Missouri
Missouri: statutes read at the official source for people acting for themselves, each with its citation and the date it was read.
Acting for yourself
Who shall engage in the practice of law or do law business, penalty
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 484.020 · revisor.mo.gov · read 2026-08-19 · official source
Renting and landlord-tenant
security deposit, return deadline
Within thirty days after the date of termination of the tenancy, the landlord shall: (1) Return the full amount of the security deposit; or
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300.3 · read 2026-08-21 · official source
Not verified for Missouri: Deposit cap (§ 535.300.1), month-to-month notice (§ 441.060) and the rent-and-possession action (ch. 535) were not transcribed.
Small claims
The court that hears these in Missouri is the Small claims court (the judge of the associate circuit court sitting as a small claims court).
$5,000
Exclusive of interest or costs.
When sitting as a small claims court, the judge shall have original jurisdiction of all civil cases, whether tort or contract, where the amount in controversy does not exceed five thousand dollars, exclusive of interest or costs, or as provided in this chapter.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 482.305 · read 2026-08-21 · official source
Not verified: Attorney representation not read.; courts.mo.gov returned HTTP 403 to automated requests for the small-claims page; no self-help URL recorded.
How long you have to bring a claim
| Kind of claim | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|
| written promise to pay money or property | 10 years | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.110(1) · read 2026-08-21 |
| contract (other than a writing for payment of money) | 5 years | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(1) · read 2026-08-21 |
| personal injury | 5 years | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4) · read 2026-08-21 |
| property damage | 5 years | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(3), (4) · read 2026-08-21 |
Limitation periods have exceptions: when the clock starts (accrual), tolling, discovery rules, and claims against government bodies often differ. These entries record the general period as the statute states it, on the date read. They are not a calculation of any particular deadline.
Not verified: Wage claims and debt-on-account not read as separate provisions.
What this page is, and is not
Everything above was read at the source named next to it, on the date named next to it. Nothing is summarised from memory and nothing is carried over from a neighbouring state. Statutes are amended, so read the source before relying on it.
This is general legal information about Missouri. It is not advice about your situation, and it is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.