How long does an eviction take in Missouri?
For unpaid rent, expect about 4 weeks from the first notice to the lockout, and anywhere from 2.5 to 10.5 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
Not legal advice. Estimates from public sources, checked Oct 17, 2026. Laws vary by county and city; talk to a local attorney before you act.
What would a rental in Missouri actually earn?
We'll prefill Missouri's numbers and include the eviction cost from this page.
- Median rent $1,067/mo
- Property tax 0.79%–0.82%
- Insurance $694–$1,324/yr
- Vacancy 4.7%–5.1%
The Missouri eviction timeline
Each step comes from Missouri's rules, with the source linked. The typical case adds up to about 4 weeks; a contested hearing adds about 3 more. Timeline model.
- 1
Notice to pay or leave
No waiting periodNo pay-or-quit period required; landlord can terminate with an unconditional notice (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.010)
- 2
File and get a judgment
7–30 days · typical 14Court date at least 4 days after service and generally within 21 business days of the summons
- 3
Judgment to lockout
10–21 days10 days to set aside or seek a new trial before the judgment is final
- 4
If the tenant appeals
10-day windowTrial de novo/appeal does not stay execution unless the tenant posts bond within 10 days
Can the tenant pay and stay? No right to pay and stay once notice is given. official source Source ↗
What an eviction costs in Missouri
Court fees come from the fee schedules we found, and each one says where it applies. Fees we couldn't verify are labeled Unverified and use the national default range. The calculator above adds them to your lost rent.
Court filing fee
St. Louis and Lafayette County examples$48.50–$53.50Associate circuit landlord/tenant: $53.50 St. Louis County, $48.50 Lafayette County
Serving the tenant
Unverified · national default$30–$77No official amount verified for Missouri yet, so the calculator uses the national default range.
Sheriff or marshal lockout
Unverified · national default$75–$180No official amount verified for Missouri yet, so the calculator uses the national default range.
Lawyer, uncontested case
National estimate$500–$1,500Flat fees commonly charged when the tenant doesn't fight it. Not specific to this state; big-city rates run higher.
Lawyer, contested case
National estimate$2,000–$5,000+When the tenant contests the case. Not specific to this state.
Median gross rent
Census ACS 2024, 1-year$1,067/moMissouri median gross rent, ±$14. The calculator starts here; change it to your rent.
Statewide rules that can slow things down
Statewide rent control: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Statewide just-cause rules: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Right to counsel for tenants: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Seasonal or weather limits: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Required mediation or pre-filing program: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Local rules: Kansas City and St. Louis have local right-to-counsel programs.
Missouri scores 92 out of 100
Faster timelines, fewer chances to pay-and-stay and fewer statewide tenant protections score higher.
Missouri eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in Missouri?
A nonpayment eviction in Missouri typically takes about 4 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 2.5 to 10.5 weeks. Contested cases, court backlogs and appeals can take longer. This is an LandlordCost estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked Oct 17, 2026.
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Missouri?
No pay-or-quit period required; landlord can terminate with an unconditional notice (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.010).
Can a tenant stop an eviction in Missouri by paying the rent?
No right to pay and stay once notice is given.
How much does it cost to file an eviction in Missouri?
The filing fee we found is $48.50-$53.50 (St. Louis and Lafayette County examples). That is a local example, not a statewide fee, and other courts charge different amounts. Service and lockout fees are extra. Lawyer fees commonly run about $500-$1,500 for an uncontested case (a national estimate).
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Missouri?
A typical uncontested nonpayment eviction in Missouri costs a landlord roughly $1,600 to $2,800: about 4 weeks of lost rent at the median rent of $1,067/month (about $1,000), court and service fees of about $154-$310 (some are national defaults because we could not verify them), and lawyer fees of about $500-$1,500 (a national estimate). A contested case running about 10.5 weeks can pass $4,900. These are LandlordCost estimates (Census ACS 2024 rent); they leave out rent owed before the notice, turnover and re-rent time.
Is Missouri landlord-friendly for evictions?
Missouri scores 92 out of 100 on the LandlordCost landlord-friendliness score (timeline 41.7/50, right to cure 20/20, statewide tenant protections 30/30). The formula is on our methodology page.
Sources and last-checked dates
Not yet verified for Missouri: service fee, lockout fee. Fields we couldn't source are labeled unverified, never guessed. Download the data: states.json · states.csv.
- Notice periodofficial sourcerevisor.mo.gov ↗
- Notice period (backup)secondary sourcenolo.com ↗
- Court deadlinesofficial sourcelaw.justia.com ↗
- Judgment to lockoutofficial sourcelaw.justia.com ↗
- Appealofficial sourcerevisor.mo.gov ↗
- Filing feeofficial sourcestlcountycourts.com ↗
- Service feeunverifiednone found
- Lockout feeunverifiednone found
- Right to cureofficial sourcerevisor.mo.gov ↗
- Median rentofficial sourcewww2.census.gov ↗
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