Missouri foreclosure laws: how the process works and how long it takes
In Missouri, a home can be sold without going to court. The lender or trustee sets the sale date, so the total depends on its schedule and any postponements.
Missouri at a glance
- Does a Missouri foreclosure go through a court?
- Usually not. The home is sold after notices the law requires.
- How long does it take?
- No law sets a total length. The lender or trustee sets the sale date, so the total depends on its schedule and any postponements.
- How far behind can you get before it starts?
- Usually more than four months of missed payments.
- Can you catch up to stop it?
- State law doesn't give you that right; it depends on your mortgage. Deadlines by kind of foreclosure
- Can you get the house back after the sale?
- Only in some cases.
- Can the lender come after you for what the sale doesn't cover?
- Yes. The lender can ask a court for the leftover balance.
- Is there mediation?
- No statewide program identified in our records.
- How many Missouri homeowners are 90+ days behind?
- The share of borrowers with a mortgage who were 90+ days behind was 1.1% in the first quarter of 2025, lower than the U.S. (1.2%). How Missouri compares
What "without a court" means for you in Missouri
Not Missouri
Through a court
The lender files a lawsuit, and a judge has to approve the sale. You can answer in court, and no law sets how fast a case goes.
Missouri
Without a court
The lender or a trustee sends the notices the law requires and sells the home at a public sale. There's no lawsuit unless you file one, so the dates in each notice matter most.
How foreclosure works in Missouri, step by step
The 7 steps of a foreclosure in Missouri, and the time the law gives each
Each step in order, with the time the law gives it. 4 of the 7 have a time set in law; "No set time" means the lender sets the pace.
- 120+ days behind You fall behind on payments
- No set time Appointment of successor trustee
- 20 days Direct notice to debtor
- At least 20 days The sale is advertised
- 1 day The home is sold at auction
- No set time The buyer gets the deed
- No set time You may be asked to leave
Each step in detail, with the law behind it
-
Step 1
You fall behind on payments
Federal rules give you time to apply for help before anything is filed. Source 12 CFR 1024.41
-
Step 2
Appointment of successor trustee
Varies
If the trustee named in your deed of trust has died, become mentally incapacitated, moved out of Missouri, or refuses or is unable to act, anyone with an interest in the debt can ask the circuit court to appoint the sheriff or another suitable person as trustee (RSMo §§ 443.330, 443.340). Source RSMo §§ 443.330, 443.340
-
Step 3
Direct notice to debtor
~20 days
At least 20 days before the sale, the trustee or lender must send written notice by certified or registered mail to you as the borrower named in the deed of trust, to the owner of record 40 days before the sale, and to anyone who recorded a request for notice (RSMo § 443.325). Source RSMo §§ 443.320, 443.325
-
Step 4
The sale is advertised
At least 20 days' notice before the sale; four weekly insertions (the last no more than one week before the sale) or at least 20 daily insertions in counties with a city of 50,000 or more
The trustee publishes a sale notice in a newspaper (RSMo § 443.320). Source RSMo § 443.310
-
Step 5
The home is sold at auction
~1 days
The property is sold at public auction in the county where it is located, at the time stated in the sale notice; a sale between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. counts as a commercially reasonable time (RSMo §§ 443.310, 443.327). Source Missouri law
-
Step 6
The buyer gets the deed
Varies; if a redemption bond is posted, the deed comes only after the one-year redemption period ends without redemption
The trustee records a deed transferring the property to the buyer. Source RSMo §§ 443.410–443.440
-
Step 7
You may be asked to leave
Varies; the order to restore possession can issue no sooner than 10 days after judgment
If you remain in the home after the sale, the new owner can file an unlawful detainer case once you have received written notice of the foreclosure (RSMo § 534.030). Source RSMo §§ 534.030, 534.350, 534.370
Deadlines for stopping a foreclosure in Missouri
Missouri law gives no right to catch up. Your mortgage decides whether you can, and what it costs.
