Service of the summons and petition upon a resident or nonresident defendant of any class referred to in Rule 54.13(b)(1)(2) or (3) may be made by mailing a copy of the summons and petition by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the person to be served, together with two copies of a notice and acknowledgment conforming substantially to Civil Procedure Form 4B or Civil Procedure Form 4C and a return envelope, postage prepaid addressed to the sender. If no acknowledgment of service under this Rule 54.16 is completed and returned to the sender, service of the summons and petition shall be made as otherwise provided by statute or rule. Unless good cause is shown for not doing so, the court shall order the payment of costs of service on the person served if such person does not complete and return within thirty days after mailing, the notice and acknowledgment of receipt of summons.
Rule 54.16.Acknowledgment of Service By Mail.
Part I · Rule 54: Issuance and Service of Summons or Other Process · Last amended January 1, 1994 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceA resident or nonresident defendant covered by Rule 54.13(b)(1), (2), or (3) may be served by first-class mail with a notice and acknowledgment form and a prepaid return envelope, and the court may shift service costs to a defendant who fails to return it within thirty days without good cause.
Full Text of Rule 54.16
Amendment History
Adopted Jan. 19, 1973, eff. Sept. 1, 1973. Amended June 14, 1988, eff. Jan. 1, 1989; Amended June 1, 1993, eff. Jan. 1, 1994.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 54.16 offers a mail-based alternative to formal personal service for defendants covered by Rule 54.13(b)(1), (2), or (3) — individuals, people under conservatorship, and corporations, partnerships, or unincorporated associations. The sender mails a copy of the summons and petition by first-class mail, postage prepaid, along with two copies of a notice and acknowledgment form conforming substantially to Civil Procedure Form 4B or Form 4C, and a postage-prepaid return envelope addressed back to the sender.
This method depends on the recipient’s cooperation. If no completed acknowledgment comes back to the sender, service must instead be accomplished by another method already authorized by statute or rule — the mail attempt alone, without a returned acknowledgment, does not complete service.
The rule builds in an incentive to respond: unless the person served shows good cause for not doing so, the court will order that person to pay the costs of service if the notice and acknowledgment of receipt is not completed and returned within thirty days after mailing. That cost-shifting mechanism discourages a defendant from ignoring a mailed acknowledgment request outright and forcing the plaintiff to pay for a more expensive method of service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rule 54.16 send to the person being served?
A copy of the summons and petition by first-class mail, postage prepaid, along with two copies of a notice and acknowledgment conforming substantially to Civil Procedure Form 4B or Form 4C, and a prepaid return envelope addressed to the sender.
What happens if the defendant never returns the signed acknowledgment?
Service must then be made as otherwise provided by statute or rule; the mailing alone does not complete service without a returned acknowledgment.
Can the court make a defendant pay for the cost of service if the acknowledgment isn’t returned?
Yes, unless good cause is shown for not returning it, the court shall order the person served to pay the costs of service if the notice and acknowledgment is not completed and returned within thirty days after mailing.
Which categories of defendants can be served this way?
Resident or nonresident defendants of the classes referred to in Rule 54.13(b)(1), (2), or (3), which cover individuals, people with a legally appointed conservator, and corporations, partnerships, or unincorporated associations.
Is acknowledgment of service by mail limited to defendants located in Missouri?
No, the rule applies to resident or nonresident defendants alike, and it is cross-referenced by several other Rule 54 provisions covering out-of-state service.
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: acknowledgment of service by mailservice by mailmail service Missourinotice and acknowledgment form