Visiting Missouri from abroad: citizens of 42 countries can come without a visa for up to 90 days through ESTA, Missouri drivers go up to 75 mph on rural interstates, and the state sales tax is 4.225% plus local tax.
Everything here comes from a government page we read on October 31, 2026, and each fact names the page and its date. Where an official page would not load or did not say, the list at the bottom says so, in plain words. We link the agency instead of guessing.
Getting Into The United States
Everyone arriving at a U.S. port of entry is inspected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Even with an approved ESTA, a CBP officer decides on arrival. Read: CBP: International Visitors (modified October 14, 2026).
- No-visa travel. The Visa Waiver Program allows up to 90 days for business or tourism without a visa, for citizens of 42 participating countries. Eligibility is checked through ESTA, and CBP says to apply as soon as you start planning, before you buy airline tickets (CBP: Visa Waiver Program, modified November 12, 2024).
- Declare food, plants and animals. CBP says you must declare meats, fruits, vegetables, plants, seeds, soil, animals and biological materials, and that a first undeclared prohibited agricultural item can bring a civil penalty of up to $1,000 (CBP: Applying for admission, modified April 17, 2026).
- Report cash over $10,000. You must report currency or monetary instruments worth more than $10,000 when you enter or leave. A family or group reports the combined total, on FinCEN Form 105 (CBP: Money and monetary instruments, modified November 24, 2025).
Money
Bills in circulation are $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100, and the U.S. government says every past design of U.S. currency remains legal tender (U.S. Currency Education Program, no date printed). Missouri’s state sales tax rate is 4.225%. Cities, counties and certain districts add their own sales taxes, so the total depends on where you shop (Missouri Department of Revenue, no date printed). The page mentions no tourist refund.
See also What is the sales tax in Missouri?.
Driving in Missouri
- Speed limits. Missouri law sets 75 mph on rural interstates and freeways, 65 mph on rural expressways and 60 mph on other roads outside urban areas, with lettered two-lane state roads at 55 mph unless the state sets a higher limit of no more than 60 (RSMo 304.010, text effective August 28, 2026). Posted signs control, so follow them.
- Child seats. MoDOT, citing RSMo 307.179: under 4 years or under 40 pounds, a child safety seat; ages 4 to 7 and at least 40 pounds, a child safety seat or booster unless the child is 80 pounds or 4 feet 9 inches; age 8 or older, or 80 pounds, or 4 feet 9 inches, a safety belt or booster (MoDOT: Child safety seats, no date printed).
- Road conditions. MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map shows closures and delays, and its winter road report covers winter conditions.
Driving on a foreign license: the Missouri Department of Revenue pages we read do not say, and its FAQ points to the U.S. Department of State for International Driving Permit information. Ask your rental company what it accepts, and check the State Department before you travel.
Distances between event cities are on our Drive Times page.
Electricity, Emergencies and Alcohol
- Electricity. The U.S. Department of Energy says U.S. power is 110 to 120 volts at 60 hertz, with plugs that have two or three prongs, and that many other countries use 220 to 240 volts at 50 hertz, so a traveler may need a converter (Energy.gov: Electricity 101, no date printed; written for Americans going abroad).
- Emergencies. USA.gov says to dial 911 immediately in an emergency (USA.gov: Report a crime, updated September 17, 2026).
- Alcohol. No one under 21 may buy or possess alcohol in Missouri. A violation is a misdemeanor with a fine of $50 to $1,000, up to a year in jail, or both (Missouri Alcohol and Tobacco Control, no date printed).
Airports
The Missouri Division of Tourism says Missouri has two international airports, Kansas City and St. Louis (Visit Missouri: Travel Resources, modified July 2, 2025). Its travel-resources page has no section for international visitors.
What We Could Not Verify
- Visa rules for each country, and the B-1/B-2 visitor visa: the State Department pages did not load for us. Use travel.state.gov.
- The ESTA fee and how long an approval lasts: not printed on the pages we could read. Check the official ESTA site.
- Whether a foreign driver license or International Driving Permit is accepted: Missouri’s pages do not say. Ask the rental company and check the State Department.
- The adult seat-belt law and how it is enforced: the statute page we reached showed an outdated version. Wear your belt.
- Speed limits as posted: a search summary of a Highway Patrol document suggested 70 mph on rural interstates, while the statute says 75. We did not read the Highway Patrol document, so follow the posted sign.
- Tipping customs, plug type letters, currency exchange and foreign consulates in St. Louis or Kansas City: no official page we could read covers them.
- Missouri smoking and vaping rules: no official page read.
More Missouri Guides
Questions People Ask
Do I need a visa to visit Missouri?
Citizens of the 42 Visa Waiver Program countries can visit for up to 90 days without a visa if ESTA approves them. Everyone else needs a visa; check travel.state.gov.
How much cash can I bring?
You can bring any amount, but you must report more than $10,000 in currency or monetary instruments on FinCEN Form 105 when you enter or leave.
How fast can I drive on Missouri highways?
State law sets 75 mph on rural interstates and freeways. Posted signs control.
What number do I call in an emergency?
911.
Sources
- CBP: International Visitors
- CBP: Visa Waiver Program
- CBP: Applying for admission
- CBP: Money and monetary instruments
- U.S. Currency Education Program
- Missouri Department of Revenue: sales and use tax
- Revisor of Statutes: RSMo 304.010
- MoDOT: Child safety seats
- MoDOT: Traveler Information Map
- Energy.gov: Electricity 101
- USA.gov: Report a crime
- Missouri Alcohol and Tobacco Control: alcohol FAQ
- Visit Missouri: Travel Resources
- Missouri Department of Revenue: driver license FAQ
Checked October 30, 2026 by It’s Missouri. Cite this page: It’s Missouri (https://itsmissouri.com/visit/international-visitors/), checked October 30, 2026. Free to quote with a link.