Overview
Process Server in Missouri: How Service of Process Works
In Missouri, service is made by the sheriff or by a person over 18 who isn't a party, but anyone other than the sheriff must be specially appointed by the court or circuit clerk under RSMo § 506.140. Missouri appellate courts have held service invalid where a private server wasn't properly appointed, and a special process server's return must show on its face that every requirement was met. Papers can be left at the defendant's home with a family member over 15.
Who serves process
Who Can Serve Legal Documents in Missouri
Under Missouri Supreme Court Rule 54.13(a), service within the state is made by the sheriff or a person over 18 who is not a party. Rule 54.01 and RSMo § 506.140 require anyone other than the sheriff to be specially appointed by the court or circuit clerk, following local court rules.
Missouri has no statewide license, but local practice varies: for example, St. Louis requires process servers to be certified by the sheriff, and some counties keep lists of approved servers.
Typical documents include summonses and petitions, associate circuit court papers, rent and possession (eviction) papers, subpoenas and dissolution papers.
Proof you receive: a sworn affidavit of service
A special process server files a sworn return showing on its face the date, place and manner of service and, for abode service, that the recipient was a family member over 15.
Appointed special process service
Service by servers specially appointed for your case, with returns that show every Rule 54 requirement on their face.
St. Louis and Kansas City
Service in St. Louis City and County and the Kansas City area, meeting local certification and appointment rules.
Statewide coverage
Service in all 114 counties, from Springfield to the Bootheel.
The rules
Missouri Service of Process Rules
The Missouri rules and statutes that matter most for service:
| Rule | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Mo. R. 54.01 | Process delivered to the sheriff or a specially appointed person |
| RSMo § 506.140 | Special appointment of process servers |
| Mo. R. 54.13 | Personal and abode service within Missouri |
| Mo. R. 54.16 | Acknowledgment of service by mail |
| Mo. R. 55.25 | 30 days to answer |
Treaties
Missouri and the Hague Conventions: Treaty Status
The Hague Service Convention lets member countries send documents to each other's Central Authorities for service. Missouri has not joined it, so that route isn't available, and the Convention's Article 10 rules on postal and private service don't apply. Whether those methods are acceptable depends on Missouri's law and on what your court allows.
Missouri is not a party to the Hague Evidence Convention, so requests for witness testimony or documents go through letters rogatory.
