Missouri House approves reducing personal property taxes, relaxing car inspections

By Evy Lewis, St. Louis Public Radio & River City Journalism Fund

Published March 14, 2025

The Missouri House passed several bills Thursday, including one that will broadly loosen car inspection requirements and another that would reduce the values used to calculate personal property taxes.

Both bills now proceed to the Senate.

Personal property taxes

Currently, personal property taxes in Missouri are determined based on one-third of market value. House Bill 903 would reduce that to 18% of market value over a three-year period.

“The tax on personal property is not only an inefficient tax, but a tax that most would consider to be double taxation on property,” the bill sponsor, Rep. Richard West, R-Wentzville, said while introducing the bill for debate earlier this week.

West said before the vote on the bill that it was not a tax reduction, but Democrats disputed his characterization.

“This is indeed a reduction in the amount of money going back to school districts, the amount of money going to fire and ambulance districts,” said Rep. Kemp Strickler, D-Lee’s Summit. “When we go back to our districts, is that something that we want to tell our schools?”

The bill is one among many tax measures that have been introduced in both chambers this year, including some that would limit or cap property tax assessments.

Opponents to the proposed tax cuts have expressed concern about effects on local and state services. The fiscal note on HB 903 estimates an impact of over $900 million on local government funds.

Vehicle inspections

State Rep. Ben Baker, R-Neosho, is the sponsor of House Bill 799, which would exempt cars from 2012 or later from inspection unless they have more than 150,000 miles on them. (Brian Munoz / St. Louis Public Radio)

Currently, in order to renew a car’s registration, the car doesn’t need to be inspected if it has less than 150,000 miles and is less than 10 years old.

House Bill 799 would change that so that any car with a model year of 2012 or newer is exempt from inspection requirements, so long as it has less than 150,000 miles.

“It’s a good freedom bill,” said bill sponsor Ben Baker, R-Neosho, while introducing the bill, “eliminating unnecessary fees and red tape for the great people of our state.”

Rep. Mark Boyko, D-Kirkwood, voted against the bill, saying that removing inspection requirements will cause more accidents.

“The recent research is that states with safety inspections have fewer fatal accidents,” Boyko said before the vote on the bill. “I think that the savings in terms of having a few fewer safety inspections don’t justify the cost in terms of Missourians’ lives.”

The River City Journalism Fund supports St. Louis Public Radio’s Statehouse internship. Evy Lewis is the 2025 reporting intern. See rcjf.org for more information about the fund, which seeks to advance journalism in St. Louis.

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