Missouri Small Claims Playbook: Filing, Service, Hearing and Collecting
Checked against official court sources, updated October 2026.
Quick answer: Missouri small claims are heard by a Circuit Court judge in each county, with one statewide process. You can sue for up to $5,000, not counting interest or costs. Filing is $20.50 in courts on the statewide case system, plus service. Assigned claims aren't allowed, and you can't file if you've already filed more than 12 other small claims in Missouri this calendar year. Check your court's rules.
How does small claims court work in Missouri?
Missouri has one small claims process statewide. Each county's Circuit Court has a judge who hears small claims, and when that judge does, the court is called "small claims court." The limit, the rules, and the forms are the same everywhere. Service costs can differ by county, so check with your circuit clerk.
Official sources are listed under Sources below.
How much can I sue for in Missouri?
$5,000, not counting interest or costs. Small claims is for money only, not the return of goods or property; check your court's rules. If your loss is bigger, filing here means giving up anything over $5,000, in this case and in any later case between the same people about the same thing.
Can a business sue in Missouri small claims?
Businesses use the same court, limit, form, and 12-claim cap.
| Who | Who can appear without a lawyer |
|---|---|
| Corporation, or unincorporated association (including a labor union) | An officer or authorized employee |
| LLC | Check your court's rules |
| Partnership | Check your court's rules |
A business can't sue on a purchased or assigned claim. Source: RSMo § 482.310, checked 2026-10-24.
Where do I file a small claim in Missouri?
In a county where at least one defendant lives, or where you live and at least one defendant can be found, or where the events behind the claim happened.
How much does it cost to file?
$20.50 in courts on the statewide case system, plus the cost of serving the defendant, which varies by county. Source: Court Operating Rule 21, consolidated schedule effective Nov. 1, 2023 (checked 2026-10-24).
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Filing fee (courts on the statewide case system) | $20.50 |
| Serving the defendant | Varies by county; ask the clerk. |
What forms do I need in Missouri?
Start the case with SC 40, Petition Small Claims Court. Ask the clerk whether a filing information sheet is also required. The clerk has to give you small claims forms for free and help you fill them out. Missouri small claims forms.
Which court handles small claims in my Missouri county?
In every Missouri county, you file with the circuit clerk for the judge who hears small claims, in a county where a defendant lives, where you live and a defendant can be found, or where the events happened. Some of Missouri's larger counties:
- St. Louis County
- Jackson County
- St. Charles County
- Greene County
- St. Louis city
- Clay County
- Jefferson County
- Boone County
- Jasper County
- Platte County
Next step
- Confirm the county where you can file.
- Get SC 40, and ask the clerk whether a filing information sheet is also required.
- Ask the clerk about the service cost.
Missouri small claims FAQ
Do I need a lawyer for small claims in Missouri?
No, though either side can use one. A corporation or unincorporated association can appear through an officer or authorized employee.
How does a defendant file a counterclaim in Missouri small claims?
Ask the clerk about the deadline to file a counterclaim. The summons tells defendants to file in person with the clerk, using SC 10.
Can I get a new trial after a Missouri small claims judgment?
Any party, except under a consent judgment, can apply for a trial de novo within 10 days after the judgment. A case annotation on the statute says filing that application is the practice of law, so check your court's rules before filing it yourself.
Related guides
Small Claims Starter Kit (basic timeline and checklists).
Sources
- Missouri Courts: Small Claims Forms (checked 2026-10-24)
- RSMo § 482.300 (checked 2026-10-24)
- RSMo § 482.305 (checked 2026-10-24)
- RSMo § 482.310 (checked 2026-10-24)
- RSMo § 482.315 (checked 2026-10-24)
- RSMo § 482.330 (checked 2026-10-24)
- RSMo § 482.340 (checked 2026-10-24)
- RSMo § 482.365 (checked 2026-10-24)
- Court Operating Rule 21 (checked 2026-10-24)
- Court Operating Rule 21.03a, consolidated cost schedule (PDF) (checked 2026-10-24)
- RSMo § 482.320, counterclaims (checked 2026-10-24)
What's in the Missouri Playbook section
- How do I file a small claim in Missouri?
- How much should I ask for in Missouri small claims?
- Who can file and who can appear in Missouri
- Where to file in Missouri
- Missouri small claims forms and fees
- Serving the defendant: options and fees
- How to file a small claim in Missouri, step by step (made-up example)
- Missouri small claims checklist
- Missouri small claims timeline and deadlines
- What to expect at your Missouri small claims hearing
- Appeals in Missouri small claims
- Collecting after you win in Missouri
Want the whole game plan for Missouri? The Missouri Playbook takes you from filing to hearing day: what to gather, how to label your exhibits, a one-page timeline, and a day-of plan for your hearing. One yearly membership covers every state guide. See the Playbook
Small Claims Coach is built to help you handle your case yourself, without a lawyer — but if your situation is complicated, does not fit our samples, or a deadline is close, you may want to call a lawyer.
Small Claims Coach uses public information to build the Playbook, which coaches you as you organize and present your own case. We are not your lawyer, there is no attorney-client relationship, and we don't want the details of your case.
This information is for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice.