Want it written for you? Missouri courts issue their own version of the claim form, so we do not produce the form itself. Answer a few plain-English questions and get a Statement of Claim written so you can copy each field onto your court’s form, plus a script for the hearing and an evidence checklist. Checking is free; $19 for the completed documents.
Check if your Missouri claim qualifiesThe Missouri Small Claims Form
📄 Small Claims Petition (state template; circuit variants)
Missouri courts issue their own version of this form, so get the one for the court you file in. Download it free from courts.mo.gov.
Missouri Limit, Fee and Filing Rules
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Small Claims Court (Circuit Court assoc. div.) |
| Claim limit | $5,000 |
| Claim form | Small Claims Petition (state template; circuit variants) |
| Filing fee | Varies by county or court in Missouri — confirm the exact amount with the clerk before you file |
| Serving the defendant | Certified mail by clerk or sheriff (confirm the current service rules with the clerk) |
| Law that sets the limit | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 482.305 |
| Court data verified | October 6, 2026 |
In Missouri, the exact court, local paperwork and fees can differ by county or court. The court finder below shows yours.
Filing Deadlines in Missouri
How long the law gives you to file. When the clock starts depends on the claim, so do not leave it late: a claim filed after the deadline can be dismissed however strong it is.
| Type of claim | Time to file | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Written contract | 10 years — 5 years under § 516.120(1) where the breach is not a failure to pay money or deliver property — the 10-year period reaches only 'any writing … for the payment of money or property'. | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.110(1) |
| Oral / verbal agreement | 5 years | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(1) |
| Damage to property | 5 years | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(3), (4) |
| Personal injury | 5 years | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4) |
| Unpaid debt or account | 5 years — 10 years where the debt is on a writing for the payment of money or property — Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.110(1). | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(1) |
Not sure which type yours is? The statute of limitations lookup covers more claim types.
Being Sued in Missouri Instead?
Do you file an answer? Appear at the time and place on the summons; the case is tried that day. No answer is needed; the complaint is treated as denied. (RSMo § 482.355.1)
If they owe you money: An UNRELATED counterclaim: within 10 days after service and before the hearing. A counterclaim from the same transaction: up to and including the hearing. (RSMo § 482.320.1)
The been-sued deadline lookup covers what happens if you do nothing.
Where to Get the Official Missouri Forms
Court forms are free from the official sources below. Use the current version from your court.
- Official claim form — courts.mo.gov
- Official source — courts.mo.gov
- Official source — courts.mo.gov
- The law itself — Mo. Rev. Stat. § 482.305
- The clerk of the Small Claims Court (Circuit Court assoc. div.) — can give you the current form and tell you whether your court adds any local paperwork.
Missouri Small Claims Court Rules
Missouri’s small claims procedure is set out in the Rules of the Small Claims Division of the Circuit Court — Supreme Court Rules 140 through 152. These are the rules a Missouri small claims judge actually applies, and there are only thirteen of them:
| Rule | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Rule 140 | General provisions |
| Rule 141 | Commencement of small claims actions |
| Rule 142 | Issuance and service of summons |
| Rule 143 | Counterclaims |
| Rule 144 | Trials in small claims court |
| Rule 145 | Judgments |
| Rule 146 | Costs |
| Rule 147 | Clerk’s duties |
| Rule 148 | Self-representation permitted |
| Rule 149 | Barring use of small claims court — when |
| Rule 150 | Notices pertaining to small claims court |
| Rule 151 | Appeals |
| Rule 152 | Forms for the small claims division |
Four of them decide most cases before the hearing even starts:
- Money only. Missouri small claims “may only involve claims for money and may not be used for the return of goods or property,” per the state judiciary. If you want a thing back rather than its value, this is the wrong division.
- $5,000, excluding interest and costs. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 482.305 gives the judge jurisdiction “where the amount in controversy does not exceed five thousand dollars, exclusive of interest or costs.”
- Twelve claims a year. “A person may file no more than 12 claims in small claims court in any calendar year” — a cap that catches high-volume filers, not ordinary consumers.
- No lawyer, no jury. Rule 148 permits self-representation, and proceedings are conducted informally before a judge, without a jury.
Source: courts.mo.gov. Confirm with the court before you rely on it.
Small Claims Court in St. Louis: the City and the County Are Different Courts
This is the most common filing mistake in the region, and your mailing address will not settle it. The City of St. Louis is not inside St. Louis County. They are separate jurisdictions with separate circuit courts, and filing in the wrong one means a transfer or a dismissal after you have already paid the fee.
| Where the dispute belongs | Court |
|---|---|
| City of St. Louis — the 66 square miles inside the city limits | 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, Associate Circuit — Small Claims |
| St. Louis County — Clayton, Kirkwood, Florissant, Chesterfield and every other municipality outside the city limits | 21st Judicial Circuit Court — Small Claims, 105 South Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105 |
The venue rule is the same for both: file where the defendant lives, or where the transaction happened. A postal address reading “St. Louis, MO” tells you nothing about which court applies — the city boundary does. If the dispute straddles the line, ask the clerk before you file rather than after.
Filing in Kansas City instead? Kansas City spans four counties — Jackson, Clay, Platte and a sliver of Cass — so a Kansas City address does not settle which circuit hears the case either. Jackson County then splits again: the western side (Kansas City, Grandview) files at 415 E. 12th Street in Kansas City, while the eastern side (Independence, Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit) files at 308 W. Kansas in Independence. Confirm with the 16th Judicial Circuit.
Source: stlcountycourts.com. Confirm with the court before you rely on it.
Appealing a Missouri Small Claims Judgment: Ten Days for a Trial De Novo
Missouri does not review a small claims judgment for legal error — it retries the case from scratch. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 482.365, any party aggrieved by a final small claims judgment, except a judgment by consent, “may have a trial de novo” — and that right “shall be perfected by filing an application for trial de novo with the clerk of the small claims court within ten days after the judgment is rendered.”
Two things are worth knowing before your hearing, not after it. The ten-day window is short, and it runs from the date judgment is rendered rather than from the day you hear about it. And filing the application does not by itself stop collection: under the same section, execution is stayed only if the applicant enters into a recognizance, with sureties approved by the judge, sufficient to secure the judgment and costs.
Source: revisor.mo.gov, checked October 7, 2026. Confirm with the court before you rely on it.
How does Missouri compare? See the small claims limits and filing fees for every state.
Missouri Small Claims Forms: FAQ
❓ What form do I file to start a small claims case in Missouri?
The claim is filed on your court’s own version of the Small Claims Petition. The official source is courts.mo.gov. Court-issued forms are free; you pay only the filing fee.
❓ How much can you sue for in Missouri small claims court?
In Missouri you can claim up to $5,000 in the Small Claims Court (Circuit Court assoc. div.). If your claim is larger, you can usually reduce it to the limit or file in a higher court instead.
❓ How much does it cost to file small claims in Missouri?
Filing fees in Missouri vary by county or court, so confirm the exact amount with the clerk of the Small Claims Court (Circuit Court assoc. div.) before you file. Serving the defendant usually costs extra.
❓ Can you fill in the Missouri small claims form for me?
Missouri courts issue their own version of the claim form, so we do not produce the form itself. We write a Statement of Claim from your answers, laid out so you can copy each field onto your court’s official form, plus a script for the hearing and an evidence checklist.
Want it written for you?
A few plain-English questions about your Missouri case, then review and file. Checking is free; $19 for the completed documents.
Check if your Missouri claim qualifiesGeneral information, not legal advice. SmallClaimsHelper prepares documents; it is not a law firm.