How long does an eviction take in Missouri?
For unpaid rent, expect about 4 weeks from the first notice to the lockout in Missouri, and anywhere from 2.5 to 10.5 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
Missouri eviction timeline, step by step
- Notice to pay or leave 0 daysofficial source
No pay-or-quit period required; landlord can terminate with an unconditional notice (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.010) source · secondary source - File the case and get a judgment about 7-30 days (typical 14)official source
Court date at least 4 days after service and generally within 21 business days of the summons source - Judgment to lockout 10-21 daysofficial source
10 days to set aside or seek a new trial before the judgment is final source - If the tenant appeals 10-day windowofficial source
Trial de novo/appeal does not stay execution unless the tenant posts bond within 10 days source
Timeline model: notice + filing-to-judgment window + judgment-to-lockout window; the high case adds 21 days for a contested hearing. Methodology.
Can the tenant pay and stay?
No right to pay and stay once notice is given. official source source
Eviction costs in Missouri
| Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Court filing fee | $48.50-$53.50 | St. Louis and Lafayette County examples: Associate circuit landlord/tenant: $53.50 St. Louis County, $48.50 Lafayette County official source source |
| Serving the tenant | $30-$77 | Not verified for Missouri; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Sheriff/marshal lockout | $75-$180 | Not verified for Missouri; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Lawyer, uncontested | $500-$1,500 | National rough estimate, not state-specific estimate |
| Lawyer, contested | $2,000-$5,000+ | National rough estimate estimate |
| Median gross rent | $1,067/mo | Census ACS 2024 1-year (±$14) data file |
Tenant protections
| 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 / pre-filing program | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Local rules | Check | Kansas City and St. Louis have local right-to-counsel programs. |
Eviction cost calculator for Missouri
| What | Typical | Low to high |
|---|
Full timeline and sources · Total = rent × (months behind + months to evict + months to re-rent) + court fees + lawyer + turnover. How we calculate.
Tenant screening
Reserved for a tenant-screening partner (credit, eviction and background checks). No partner yet; nothing here is a recommendation.
Rent-guarantee insurance
Reserved for a rent-guarantee or landlord insurance partner that covers unpaid rent and eviction costs. No partner yet.
Landlord-friendliness score: 92/100
Timeline 41.7/50 · right to cure 20/20 · statewide protections 30/30. How the score works.
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 EvictionMath estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked 2026-10-17.
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).
Is Missouri landlord-friendly for evictions?
Missouri scores 92 out of 100 on the EvictionMath 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
| Field | Source type | Link | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice period | official source | revisor.mo.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Notice period (backup) | secondary source | www.nolo.com | 2026-10-17 |
| Court deadlines | official source | law.justia.com | 2026-10-17 |
| Judgment to lockout | official source | law.justia.com | 2026-10-17 |
| Appeal | official source | www.revisor.mo.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Filing fee | official source | stlcountycourts.com | 2026-10-17 |
| Service fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Lockout fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Median rent | official source | census.gov (ACS B25064) | 2026-10-17 |
Not yet verified for Missouri: service fee, lockout fee. Fields we couldn't source are left blank, never guessed. Found an error? Laws change; tell us via the newsletter reply.
Compare similar states
Iowa (92, 2.5 wk) · Missouri (92, 4 wk) · Nevada (92, 2.5 wk) · Ohio (92, 4 wk) · Oklahoma (92, 2.5 wk)