| Kind of foreclosure | Deadline | What starts the clock |
|---|---|---|
| Any foreclosure | Your loan papers decide | We found no catch-up deadline in state law, so your loan papers decide. Paying off the whole loan before the sale is a separate right. Source RSMo §§ 443.290, 443.400 |
| After the sale | ||
| Without a courtLender buys at the sale | Up to 1 year after the sale, only if you give notice and post a bond in time | Give the trustee written notice at the sale or in the 10 days before it, and post a court-approved bond within 20 days after the sale. Miss either step and there's no buying back. Source RSMo §§ 443.410, 443.420 |
| Through a courtAny home | No buying back | Missouri's buy-back law covers only trustee sales the lender buys. State law gives no right to buy the home back after a court foreclosure sale. Source RSMo § 443.410 |
| Other deadlines and rules | ||
| Without a courtAny home | At least 20 days before the scheduled trustee sale | The sale notice has to be mailed to you by then. Source RSMo § 443.325 |
| Without a courtAny home | At least 20 days before the sale | The sale notice has to be given at least that long before the sale. The newspaper schedule also depends on the county and its population. Source RSMo § 443.310 |
| Any foreclosureCovered second mortgages | At least 30 days after the notice of your right to cure | The lender can't take steps to enforce its security interest in the home until then. You may still cure before foreclosure is complete. Source RSMo § 408.555 |
| Through a courtAny home | At least 20 days before the execution sale | The sheriff has to advertise the sale of your real estate by then. A court rule may require longer personal notice. Source RSMo § 513.205 |
| Any foreclosureTenants after foreclosure | At least 10 business days after the new owner's notice | The new owner has to wait that long after giving this notice before filing a possession case. Federal law may give you longer. Source RSMo § 534.030 |
| Any foreclosureUnlawful detainer cases | Within 21 business days after the summons is issued | The court has to set the court date by then, unless the plaintiff agrees in writing to a later date. Source RSMo § 534.070 |
| Through a courtPersonal service | Within 30 days after you are served | File your written answer by then. A motion may change the answer time. Source Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 55.25(a) |
| Through a courtService by mail | Within 30 days after the mail receipt is filed | The count starts when the acknowledgment, or the registered or certified mail receipt, is filed in the case. File your written answer by then. Source Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 55.25(a) |
| Through a courtServed only by publication | Within 45 days after the first published notice | File your written answer by then. Source Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 55.25(a) |
| Through a courtAny home | At least 30 days before the execution sale | The judgment creditor has to serve the notice of sale on you personally or mail it to your last known address by then. Source Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 76.17 |
Not sure which kind yours is? A court summons or lawsuit means a court foreclosure. A notice of default or notice of sale with no lawsuit means one without a court.
Asking for help: For covered loans and servicers, receiving a complete application more than 37 days before a scheduled sale can require the mortgage company to wait while it evaluates it. Prior applications and other exceptions matter. Ask the company to confirm receipt and what is still missing; preparing a package here does not pause a sale.
How far behind can you get before a Missouri foreclosure starts?
More than 120 days, about four months of missed payments, for most loans on the home you live in. The federal rule has exceptions, such as a reverse mortgage, or a sale or transfer of the home without the lender's OK.
Your mortgage company generally has to try to reach you by day 36 and send a letter about help options by day 45.
A Missouri foreclosure usually can't start until you're more than 120 days behind
Days behind on your mortgage, against the federal waiting period before filing a foreclosure case or starting a nonjudicial foreclosure
Days behind on payments
What you can do at each step of a Missouri foreclosure
What tends to go wrong for people at each point, and the step that answers it.
