Landlord guide, Missouri (MO)
Missouri eviction process: the landlord’s steps from notice to removal
The eviction process in Missouri sets no notice period before a landlord files for unpaid rent (Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.020, 535.040, 535.160); the exact condition is quoted below. Then the landlord files in the associate circuit court, where the case is called rent and possession (or unlawful detainer); the court hears it, and after judgment a court officer carries out the removal.
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- Notice for unpaid rent
- None before filing
- Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.020, 535.040, 535.160
- Court
- associate circuit court
- Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.030, 535.040, 535.110, 534.350
- Time to appeal
- 10 days
- Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.030, 535.040, 535.110, 534.350
- Checked against the statutes
- 1 November 2026
Step by step
The eviction process Missouri landlords follow, step by step
Notice and court names are given as they read on Missouri’s own forms, and timing details are quoted from the statute.
- 1
Step 1
Serve the notice
Unpaid rent: Missouri sets no notice period before filing (Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.020, 535.040, 535.160).
Another breach of the lease: the 10-day notice to vacate, 10 calendar days (Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 441.020, 441.030, 441.040).
No reason, month to month: 30 days’ notice (RSMo § 441.060.4(1)).
What the statute adds, in English
No notice period is required: once rent is due and has been demanded and not paid, the landlord may file. Tendering the rent and costs at the hearing, or paying the judgment before it becomes final, stops the case.
- 2
Step 2
File the eviction in court
File in the associate circuit court, where the case is called rent and possession (or unlawful detainer) (Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.030, 535.040, 535.110, 534.350).
- 3
Step 3
Go to the hearing
In the statute, in English
court date no more than 21 business days after the summons issues, served at least 4 days before
- 4
Step 4
Judgment and appeal
If the court rules for you, the tenant has 10 days to appeal.
- 5
Step 5
Removal by a court officer
An officer of the court carries out the removal, on the court’s order.
In the statute, in English
execution for possession issues no sooner than 10 days after judgment, and the officer delivers possession within 5 days of receiving it
Missouri eviction process timeline
- Notice before filing
- None before filing
- Time to answer
- Not confirmed
- Hearing
- Quoted in step 3
- Time to appeal
- 10 days
- Removal
- Quoted in step 5
Only some steps have a number in the statute, so no honest total exists: after filing, the court sets the pace.
Can you change the locks yourself?
No. Missouri bans self-help eviction (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.233), so only the court process can remove a tenant.
Removing the tenant or their belongings, removing doors or locks, or willfully cutting electric, gas, water or sewer service without a court order is forcible entry and detainer. Belongings may be removed only after a statutory abandonment notice.
The court process is the safe course in every state.
Write the Missouri eviction notice
Fill in the notice for Missouri in the generator, then read the rest of the state’s landlord law before you serve it.
Where Dardaris comes in
Most evictions start as one late payment. Dardaris sees it on day one.
It notices the missed rent the day it is due, sends the tenant a reminder, and if nothing comes, drafts the next step Missouri law asks for. You read it and sign; nothing goes out without you.
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Dardaris
The statutes
Missouri eviction laws, with the statute behind each step
| Step | What the law says | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Notice for unpaid rent | demand for rentNo period before filingNo notice period is required: once rent is due and has been demanded and not paid, the landlord may file. Tendering the rent and costs at the hearing, or paying the judgment before it becomes final, stops the case. | Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.020, 535.040, 535.160 |
| Notice for a lease breach | 10-day notice to vacate10 calendar daysApplies when the tenant violates a condition of a written lease, assigns without written consent, commits waste, or allows illegal drug activity or gambling on the premises. The statute gives no cure period. | Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 441.020, 441.030, 441.040 |
| Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy | 30 daysWritten notice ending on a rent day at least one month after the tenant receives it. | RSMo § 441.060.4(1) |
| How a notice is served | written notice, no delivery method set by statute | Not confirmed from the statute |
| Court and action | associate circuit courtrent and possession (or unlawful detainer) | Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.030, 535.040, 535.110, 534.350 |
| Time to answer | Not confirmed from the statute | Not confirmed from the statute |
| Hearing | court date no more than 21 business days after the summons issues, served at least 4 days before | Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.030, 535.040, 535.110, 534.350 |
| Time to appeal | 10 days | Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.030, 535.040, 535.110, 534.350 |
| Removal | execution for possession issues no sooner than 10 days after judgment, and the officer delivers possession within 5 days of receiving it | Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.030, 535.040, 535.110, 534.350 |
| Self-help (lockouts, utilities) | BannedRemoving the tenant or their belongings, removing doors or locks, or willfully cutting electric, gas, water or sewer service without a court order is forcible entry and detainer. Belongings may be removed only after a statutory abandonment notice. | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.233 |
Read against the official texts below on 1 November 2026. The month-to-month period was checked on 29 September 2026.
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=535.010
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=535.020
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=535.030
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=535.040
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=535.110
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=535.160
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=441.020
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=441.030
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=441.040
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=441.043
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=441.060
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=441.065
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=441.233
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=534.030
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=534.060
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=534.090
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=534.350
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=534.380
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=535.300
- https://www.revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=535.185
Questions landlords ask about eviction in Missouri
How long does an eviction take in Missouri?
Missouri sets no notice period before filing for unpaid rent. After filing, the court sets the pace, so there is no honest total: the hearing, the judgment and the removal follow the court’s calendar and the timing rules quoted on this page.
What notice does a Missouri landlord serve for unpaid rent?
Missouri sets no notice period before filing for unpaid rent (Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.020, 535.040, 535.160). The exact condition the statute sets is quoted in the steps above.
Can a landlord change the locks in Missouri?
No. Missouri bans self-help eviction (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.233), so only the court process can remove a tenant. The exact limits are quoted on this page.
Where is an eviction filed in Missouri?
In the associate circuit court, where the case is called rent and possession (or unlawful detainer) (Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 535.030, 535.040, 535.110, 534.350).
How does a landlord end a month-to-month tenancy in Missouri?
With 30 days’ notice (RSMo § 441.060.4(1)). If the tenant stays on after that, the eviction process on this page applies.
Can the tenant appeal an eviction in Missouri?
Yes. The tenant has 10 days after the judgment to appeal.
The eviction process in other states
- Massachusetts: 14 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Michigan: 7 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Minnesota: 14 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Mississippi: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Montana: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Nebraska: 7 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Nevada: 7 court days for unpaid rent
- New Hampshire: 7 calendar days for unpaid rent
General information, not legal adviceEviction law changes, and a court can read a statute differently from this summary. Check the current text and your local court’s rules, or ask a lawyer licensed in the state, before you serve a notice or file.
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