set mainly by your credit. dor.mo.gov › 4682.pdf (source, opens in a new tab) dor.mo.gov › Dealer-Operating-Manual.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

  6. Apply

    Apply through MyDMV or on form 4682. The license is $150 a year and the first plate $50, both prorated by month. dor.mo.gov › 4682.pdf (source, opens in a new tab) dor.mo.gov › Dealer-Operating-Manual.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

  7. Wait for approval

    Don't operate as a dealer, or buy inventory using dealer privileges, until you're approved. Incomplete or incorrect packets are rejected. dor.mo.gov › 4682.pdf (source, opens in a new tab) dor.mo.gov › Dealer-Operating-Manual.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

  8. Keep it current, and keep selling

    You renew every year for the first three years, then every two years ($300). To renew you need at least eight sales per full calendar year; a shorter first year is prorated on the agency's table. dor.mo.gov › Dealer-Operating-Manual.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

The location

Display lot
Exclusive, street-visible display area for multiple vehicles; enclosed garage does not qualify. dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)
Office
Enclosed office; working phone, accessible records and posted 20 hours/week across at least four Monday–Saturday days, between 6am and 10pm. dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)
Sign
Permanent sign, 6-inch letters; temporary sign needs permanent-sign work order. dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)

Before you apply

Entity/DBA registration; name-based criminal history per owner, including home-state checks for nonresidents; garage policy. dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)

Forms

4682 Application for Dealer, Auction or Manufacturer License and Number Plates; 5748 Inspection and Certification. dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)

Get the current versions from dor.mo.gov; we don’t host copies.

Not the license you’re after?

Wholesale, auction, powersport and franchised licenses differ. dor.mo.gov (source, opens in a new tab)

What trips people up

Our read of the requirements above, not official guidance or statistics.

The hardest part: completing inspection before filing while planning eight annual sales.

Easy mistakes:

Questions

How much does a Missouri dealer license cost?

$150 a year for the license and $50 for the first plate, prorated by month in the first year; later two-year renewals are $300. The bond premium, insurance and premises cost more. dor.mo.gov › Dealer-Operating-Manual.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

Is there a minimum number of sales?

Yes. You need eight sales per full calendar year to renew, prorated for a shorter first year. dor.mo.gov › Dealer-Operating-Manual.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

Who can inspect my lot?

The Missouri State Highway Patrol or its authorized designee, or eligible metropolitan police. A sheriff or marshal can't. dor.mo.gov › Dealer-Operating-Manual.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

Sources

Not affiliated with the Missouri Department of Revenue. Not legal advice. Requirements change; always confirm with the state.