Before You Begin
This guide is a general orientation only. It is not legal, financial, tax, or licensing advice. Requirements, fees, and bond amounts are set by the State of Missouri and change from time to time.
Always confirm every current requirement directly with the Missouri Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Bureau before you spend money or submit anything.
The authority on this process
Missouri Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Bureau — Dealer Licensing Section. PO Box 43, 301 West High Street, Room 370, Jefferson City, MO 65105-0043. Phone 573-526-3669 (option 7). Email dealerlic@dor.mo.gov.
The definitive reference: The Missouri Dealer and Business Operating Manual, published by the Department of Revenue and revised periodically. It is free, it is thorough, and it is the document the state actually goes by.
dor.mo.gov — dealers →mydmv.mo.gov →
Welcome — and congratulations
Opening a dealership is a serious undertaking, and the licensing process is the first real test of it. Missouri's requirements are specific — about your building, your hours, your paperwork, and your inspection — and the order in which you do things matters.
Wayne Reaves has worked alongside independent dealers for years. We are not a licensing service and we do not file on your behalf — but we have watched a lot of people go through this, and we know what the road looks like. This guide lays out the shape of it so you know what is coming.
We would like to be the software that runs your dealership — and the smart move is to put us in place before you open, not after. While you work through licensing, we can be getting your system, your website, and your training ready, so opening day is a sale, not a setup project.
The Shape of the Process
Missouri's requirements fall into seven broad groups. Several can run in parallel, but the general flow is:
- 01
Choose your license type
Missouri issues distinct licenses for used vehicles, franchise, wholesale, auctions, trailers, boats, powersports, and RVs. Pick the one that matches what you intend to sell.
- 02
Dealer education seminar
required for first-time used motor vehicle dealer applicants.
- 03
Business formation
register your entity and any fictitious name with the Missouri Secretary of State.
- 04
Location
secure a business property that meets the state's physical requirements and local zoning.
- 05
Bond and garage liability insurance
in the amounts and forms the state requires for your license type.
- 06
Background check and law enforcement inspection
a criminal history check for each owner, and a physical inspection of your location by the correct authority.
- 07
Application, fees, and plates
filed through the state's online portal, with dealer plates issued alongside the license.
Step 1
Choosing your license type
Missouri does not issue one general dealer license. It issues separate licenses depending on what you sell and how you sell it — used motor vehicle and powersport, franchise, wholesale, public auction, wholesale auction, recreational vehicle, trailer, and boat, among others.
This matters more than it might seem. Requirements differ by type: some license types are exempt from the bond requirement, some are exempt from garage liability insurance, and some do not receive dealer plates at all. A separate license and fee is generally required for each category at each location.
Get this right first. Everything downstream — your bond, your insurance, your plates, your fees — depends on which license you are applying for. If you are unsure which fits your business plan, call the Dealer Licensing Section and ask before you spend anything.
Step 2
Dealer education seminar
First-time applicants for a Missouri used motor vehicle dealer license must complete an approved dealer education seminar and submit the completion certificate with the application.
The certificate has a limited window of validity relative to your application date, so do not take the class years before you intend to apply. Confirm the current window and the list of approved providers with the Motor Vehicle Bureau before you register for a course.
Applicants who already hold a Missouri new or used dealer license for a separate dealership may be exempt. Verify your own situation rather than assuming.
Step 3
Business formation and registration
Most applicants register a legal entity with the Missouri Secretary of State before applying. If you will operate under a name different from your legal entity name, you will generally need to file a fictitious name registration as well — and the name on your application, bond, insurance, and registration all need to match.
Which business structure is right for you — LLC, corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship — is a question for an attorney or CPA, not for a software vendor. It affects your taxes and your personal liability, so it is worth a real conversation with a professional before you file.
Step 4
Your place of business
Missouri expects a genuine, dedicated commercial location. A home address and a P.O. box will not satisfy the requirement as your place of business.
The state has specific expectations about the office itself — an enclosed, climate-controlled space of a defined minimum size, with a desk, a telephone, and a filing system for records — plus a display lot with genuine space to show vehicles for sale rather than merely store them, and permanent exterior signage identifying the business. Photographs of the building, lot, and sign are submitted with the application.
Missouri also requires dealers to keep and post regular business hours, with a defined weekly minimum spread across multiple days. This is not a formality; it is checked.
Check zoning before you sign anything. Local zoning approval is separate from state licensing, and some municipalities have added their own requirements such as proof of customer parking. Discovering a zoning problem after you have signed a lease is an expensive way to learn. Talk to your city or county planning office early.
Confirm the current physical requirements — square footage, signage, hours — in the Dealer and Business Operating Manual before you commit to a property or build anything out.
Step 5
Surety bond and garage liability insurance
Most Missouri dealer license types require a surety bond, filed on the state's own bond form. Missouri also has a second, higher bond amount that applies to dealers who deliver vehicles directly to purchasers — so the amount you need depends on how you intend to operate, not just on your license type.
