Landowner Protection

In 1983, Missouri legislature passed a law designed to protect rural landowners from lawsuits for incidents and injuries arising out of the free recreational use (hunting, trapping, fishing, hiking, photography, etc.) of their land. This law does not protect landowners who lease, charge fees, or require services for the use of their land. This law is commonly known as Missouri’s Recreational Use Act (§537.346-48 RSMo. 1983) (“MRUA” or “Act”).

Missouri State Statute section 569.145 says, “In addition to the posting of real property as set forth in section 569.140, the owner or lessee of any real property may post the property by properly placing identifying purple paint marks on trees or posts around the area to be posted. Property so posted is to be considered posted for all purposes, and any unauthorized entry upon the property is trespass in the first degree, and a class B misdemeanor.”