| When | What goes wrong | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| You've missed a payment | You're told to wait, or passed from person to person, while the clock runs. | Ask your mortgage company (the servicer, the company on your statement) what help it offers, in writing, and keep a copy of everything you send and get. A complete application sent well before any sale date has to be reviewed before the sale can go ahead Source 12 CFR §1024.41. How a loan modification works. |
| The first notice arrives | Foreclosure keeps moving while your application is still being reviewed. | Every notice has a date on it, and that date is what you plan around. The lender has to send you notice at least 20 days before the sale. |
| A sale date is set | The sale is days or weeks away. | A HUD-approved housing counselor or legal aid can help right away. Both are free. Paying what you're behind can stop the sale only where Missouri's catch-up rule allows it. Filing for bankruptcy usually pauses a sale while the automatic stay lasts, though the stay has exceptions and can be short for someone with a recent dismissed case Source 11 U.S.C. §362. |
| After the sale | Money left over sits unclaimed, or you're told to leave at once. | Whether you can buy the home back after the sale depends on how it was sold. The rule is below. Ask the court or trustee whether any surplus is being held. A former owner can generally be removed only through the process state law sets. |
Can your HOA or condo association foreclose in Missouri?
If you fall behind on association dues, the association can put a lien on your home. If it forecloses for unpaid dues, these rules apply, not the mortgage deadlines.
Where a row says “Not found in the law,” the sections we read don't address that point. It doesn't mean the answer is no.
Can it foreclose, and how?
In some cases. A condominium association under the Uniform Condominium Act may foreclose in court like a mortgage, or use a power of sale under Chapter 443. An older condominium law provides court foreclosure. These condo laws don't cover non-condo HOAs or co-ops; for those, any lien or foreclosure right comes from your community's recorded declaration.
Read the law's words
“The association's lien may be foreclosed in like manner as a mortgage on real estate or a power of sale pursuant to chapter 443.…” revisor.mo.gov
Is there a minimum debt or a waiting period?
No dollar floor is set. Under the Uniform Condominium Act, the lien ends unless the association starts enforcing it within 3 years after the assessments come due.
Read the law's words
“A lien for unpaid assessments is extinguished unless proceedings to enforce the lien are instituted within three years after the full amount of the assessments becomes due.…” revisor.mo.gov
What notices come first?
For a power-of-sale case under Chapter 443, at least 20 days of sale notice is required. The party foreclosing has to mail notice to the record owner and other required recipients at least 20 days before the sale.
Read the law's words
“…not less than twenty days' notice of such sale shall be given, whether so provided in such mortgage or deed of trust or not.…” revisor.mo.gov
Do you have a right to a payment plan?
Not found in the law
Can the HOA's claim go ahead of the mortgage?
Under the Uniform Condominium Act, up to six months of regular common assessments can take priority over an earlier mortgage, but not over a purchase loan recorded before August 28, 2014. The association loses that priority if it uses a sale without court. The older condominium act uses recording order and stated exceptions.
Read the law's words
“…a lien under this section has limited priority over the mortgage or deed of trust for common expense assessments in an amount not to exceed six months of the delinquent common expense assessments based on the periodic budget adopted by the association…” revisor.mo.gov
What protects you?
Under the Uniform Condominium Act, Missouri's homestead exemption (the law that protects part of your home's value from creditors) doesn't apply to the association's lien.
Read the law's words
“The lien pursuant to this section is not subject to the provisions of section 513.475.…” revisor.mo.gov
Can you buy the home back after the sale?
Not found in the law
Who these rules cover: Condos under the Uniform Condominium Act and the older Condominium Property Act. These condo sections don't cover non-condo HOAs or co-ops.
The legal details
The Missouri laws behind this page
- RSMo § 443.290 et seq.: Trustee's power of sale process, 20-day notice, newspaper publication, sale in the county where the land is located, and redemption when the lender buys at the sale
- RSMo § 443.130 et seq.: Mortgage and deed of trust requirements, assignments, releases
Moving out after the sale
Once a former owner has received written notice of the foreclosure, the new owner can file an unlawful detainer case (RSMo § 534.030). A tenant who rented before the foreclosure must get notice of the sale and at least 10 business days to move before any case is filed. The order to restore possession can issue no sooner than 10 days after judgment (RSMo § 534.350). The sheriff executes the lockout. Under federal law, bona fide tenants get 90 days' notice, and those with leases can generally stay until the lease ends unless the home is sold to a buyer who will live there.