Important: Missouri's bond amount has changed before, and older guides in circulation still quote superseded figures. Do not rely on any number you find in a document, including an older bond quote. Confirm the current required amount and the correct bond form with the Motor Vehicle Bureau or a licensed surety agent before you buy. Some license types, including certain auctions and manufacturers, are exempt from the bond requirement entirely.
Garage liability insurance is required for most license types, covering vehicles operated on dealer plates. Trailer dealers, auctions, and manufacturers may be exempt. Ask your agent specifically for a Missouri motor vehicle dealer garage liability policy and tell them it is for a Motor Vehicle Bureau licensing submission — a standard automobile policy will not satisfy the requirement.
Choosing a provider
Wayne Reaves does not sell bonds or insurance, does not recommend a particular agent, and receives nothing if you use one provider over another. Your state association, an independent insurance broker, or a licensed surety agent can help you compare. Get more than one quote — pricing varies considerably based on credit and business history.
Step 6
Background check and law enforcement inspection
Each owner, partner, or principal officer must complete a criminal history background check through the Missouri State Highway Patrol's MACHS system. The check must be recent relative to your application — Missouri requires it to have been issued within a defined window before you apply, and the same requirement applies at renewal.
Separately, your business location must be physically inspected and certified by an authorized law enforcement officer on the state's inspection form. Who performs that inspection depends on where you are located — city police in certain first-class counties, the City Auto Theft Division in the St. Louis area, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol elsewhere.
Confirm who inspects your county. The list of counties assigned to city police versus the Highway Patrol is set by the state and has been revised over time. Call the Dealer Licensing Section or check the current inspection form instructions rather than relying on an older list. Contacting the wrong agency wastes weeks.
Do not schedule your inspection until your location is genuinely finished and ready — signage up, office furnished, records system in place.
Step 7
Application, fees, plates, and renewal
Applications are filed through the state's online portal at mydmv.mo.gov. Incomplete or incorrect applications are rejected rather than held, so assemble everything before you submit.
Dealer plates are issued with your license. The number of plates you may obtain is tied to your sales volume and license type, and some license types — public and wholesale auctions, which do not own the vehicles they sell — do not receive plates at all. Current plate fees and allocation rules are in the application materials.
How Wayne Reaves Fits In
We want to be straightforward about what we do and do not do.
What we do not do
We do not file applications, form business entities, sell bonds or insurance, provide legal or tax advice, or interpret state requirements on your behalf. Those belong with the Motor Vehicle Bureau, your attorney, your CPA, and licensed agents. We receive no compensation or referral fee from bond or insurance providers.
What we do
We build dealer management software and dealer websites for independent dealers — inventory, deal tracking, customer records, reporting, compliance tools, and a website that puts your inventory in front of buyers.
One practical note: Missouri requires ongoing sales reporting and multi-year record retention. Those obligations start the day you are licensed, and how you handle them is worth thinking about before your first sale rather than after.
Get set up before you open
The best time to choose your software is now — while you are still getting licensed. Notice how much of this process is really about how your dealership will keep records: titles, deal files, tax paperwork, books kept at your location. That is exactly what Wayne Reaves handles from day one. Dealers who get set up with us during licensing open their doors ready — inventory loaded, forms and deal paperwork in place, recordkeeping organized the way inspectors and auditors expect, and a website already live when the first customer searches for you.
Sign up while your application is in motion and we will have your system configured, your team trained, and your website built by the time the license is issued — so your first sale runs like your hundredth. We have been helping independent dealers open and grow since 1987, and getting started is simple: request a demo or call us, and we will walk you through it.
Where to Get Answers
| Question about… | Ask |
|---|---|
| License type, requirements, fees, application status | Missouri Motor Vehicle Bureau, Dealer Licensing Section — 573-526-3669 opt. 7 · dealerlic@dor.mo.gov · mydmv.mo.gov |
| Detailed rules and procedures | Missouri Dealer and Business Operating Manual (dor.mo.gov) |
| Dealer education seminars | The Motor Vehicle Bureau's list of approved providers, or your state dealer association |
| Business structure and entity formation | An attorney or CPA; register with the Missouri Secretary of State |
| Taxes and record-keeping obligations | A CPA |
| Surety bonds | A licensed surety agent |
| Garage liability insurance | A licensed insurance agent |
| Zoning and local requirements at a specific address | Your city or county planning and zoning office |
| Background check (MACHS) | Missouri State Highway Patrol |
| Who inspects your location | The Dealer Licensing Section, or the current inspection form instructions |
| Dealer software and websites | Wayne Reaves Computer Systems Inc. |
Disclaimer
This guide is provided by Wayne Reaves Computer Systems Inc. as a general informational overview only. It is not legal, tax, financial, insurance, or licensing advice, and it does not create any professional or advisory relationship. Licensing requirements are established and administered solely by the State of Missouri and are subject to change without notice. Wayne Reaves Computer Systems Inc. makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the information here, and accepts no liability for any action taken in reliance on it. Verify all requirements directly with the Missouri Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Bureau and consult qualified professionals before acting.
Reviewed July 2026. Reviewed quarterly.