In civil actions in which the service of process may be obtained under the provisions of section 351.380, RSMo, service of process may be made as provided in Rule 54.14 or Rule 54.16.
Rule 54.09.Service on Foreign Corporations.
Part I · Rule 54: Issuance and Service of Summons or Other Process · Last amended January 1, 1994 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceIn civil actions where Missouri statute section 351.380, RSMo, allows service on a foreign corporation, service of process may be made as provided in Rule 54.14 or Rule 54.16.
Full Text of Rule 54.09
Amendment History
Adopted Jan. 19, 1973, eff. Sept. 1, 1973. Amended June 1, 1993, eff. Jan. 1, 1994.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 54.09 addresses service on foreign corporations — corporations formed outside Missouri — in civil actions where section 351.380, RSMo, authorizes such service. As with Rule 54.08, the rule itself is procedural: it points to the statute for the jurisdictional authorization and then tells practitioners which service methods to use once that authorization applies.
Two methods are available: personal service outside the state under Rule 54.14, or acknowledgment of service by mail under Rule 54.16. Either method, properly carried out, satisfies the service requirement for actions brought against a foreign corporation under the statute.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rule 54.09 cover?
Service of process on foreign corporations in civil actions where service is authorized under section 351.380, RSMo.
What service methods are available under this rule?
Service of process may be made as provided in Rule 54.14 (personal service outside the state) or Rule 54.16 (acknowledgment of service by mail).
Does Rule 54.09 create the authority to sue a foreign corporation?
No, the authority comes from section 351.380, RSMo; the rule addresses the methods of service once that statute applies.
What counts as a foreign corporation under this rule?
The rule uses the term to refer to a corporation formed outside Missouri, consistent with the referenced statute governing service on such entities.
Is service by publication available under Rule 54.09?
No, Rule 54.09 lists only Rule 54.14 and Rule 54.16 as the available service methods; it does not reference service by publication under Rule 54.12.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Missouri State & Federal Court Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Missouri. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: service on foreign corporationout of state corporation servicecorporate service of processservice of process foreign corporation