Missouri Eviction Notices

Missouri eviction notices inform a tenant that their lease will be terminated on a specified date, most often due to unpaid rent or a violation of the terms of their lease. An eviction notice will sometimes give the lessee a time limit by which they may resolve the issue and keep their rental agreement. If the lessee hasn’t paid their rent, has caused extreme damage to the dwelling, or has engaged in illegal activity on the premises, the landlord may evict them without notice. Regardless of the situation, the owner must obtain a court order or summons before they can evict the renter. The tenant will have twenty-four (24) hours to vacate the rental unit from the time that an eviction is ordered by the court.

Notice Types


Missouri 10 Day Notice to Comply or Quit

The Missouri ten (10) day notice to comply or quit is issued by a landlord to a tenant who has committed some form of “curable” (i.e. fixable) lease violation. The notice provides the tenant with ten (10) days to either put …

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Missouri 30 Day Notice to Quit | Month to Month Tenancy

The Missouri month-to-month termination letter is used to inform a tenant of the landlord’s intention to terminate their rental agreement. No reason is necessary to terminate a month-to-month (or “at-will”) tenancy, however, the termination cannot be discriminatory or retaliatory in …

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Missouri Immediate Notice to Pay or Quit

The Missouri Notice to quit or pay is a document that may be given by a landlord to a tenant when the rent payment is late. The law does not require this notice, so it is served only as a courtesy and to provide proof that the …

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How to Evict a Tenant (Process)

In Missouri, when a lease is going to be terminated, a landlord will usually serve a notice to their tenants before filing an eviction action in court when a lease is going to be terminated. If the tenant hasn’t paid their rent or has committed other violations as detailed in §441.740, no notice is required. Even if notice isn’t required, it will still be in the best interests of the landlord to issue a notice so that they have a written proof that they properly notified the lodger of the coming eviction. Furthermore, eviction is only legal by court order and landlords should never attempt an eviction without one. Once the eviction action has been filed, the tenant will be served with either a court-ordered eviction notice or a summons to appear in court. If the judge rules in favor of the occupant, they will be able to stay at their residence. Otherwise, they will be evicted by order of the court.

Step 1 – Choose the Correct Notice Type

Serve the tenant with the proper type of notice. The Demand for Payment or Possession is issued only when a lessee has not paid their rent in full. A Ten (10) Day Notice to Comply or Vacate is served to a tenant who has committed a lease violation. Month-to-month tenants have to be served a thirty (30) day termination notice.

Step 2 – Deliver the Notice to Tenant

Once the notice has been prepared, it must be served personally to the tenant or left with a resident of the rental property who is at least fifteen (15) years old. The landlord should keep a copy of the notice for their records and complete the “Proof of Service” section of the copy (if applicable).

Step 3 – Prepare Statement/Complaint

Allow the tenant the amount of time stated in the notice to pay the rent owed, cure the lease violations, or vacate the rental unit. The eviction action can only be filed after the notice period has expired and the tenant has failed to comply with the demands stated in the notice.

For an eviction when the tenant has failed to pay rent, you will need to file a “statement” that includes a certified affidavit with the circuit court of the county in which the rental unit is located (§ 535.010). If they violated the lease, you will need to file a Complaint and a Summons (§ 534.070). These forms can all be obtained from your Circuit Court or in the Landlord’s Directions package which can be downloaded from the Missouri Courts website. Jackson and St. Louis County have their own forms which can be downloaded below.

Step 4 – File Statement/Complaint

File the eviction lawsuit in the Circuit Court of the county where the rental unit is located. If your property is owned in the name of a business, you must be represented by a lawyer. Filing fees will vary depending on the case and the apartment’s location (view fee schedule examples here). If the value of the settlement is $5,000 or under, the case will usually be filed with the small claims court.

Step 5 – Serve Court Order/Summons

Once the eviction action has been properly filed, the tenant will be served either a court order or a summons by a law enforcement officer (or another authorized individual). The applicable document will inform them of how long they have to vacate or what their date of trial will be.

Step 6 – Attend Trial

Arrive at the court on the scheduled date and bring any evidence such as payment histories, a copy of the rental agreement, a copy of the notice that was served to the tenant, and/or proof of lease violations. If the tenant does not attend the trial, the judge will enter a “default judgment” in favor of the landlord. Once the judge has made a ruling on the eviction, if the judgment is made in favor of the landlord, the tenant will be required to vacate the rental property within twenty-four (24) hours after the initial judgment to file an appeal.

Step 7 – Removal of the Tenant

If the tenant fails to comply with the court order, a law enforcement officer may be authorized to remove them from the premises. The landlord is not responsible for any of the tenant’s property once they have been evicted.