Debt relief in Missouri: collection rules, time limits and your options
Updated November 9, 2026
Missouri at a glance (checked November 2026)
| Missouri | |
|---|---|
| Time limit to sue on credit cards | Usually 5 years |
| Written promises to pay money | 10 years |
| Wage garnishment for consumer debt | Up to 10% of take-home pay if you're a Missouri head of family; up to 25% otherwise |
| State debt collection law | None of its own; the federal law applies |
| Who licenses debt collectors | No state license |
| Where to complain | Missouri Attorney General, and the CFPB |
Debt collection rules in Missouri
Missouri doesn't license collection agencies or have its own debt collection statute, so the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is your main protection. A third-party collector can't call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., threaten arrest or a lawsuit it doesn't plan to file, or misstate what you owe. It must send you a validation notice, and if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days, it has to stop until it verifies the debt.
The Missouri Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division takes complaints about collectors.
How long creditors have to sue
- 5 years for most credit card debt, and for accounts and contracts in general (RSMo 516.120).
- 10 years for a written promise to pay money, such as a signed promissory note (RSMo 516.110).
Credit cards usually fall under the 5-year limit unless the lender can show a written promise to pay that you signed. The clock usually starts when you default. A payment or a written promise to pay can sometimes restart it, so check how old a debt is before paying on it. Once the time limit has run, a collector can still ask you to pay but can't sue you or threaten to.
What can be garnished in Missouri
If you live in Missouri and you're the head of a family, a creditor with a judgment can take at most 10% of your take-home pay (RSMo 525.030). For everyone else, the limit is the lesser of 25% of take-home pay or the amount you earn above $217.50 a week, which is 30 times the federal minimum wage. Either way, you keep at least $217.50 a week.
Child support and taxes follow separate rules. Social Security and other federal benefits stay protected from ordinary creditors, even after they're deposited in your bank account.
Ways out of debt in Missouri
- Nonprofit credit counseling can put your cards on one debt management plan, usually at lower rates. Look for an agency accredited by the NFCC or FCAA.
- Check what lenders will see: our debt-to-income calculator shows the ratio lenders look at before they approve a consolidation loan.
- Debt settlement companies can't charge you a fee until they've actually settled a debt, under federal rules. Forgiven amounts can count as taxable income.
- Bankruptcy: Missouri makes you use its own exemption list rather than the federal one, including a homestead exemption for the home you live in. A bankruptcy attorney can tell you what you would keep.
Where to get help or complain
- Missouri Attorney General, consumer complaints takes complaints online or at 800-392-8222.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau takes complaints about collectors and lenders nationwide.
- Missouri Legal Services lists the state's four free legal aid programs and how to apply.
General information about Missouri law, not legal advice. Checked November 2026.