Who gets paid first
Missouri follows a notice recording statute (RSMo § 442.400). A purchaser who pays value without actual or constructive notice of a prior unrecorded interest takes priority over that prior interest. The county collector enforces the state's lien for unpaid property taxes (RSMo § 140.010). Once a collector's deed is issued after a Chapter 140 tax sale, lienholders, including mortgage lenders, are barred from any unclaimed interest in or lien on the land (RSMo § 140.420).
How long the lender has to act
A foreclosure, including a trustee's sale, can't be brought after the debt it secures is barred by the statute of limitations, and never more than 20 years after the final payment date shown in the deed of trust unless, before then, the lender files an affidavit or acknowledged instrument showing the amount still owed (RSMo § 516.150). An action to enforce a note payable at a definite time generally must be brought within ten years after its due date or, if the loan was accelerated, the accelerated due date (RSMo § 400.3-118(a)). Servicers who delay foreclosure for extended periods may face limitations defenses. A deficiency claim seeks the unpaid balance of the note after a foreclosure sale. An action to enforce a note payable at a definite time generally must be brought within ten years after its due date or, if the loan was accelerated, the accelerated due date (RSMo § 400.3-118(a)).
Your home's value and other creditors
$15,000. Missouri protects $15,000 of home equity per homestead from unsecured creditors and in bankruptcy; co-owners, including married couples, share that one $15,000 limit rather than each claiming it (RSMo § 513.475). This does not stop a mortgage foreclosure — the lender forecloses regardless. At $15,000, Missouri's exemption is modest compared to states like Nevada ($605,000) or Florida (unlimited). A changed version of RSMo § 513.475 takes effect January 1, 2027.
How Missouri compares
Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Nebraska sell most foreclosed homes without a court. Oklahoma, Kentucky, Illinois, Kansas and Iowa require one.
Missouri's share of borrowers with a mortgage who are 90+ days behind is under half its 2010 peak
Share of Missouri borrowers with a mortgage who have one 90+ days past due, quarterly, Q1 2005 to Q1 2025
Missouri is tied for 23rd place for the share of mortgages 90+ days behind, of the 50 states and D.C.
Share of borrowers with a mortgage who have one 90+ days past due, by state, Q1 2025. Dashed line: the U.S.
| State | 90+ days behind, Q1 2025 | Distress rank (score) |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 1.5% | 21st (60) |
| Arkansas | 1.3% | 24th (54) |
| Kentucky | 1.3% | 15th (72) |
| Illinois | 1.2% | 18th (66) |
| Missouri | 1.1% | 32nd (38) |
| Kansas | 1.0% | 36th (30) |
| Tennessee | 1.0% | 26th (50) |
| Iowa | 0.9% | 40th (22) |
| Nebraska | 0.8% | 46th (10) |
The share counts people with a mortgage on their credit report, not loans or dollars. Ranks are of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.); 1st is the most distressed. Missouri's full distress profile and county scores.
Questions about foreclosure in Missouri
How long does foreclosure take in Missouri?
No law sets one length for the whole process. The lender or trustee sets the sale date, so the total depends on its schedule and any postponements. Before any of it starts, your mortgage company usually has to wait until you're more than four months behind. Each step and its deadline.
How many months behind before foreclosure starts in Missouri?
Usually more than four months of missed payments. A federal rule keeps your mortgage company from filing before then on most loans on the home you live in, with a few exceptions, such as a sale of the home without the lender's OK. Some state notices that are only mailed to you can come during that wait.
Is Missouri a judicial foreclosure state?
No. Missouri is a non-judicial foreclosure state. Most home foreclosures proceed as trustee's sales under the power of sale in the deed of trust (RSMo § 443.290 et seq.), with no court involvement. The trustee sells the property after meeting publication and direct-notice requirements. Judicial foreclosure exists (RSMo § 443.190 et seq.) but is rarely used because it is slower and more expensive. In Missouri's non-judicial process the sale notice must be given at least 20 days before the sale, by newspaper publication and by mail (RSMo §§ 443.310, 443.320, 443.325).
Can I stop foreclosure once it starts in Missouri?
