What Are Missouri's Car Repossession Laws?
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Repossession is the process of taking back a car after the owner defaults on their auto loan. Each state has different laws and regulations that dictate every step of the repossession process from start to finish. This page will provide an overview of Missouri's Repossession Laws and what you should know if you've fallen behind on car payments.
Written by Upsolve Team.
Updated August 27, 2025
How Many Payments Can I Miss Without Risking a Repossession in Missouri?
In Missouri, missing just one payment can put you at risk of repossession. Once you’re at least 10 days late, the lender must send you a notice called the notice of default and right to cure.
Will I Be Notified Before the Repossession?
Yes. The notice will include the lender’s information, the amount you owe, and the deadline to pay. You’ll have 20 days from the date of the notice to catch up before repossession can move forward.
If you’ve already defaulted on the same loan twice before, the lender may not be required to send another notice.
How Can I Prevent a Repossession?
The surest way to prevent repossession is to stay current on your loan payments and follow the terms of your loan agreement. Lenders can’t take your car unless you’ve fallen behind or broken the contract.
If you’re already behind or know you’ll struggle to make payments soon, reach out to your lender right away. Repossession is costly for them, so many lenders would rather work out a solution. They may offer a deferment, adjust your payment schedule, or even change your loan terms to make them more manageable.
If your lender won’t work with you, refinancing through another lender might be an option. And if your car loan truly isn’t affordable anymore, you can consider voluntary repossession — handing the car back instead of waiting for it to be taken. This doesn’t erase the debt, but it can reduce fees and give you more control over the process.
What Can Repo Companies in Missouri Do?
When a repo company takes your car, they aren’t allowed to “breach the peace.” This means they can’t use threats, force, or violence, and they can’t do anything that causes a public disturbance. They also can’t break into locked spaces, like a closed garage or behind a locked gate, to get your car.
Similarly, you can’t engage in a breach of the peace in an attempt to keep them from carrying out their task. So if you see a repo agent trying to take your vehicle, don’t try to stop them using force.
Repo agents also can't trick you, mislead you, and otherwise try to take possession of your vehicle by fraudulent means. If they do, you can contact an attorney or the authorities. If you take matters into your own hands, you risk legal trouble.
In Missouri, repo agents can take a vehicle from public spaces and unsecured private spaces. If you keep your vehicle in a secured garage and refuse to drive it for fear that it’ll be repossessed, a court may grant a court order to allow a repo company to take it from that secured space. If this happens, you may eventually be responsible for the legal fees the lender incurred to get the court order as well as to repossess the motor vehicle.
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What About the Personal Property in My Car?
Repo agents can’t keep any personal property that has been left in a repossessed vehicle.
You have the right to retrieve your personal property, so long as it isn’t attached to the car. This means you can contact the repossession company that has your vehicle so you can grab your purse and your child’s car seat, but you can’t uninstall an upgraded stereo if you’d need tools to do it.
Improvements to a vehicle that now form part of the car aren’t considered retrievable personal property.
Grabbing your stuff from a repo lot can be a pain and a repo company may charge you for storing your personal belongings, so it’s a good idea to proactively remove your personal property from your car if you’re at risk of repossession.
What Happens After a Repossession in Missouri?
After a repossessor seizes a borrower’s property, they must send the borrower a Notice of Our Plan To Sell Property. This notice informs the borrower that if they don’t redeem their vehicle by paying off their account in full, their vehicle will be sold.
It should also contain information about where and when the vehicle will be privately or publicly sold. Unfortunately, the amount of time Missouri gives borrowers to come up with the funds to redeem their repossessed vehicles is short.
Lenders are only required to wait 10 days after a borrower receives this notice before they can sell the affected car or truck.
State law requires lenders to sell repossessed vehicles in ways that are “commercially reasonable.” This means that there is a good chance that if your car is sold, the proceeds from that sale will be close to market value and may even exceed it.
Do I Still Owe After a Repossession in Missouri?
Yes. Repossession doesn’t erase your loan. You’re still responsible for the amount you owe until the balance is paid in full or cleared another way.
After your car is repossessed, the lender will usually sell it at auction. The money from that sale goes toward your loan balance:
If the car sells for more than you owe, the extra money will be returned to you.
If it sells for less, you’ll still owe the difference. This leftover amount is called a deficiency balance.
If you don’t pay the deficiency balance, your lender can take you to court. If they win, they can garnish your wages or take money directly from your bank account until the debt is repaid. This kind of judgment will also appear on your credit report and hurt your credit score, so it’s best to deal with the deficiency balance before it reaches that point.
Can I Get My Car Back After a Repossession in Missouri?
Yes. In Missouri, creditors must give you at least 10 days to redeem your vehicle after repossession. To redeem the car, you’ll usually need to pay the full balance you owe, including any past-due payments, fees, and repossession costs.
Ten days isn’t much time to gather the money, but some borrowers are able to take out a new loan to pay off the old one. In certain cases, lenders may also agree to set up a repayment plan for the total amount owed. If you can’t pay in full but want your car back, it’s worth talking with your lender — especially if you’re dealing with extreme circumstances and need a little flexibility.
Where Can I Get Help With a Repossession in Missouri?
You don’t have to navigate the repossession process alone. If you’re at risk of repossession or your vehicle has already been repossessed, you can schedule a free consultation with an attorney. If you’re worried about affording legal fees, you may be eligible for low or no-cost legal advice from a local legal aid service office.
The following resources may also be of help to you if you live in Missouri:
