Eviction notices in Missouri
Source: RSMo §§ 535.010-535.160; 441.020, 441.030, 441.040, 441.233; 1.040 · Checked against the statute
- Unpaid rent
- Demand for rent
- Lease violation
- 10 days (notice to vacate, no right to fix)
- Serious or repeat violation
- 10 days
Missouri eviction notice deadline
Choose the state, the type of notice and the date it was served.
Notice for unpaid rent
The landlord must demand the rent before filing a rent-and-possession case, but no waiting period is set; the demand is good any time after rent is due (RSMo §§ 535.020, 535.060). The one-month notice to end a month-to-month tenancy is not required before filing (§ 535.020).
Can the tenant pay to stop it? If the rent and all costs are tendered to the judge at the hearing, the landlord does not get possession; paying the money judgment and costs before the judgment becomes final stays the execution (RSMo §§ 535.040, 535.160).
- Type:
- Demand for rent
- Notice period:
- No fixed number of days
- Law:
- RSMo §§ 535.020, 535.060
Notice for a lease violation
If a tenant violates conditions of a written lease, assigns without written consent, or commits waste, the landlord must give 10 days' notice to vacate before retaking possession through the court (RSMo §§ 441.030, 441.040).
Chance to fix it: No statutory right to cure.
- Type:
- Notice to vacate, no right to fix
- Notice period:
- 10 days
- Law:
- RSMo § 441.040
Serious, repeat or illegal-activity violations
The same 10-day notice to vacate under § 441.040 applies; the landlord must prove the illegal drug use (§§ 441.020, 441.040).
When it applies: Allowing illegal possession, sale or distribution of controlled substances, gambling devices or a brothel on the premises (lease becomes void).
- Notice period:
- 10 days
- Law:
- RSMo §§ 441.020, 441.040
How the days are counted
Exclude the first day and include the last; if the last day is a Sunday, it is excluded (RSMo § 1.040). No extra days for mailing are set.
How the notice must be delivered
The statutes do not prescribe how the 10-day notice or the rent demand must be delivered.
If the tenant doesn't pay, fix it or leave
The landlord files a verified statement with an associate circuit judge (RSMo § 535.020). The summons must be served at least 4 days before a court date no more than 21 business days after issuance (posting and mailing allowed at least 10 days before) (§ 535.030). The tenant appears on the court date; there is no separate written-answer deadline in the statute. The officer must deliver possession within 5 days of receiving the execution (§ 535.040). Removing or locking out a tenant or cutting essential utilities without judicial process is forcible entry and detainer (§ 441.233).
Also good to know
- The tenant has 10 days from the judgment to file a motion to set it aside or an application for a trial de novo; otherwise the judgment for possession becomes final and the tenant can be evicted without further notice (§ 535.030(4)).
- No money judgment is granted against a defaulting tenant served only by posting and mailing (§ 535.030(2)-(3)).
Related
- Missouri notice to end a month-to-month tenancy (no-cause notice by tenant or landlord)
- Missouri security deposit law: deadlines after move-out
- Federal 30-day notice for covered properties (CARES Act)
Sources
- RSMo § 535.010 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
- RSMo § 535.020 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
- RSMo § 535.030 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
- RSMo § 535.040 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
- RSMo § 535.060 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
- RSMo § 535.160 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
- RSMo § 441.020 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
- RSMo § 441.030 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
- RSMo § 441.040 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
- RSMo § 441.233 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
- RSMo § 1.040 Retrieved October 13, 2026.
Laws change. This page was checked against the sources above on October 13, 2026. It is legal information, not legal advice; if you have an eviction case, contact your state's legal aid. See our methodology.