Often there are still ways to try, though none is guaranteed. You can catch up on what you owe, where your mortgage allows it. You can apply for a loan modification or a pause on payments; send the complete application more than 37 days before any sale date, so the sale has to wait for an answer. You can file for bankruptcy, or sell, including a short sale if your lender approves.
What is the redemption period for a foreclosure in Missouri?
Missouri's rule: after a trustee sale, you may buy back within one year from the sale only if the lender or someone acting for it buys the home. You must give the trustee written notice at the sale or during the 10 days before the advertised sale date and post a court-approved bond within 20 days after the sale. The statute does not set this same post-sale period for a court foreclosure.
Can bankruptcy stop a foreclosure in Missouri?
It usually pauses one. Filing creates an automatic stay that stops most collection, a foreclosure sale included, while it lasts. The stay has exceptions, and for someone who had a case dismissed in the past year it can last only 30 days or not start at all. A Chapter 13 plan can let you catch up on missed payments over three to five years.
Can the lender come after me for the leftover balance in Missouri?
Yes. Missouri allows deficiency judgments, so the lender can generally go to court for the difference between what you owed and the sale price. Allowed. Missouri's foreclosure statutes do not bar a lender from seeking the unpaid balance (a deficiency) after a foreclosure sale. In a court foreclosure where the borrower was served or appeared, if the property does not sell for enough to cover the debt, the rest can be collected from the borrower's other property (RSMo § 443.240).
What is the homestead exemption in Missouri?
As Missouri law sets it: $15,000. Missouri protects $15,000 of home equity per homestead from unsecured creditors and in bankruptcy; co-owners, including married couples, share that one $15,000 limit rather than each claiming it (RSMo § 513.475). This does not stop a mortgage foreclosure — the lender forecloses regardless. At $15,000, Missouri's exemption is modest compared to states like Nevada ($605,000) or Florida (unlimited). A changed version of RSMo § 513.475 takes effect January 1, 2027.
What if I have an FHA, VA, or USDA loan in Missouri?
Government-backed loans have their own rules on top of Missouri law. FHA requires a meeting or reasonable efforts to arrange one in covered defaults. Current rules allow approved remote methods; exceptions and timing requirements apply. VA and USDA set their own help options; the forbearance guide and loan modification guide explain each program's options.
How long do I have to move out after a foreclosure sale in Missouri?
Varies; the order to restore possession can issue no sooner than 10 days after judgment. Once a former owner has received written notice of the foreclosure, the new owner can file an unlawful detainer case (RSMo § 534.030). A tenant who rented before the foreclosure must get notice of the sale and at least 10 business days to move before any case is filed. The order to restore possession can issue no sooner than 10 days after judgment (RSMo § 534.350). The sheriff executes the lockout. Under federal law, bona fide tenants get 90 days' notice, and those with leases can generally stay until the lease ends unless the home is sold to a buyer who will live there.
Is the Homeowner Assistance Fund still available in Missouri?
Generally, no. HAF programs, including the Missouri Homeowner Assistance Fund (MO HAF), couldn't commit new money after September 30, 2026 (Treasury). If the program approved you before then, ask it about payments still being processed.
Can I do a short sale to avoid foreclosure in Missouri?
Possibly, with your lender's approval. In Missouri, a deficiency waiver (a release of the remaining balance) can be negotiated as part of a short sale approval. Short sales can eliminate deficiency exposure if the servicer agrees to a written waiver. A trustee's sale needs only 20 days' notice (RSMo § 443.310), so there can be little time to find a buyer and close before the sale date.
Other Missouri laws that can affect homeowners
State laws can change. Each entry links to the cited source and shows when that source was fetched.
Telephone/wire interception is permitted when the recorder is a party or one party consents, absent criminal or tortious purpose.
“one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent”
State foreclosure-rescue and mortgage-help laws
Missouri covers enumerated foreclosure-consulting services offered or performed for compensation. A written contract must state exact services and compensation and include prescribed notices; the homeowner receives three business days to cancel. No compensation may be collected before full performance, and connected third-party consideration must first be disclosed.
