# Missouri — Construction retainage limits by US state — maximum withholding percentages, release deadlines, escrow requirements, and public vs private distinctions with statutory citations

For Missouri, public project retainage cap (%) is 5%; private project retainage cap (%) is no statutory cap; release deadline is 30 days after acceptance and receipt of required documentation; escrow required is no; milestone reduction is public owner may reduce or eliminate retainage if work is proceeding satisfactorily, recorded from its source on 2026-08-17.

- **State:** Missouri
- **Public project retainage cap (%):** 5%
- **Private project retainage cap (%):** no statutory cap
- **Release deadline:** 30 days after acceptance and receipt of required documentation
- **Escrow required:** no
- **Milestone reduction:** public owner may reduce or eliminate retainage if work is proceeding satisfactorily
- **Statutory citation:** RSMo § 34.057 _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_

## What the source says

> Retainage withheld on any construction contract or subcontract for public works projects shall not exceed five percent of the value of the contract or subcontract.

## Source

- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?bid=905&hl=&section=34.057

Last verified: 2026-08-17. Review by: 2027-08-17.
Part of [Construction retainage limits by US state — maximum withholding percentages, release deadlines, escrow requirements, and public vs private distinctions with statutory citations](https://referencesource.org/construction-retainage-limits-by-state/).