Statute of limitations in Missouri

The periods in Missouri

In Missouri, the time limit to sue is 10 years for a written contract, 5 years for an oral contract and 5 years for damage to property. Each period runs from the date the claim arises, which statutes usually call the date the cause of action accrues; in the ordinary case that is the day of the breach or the damage.

A written contract: RSMo § 516.110(1) reads “Within ten years: (1) An action upon any writing, whether sealed or unsealed, for the payment of money or property.”

An oral contract: RSMo § 516.120(1) reads “Within five years: (1) All actions upon contracts, obligations or liabilities, express or implied, except those mentioned in section 516.110.”

Damage to property: RSMo § 516.120(4) reads “An action for taking, detaining or injuring any goods or chattels.”

Putting the agreement in writing adds 5 years: 10 years for a written contract against 5 years for an oral one, a ratio of 2 to 1.

Worked dates for a claim that arose on March 15, 2026: a written contract reaches its 10 years on March 15, 2036, an oral contract reaches its 5 years on March 15, 2031 and damage to property reaches its 5 years on March 15, 2031. Tolling rules (for example while a defendant is out of state, or for a minor) can extend a period, and some claims run from when the harm was discovered; the dates show the plain count only.

Among the 34 jurisdictions verified here, 0 allow longer than 10 years on a written contract and 28 allow less (median 6 years). For property damage, 24 of 33 give less than Missouri's 5 years (median 3 years). Iowa has the same three periods.

Neighbouring states with verified periods (written / oral / property): Iowa 10 / 5 / 5, Kansas 5 / 3 / 2, Kentucky 10 / 5 / 2 and Nebraska 5 / 4 / 4. Which state's period applies to a dispute that crosses a border is itself a legal question.

The ten-year period covers a writing for the payment of money or property; other written contracts fall under the five-year rule of § 516.120(1).

The time limit is the same whichever court hears the case. A claim of $5,000 or less can be filed in Missouri small claims (small claims limit), and it must still be filed inside the period above.

Sources: Missouri Revisor of Statutes, RSMo § 516.110; Missouri Revisor of Statutes, RSMo § 516.120 · last checked October 21, 2026.

Before the deadline

A limitation period is a cut-off for filing, not a measure of whether a claim is good. The guide on how limitation periods work explains accrual, tolling and the difference between written and oral contracts, and the small claims filing guide covers the next step.