“to perform for compensation or who, for compensation, performs any service”
Foreclosure laws in another state
The process and the deadlines change at every state line.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Protect yourself from scams
The FTC and CFPB describe these warning signs and the rules behind them:
- Upfront fees for promised relief are a warning sign. Under FTC mortgage-assistance rules, most companies that sell mortgage help cannot charge until a homeowner accepts a written offer from the mortgage company or lender. A separate FTC rule covers debt-relief companies that sell by phone and ties fees to a completed debt arrangement. It bars a fee until at least one debt has been settled or changed, the customer agrees to the arrangement, and the customer has made a payment under it. The FTC describes a narrow exception for lawyers who give help as part of the practice of law and are licensed in the state where the client or dwelling is. The lawyer follows that state's rules for attorneys, and advance fees are placed in a client trust account before services begin under state trust-account rules.
- HUD-approved foreclosure-prevention counseling is free. HUD’s national counselor line is 800-569-4287. The CFPB counselor finder lists agencies and their services. If an organization charges for help described as free HUD counseling, the CFPB finder can verify the agency and its listed services before any payment.
- A request to sign over a deed is a warning sign. The CFPB identifies title-transfer schemes among foreclosure-relief scams. Signing over title can mean losing ownership of the home; a lawyer can explain what a proposed document would do.
- Foreclosure protections depend on timing and the loan. Regulation X generally bars the first foreclosure notice or filing on a principal-residence loan until the borrower is more than 120 days behind, subject to exceptions. A complete assistance application can delay some foreclosure steps, but that depends on when it arrives; it does not necessarily stop every step. The CFPB warns about promises to “save” a home.
Free help in Missouri
Missouri has 14 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies
The 14 whose HUD listing includes foreclosure or mortgage delinquency counseling, one dot per office, as of Nov 4, 2026. The listing below names them all.
- A HUD-approved housing counselor works at a nonprofit agency the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved. Foreclosure counseling from one is free, and a counselor can help you talk to your mortgage company. HUD lists 14 approved agencies in Missouri. HUD's line is 800-569-4287.
- Legal aid offices give free legal help to people with low incomes, including answering a foreclosure case. Each office serves set counties; find yours:
- Legal Aid of Western Missouri, 816-474-6750: 40 counties: Andrew County, Atchison County, Barton County, Bates County, Benton County, Buchanan County, Caldwell County, Camden County, Carroll County, Cass County, Clay County, Clinton County, Daviess County, DeKalb County, Gentry County, Grundy County, Harrison County, Henry County, Hickory County, Holt County, Jackson County, Jasper County, Johnson County, Lafayette County, Linn County, Livingston County, McDonald County, Mercer County, Morgan County, Newton County, Nodaway County, Pettis County, Platte County, Putnam County, Ray County, St. Clair County, Saline County, Sullivan County, Vernon County, Worth County.
- Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc., 314-534-4200: 21 counties: Adair County, Clark County, Franklin County, Jefferson County, Knox County, Lewis County, Lincoln County, Macon County, Marion County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Pike County, Ralls County, St. Charles County, St. Louis County, Schuyler County, Scotland County, Shelby County, Warren County, Washington County, St. Louis city.
- Mid-Missouri Legal Services Corporation, 573-442-0116: 11 counties: Audrain County, Boone County, Callaway County, Chariton County, Cole County, Cooper County, Howard County, Miller County, Moniteau County, Osage County, Randolph County.
- Legal Services of Southern Missouri, 800-444-4863: 43 counties: Barry County, Bollinger County, Butler County, Cape Girardeau County, Carter County, Cedar County, Christian County, Crawford County, Dade County, Dallas County, Dent County, Douglas County, Dunklin County, Gasconade County, Greene County, Howell County, Iron County, Laclede County, Lawrence County, Madison County, Maries County, Mississippi County, New Madrid County, Oregon County, Ozark County, Pemiscot County, Perry County, Phelps County, Polk County, Pulaski County, Reynolds County, Ripley County, Ste. Genevieve County, St. Francois County, Scott County, Shannon County, Stoddard County, Stone County, Taney County, Texas County, Wayne County, Webster County, Wright County.
- A lawyer referral: the Missouri Bar — Find a Lawyer (LawyerSearch directory) can point you to a foreclosure lawyer.
- A complaint about your mortgage company can go to the Missouri Division of Finance, the Missouri Attorney General or the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
HUD-approved housing counselors in Missouri, by city (14)
- North East Community Action Corporation, Bowling Green · 573-324-2231 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Love Columbia, Columbia · 573-256-7662 HUD-approved housing counselor
- Credit & Homeownership Empowerment Services, Inc., Kansas City · 816-533-7417 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor · Languages: English, Spanish
All 14 agencies
- Habitat For Humanity of Kansas City, Kansas City · 816-924-1096 HUD-approved housing counselor
- Nsc (Naca Counseling Subsidiary) - Kansas City, Mo, Kansas City · 816-531-6222 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor · Languages: English, Spanish
- Better Family Life, Inc., Saint Louis · 314-367-3440 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Justine Petersen Housing and Reinvestment Corporation, Saint Louis · 314-533-2411 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- The Housing Partnership, Inc., Saint Louis · 314-631-9905 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis - St. Louis County Operations, Saint Louis · 314-615-3600, ext. 644 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis Inc - Ferguson Community Empowerment Center, Saint Louis · 314-615-3644 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis Inc - Peter H. Bunce Water Tower Center, Saint Louis · 314-615-3644 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis, Inc., Saint Louis · 314-615-3600 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Nsc (Naca Counseling Subsidiary) - St. Louis, Mo, Saint Louis · 314-645-8333 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor · Languages: English, Spanish
- Cambridge Credit Counseling Corporation - Springfield Branch, Springfield · 417-889-7474 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor · Languages: English, Polish, Spanish
Legal aid offices in Missouri (4)
- Legal Aid of Western Missouri · 816-474-6750 · Website Legal aid
- Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc. · 314-534-4200 · Website Legal aid
- Legal Services of Southern Missouri · 417-881-1397 · Website Legal aid
All 4 offices
- Mid-Missouri Legal Services Corporation · 573-442-0116 · Website Legal aid
Listings come from the HUD Housing Counselor API and the Legal Services Corporation grantee list, as of Nov 4, 2026. American Default Research does not endorse or rank any provider. Credit counselors and other kinds of free help are in our help directory.
Sources and method
A summary of foreclosure law and practice in Missouri, read from its laws and the federal servicing rules and checked Mar 10, 2026. It isn't legal advice: your mortgage sets specific terms, and courts and counties vary. For your situation, talk to a HUD-approved counselor, legal aid or a lawyer.
- 12 CFR 1024.41 (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Regulation X) · You fall behind on payments, at consumerfinance.gov
- RSMo §§ 443.330, 443.340 · Appointment of successor trustee, at revisor.mo.gov
- RSMo §§ 443.320, 443.325 · Direct notice to debtor, at revisor.mo.gov
- RSMo § 443.310; RSMo § 443.320 · The sale is advertised, at revisor.mo.gov
- RSMo §§ 443.310, 443.327, 443.355, 443.410: The home is sold at auction, at revisor.mo.gov
- RSMo §§ 443.410–443.440 · The buyer gets the deed, at revisor.mo.gov
- RSMo §§ 534.030, 534.350, 534.370; PTFA (12 U.S.C. § 5220 note): You may be asked to leave, at revisor.mo.gov
- RSMo §§ 443.290, 443.400, at revisor.mo.gov
- RSMo §§ 443.410, 443.420, at revisor.mo.gov
- Regulation X, 12 C.F.R. § 1024.39, at consumerfinance.gov
- 11 U.S.C. § 362, the automatic stay, at law.cornell.edu
- Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Consumer Credit Explorer; data sourced from NY Fed Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax. at philadelphiafed.org
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · find a housing counselor, at hud.gov
- RSMo § 443.130 et seq. at revisor.mo.gov
We write with assistance from AI tools. Figures come from the data and sources named on this page.