Debt Collection Laws in Missouri
If you're dealing with debt collection in Missouri, here's what actually protects you: a cap on how much of your paycheck can be garnished, a base amount of home equity and bank funds creditors can't touch, and a deadline after which a debt lawsuit generally can't succeed. Current as ofJuly 2026 — sourcing for each section is linked below.
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Missouri?
Missouri caps wage garnishment at whichever is smallest of three limits: 25% of your disposable weekly earnings, the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage, or — if you're a Missouri resident and head of a family — just 10% of your earnings, under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 525.030.
That head-of-family 10% cap is a real, meaningfully stronger protection than the plain federal rule, but you generally have to affirmatively claim head-of-family status, typically through a court-provided affidavit, rather than getting it automatically.
Tier: Federal formula, with a minor state-specific add-on — see the full 20-state ranking.
Can a creditor take money from my bank account in Missouri?
Missouri's general catch-all exemption is only $600 under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 513.430 — but a separate exemption in § 513.440 gives heads of family an additional $1,250 in any other property, plus $350 per dependent child, which functions as the real bank-account cushion for most families.
That distinction between §§ 513.430 and 513.440 trips up a lot of outside sources, which often cite the $1,250 figure as if it were the general wildcard — it's actually a separate, narrower exemption only available to heads of family.
Is my home protected from creditors in Missouri?
Missouri's homestead exemption is a flat $15,000 under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 513.475 — a fixed figure that isn't automatically adjusted for inflation the way some states' exemptions are, so it takes a legislative change to move it.
Co-owners like spouses split this single $15,000 cap rather than each getting their own $15,000, which matters if you're weighing how much home equity is actually protected for a jointly owned house.
How long can a debt collector sue me in Missouri?
In Missouri, a creditor has 10 years to sue you over a signed written promissory note under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.110, but ordinary credit card debt and open accounts fall under the shorter 5-year period in § 516.120, since a cardholder agreement usually isn't a signed writing for the payment of money in the way the 10-year rule requires.
| Debt type | Statute of limitations |
|---|---|
| Signed written contract / promissory note | 10 years |
| Credit card / open account / oral contract | 5 years |
Debt buyers sometimes argue for the longer 10-year period by characterizing an account as a written contract, but courts have generally been skeptical of that when there's no actual signed writing behind the debt.
See how Missouri's 5 years deadline compares to all 20 states.
Does Missouri have its own debt collection law beyond the federal FDCPA?
Missouri doesn't have a dedicated debt-collection statute. Instead, the Missouri Supreme Court has held that the general Missouri Merchandising Practices Act reaches unfair or deceptive debt-collection conduct as a 'merchandising practice,' giving consumers a private right of action.
That precedent (Huch v. Charter Communications, 2009) means you can bring an MMPA claim over abusive billing or collection conduct even though the statute wasn't written specifically for debt collectors. Separately, collection agencies suing in Missouri courts must appear through a licensed attorney, though Missouri doesn't impose a general state license requirement on agencies themselves the way some states do.
Where can I find free or low-cost legal help in Missouri?
If you're dealing with a debt lawsuit, garnishment, or collector dispute in Missouri, a good starting point is the state bar's lawyer referral service or one of the legal aid organizations below — both can point you to self-help court resources even if you don't qualify for free representation.