Missouri Small Claims Court Forms

Missouri keeps its small claims forms standardized statewide through OSCA (the Office of State Courts Administrator). The same forms work in every county, which is helpful — but the forms themselves come with no instructions on how to fill them out. Here is what you actually need.

The Core Filing Form: SC40

The petition that starts your case is officially called "Petition Small Claims Court," designated OSCA Form SC40. It is governed by Supreme Court Rule 141.01 and Rule 152. You can download it from courts.mo.gov or pick up a paper copy at any Associate Circuit Clerk's office.

SC40 asks for:

• Case caption — the judicial circuit, county, and division
• Party information — full legal names, physical street addresses, and phone numbers for you and the defendant. P.O. boxes are not accepted because process servers need a physical address
• Claim amount and date — the exact dollar amount (up to $5,000) and the date the dispute arose
• Factual statement — a clear narrative of what happened, in your own words
• Statutory verification — your signature confirming you are not a debt assignee, have not filed more than 12 other small claims in Missouri during the current calendar year, waive a jury trial, and agree to the $5,000 ceiling (RSMo § 482.330)

If you are suing a business, you need the exact legal entity name — not the trade name on the storefront sign. Search the Missouri Secretary of State business database to find it.

Confidential Case Filing Information Sheet

Missouri courts require a separate confidential information sheet alongside your petition (per Supreme Court Rule 19.12). This sheet collects sensitive identifiers — Social Security numbers, dates of birth, financial account numbers — that the clerk's office needs for case management but that do not belong on the public petition.

The key rule: redact all of those identifiers from the SC40 itself. They go only on the confidential sheet.

Other Forms You May Need

SC10 — Counterclaim Small Claims Court. If the defendant files a counterclaim against you, they use this form. You do not need it unless you are also a defendant in a related case.

SC20 — Summons. The clerk generates this when you file. You do not fill it out yourself, but you should know it exists — it tells the defendant when and where to appear.

SC50 — Small Claims Judgment. The judge uses this to enter the official ruling. Again, you do not fill it out, but the mailed copy is your proof of the outcome.

CV50 — Application for Trial De Novo. If either side wants a new trial after the small claims ruling, this is the appeal form. It must be filed within 10 calendar days of the judgment date.

GN10 — Motion to Proceed as a Poor Person. If you cannot afford the filing fee, this form requests a fee waiver (in forma pauperis). You attach proof of your income — pay stubs, benefit letters, bank statements.

CV100 — Subpoena. If a witness will not come voluntarily, you ask the clerk to issue a subpoena using this form. The witness fee is $26 plus mileage.

Where to Get the Forms

All OSCA forms are available as free PDF downloads from courts.mo.gov. Many county circuit clerk websites also host local copies with county-specific instructions. For the fastest route, search the courts.mo.gov forms page for the form number (SC40, GN10, etc.).

Our Missouri Small Claims Filing Guide includes line-by-line instructions for completing the SC40 petition, plus worksheets for identifying the correct defendant name and tracking your service of process.

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