(a) Answer—When Filed. A defendant shall file an answer within thirty days after the service of the summons and petition, except where service by mail is had, in which event a defendant shall file an answer within thirty days after the acknowledgment of receipt of summons and petition or return registered or certified mail receipt is filed in the case or within forty-five days after the first publication of notice if neither personal service nor service by mail is had.
Rule 55.25.Time of Pleading.
Part I · Rule 55: Pleadings, Motions and Hearing · Last amended January 1, 1994 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 55.25 sets the deadline for filing an answer — 30 days after service, or 45 days after first publication when there’s no personal or mail service — plus 30-day deadlines for a cross-claim answer or a reply, and it resets those deadlines when a Rule 55.27 motion is filed.
Full Text of Rule 55.25
(b) Answer to Cross-Claim and Reply to Counterclaim and Other Replies—When Filed. If a cross- claim is filed against a party, the party shall file answer thereto within thirty days after the same is filed. A reply shall be filed within thirty days after the filing of the pleading to which it is directed. If a reply is ordered by the court, it shall be filed within twenty days after the entry of the order unless the order otherwise directs.
(c) Effect of Filing Motions on Time to Plead. The filing of any motion provided for in Rule 55.27 alters the time fixed for filing any required responsive pleadings as follows, unless a different time is fixed by order of the court: If the court denies the motion or postpones its disposition until the trial on the merits, the responsive pleading shall be filed within ten days after notice of the court’s action; if the court grants a motion for a more definite statement the responsive pleading shall be filed within ten days after the filing of the more definite statement. In either case the time for filing of the responsive pleading shall be no less than remains of the time which would have been allowed under this Rule if the motion had not been made.
(d) Amendments Affecting Parties in Default. When Rule 43.01(a) requires the service of new or amended pleadings upon a party in default, the party in default shall appear and defend within the same time as is required after the original service of process of like character.
Amendment History
Adopted Jan. 19, 1973, eff. Sept. 1, 1973. Amended May 6, 1976, eff. Jan. 1, 1977; Amended June 14, 1988, eff. Jan. 1, 1989; Amended June 1, 1993, eff. Jan. 1, 1994; Amended Sept. 28, 1993, eff. Jan. 1, 1994.
Plain-English Summary
A defendant must file an answer within 30 days after service of the summons and petition. When service is by mail, the 30 days runs from the acknowledgment of receipt or the filed return of registered or certified mail. And when neither personal service nor mail service occurs — service by publication — the answer is due within 45 days after the first publication of notice.
Related filings follow their own 30-day windows: an answer to a cross-claim is due 30 days after the cross-claim is filed, and a reply is due 30 days after the pleading it responds to is filed. If a court orders a reply, it’s due within 20 days of that order unless the order says otherwise.
Filing a motion under Rule 55.27 resets the clock for a responsive pleading. If the court denies the motion or defers it to trial, the responsive pleading is due 10 days after notice of that ruling. If the court grants a motion for a more definite statement, the responsive pleading is due 10 days after the more definite statement is filed. Either way, the rule guarantees the responding party at least as much time as would have remained under the original deadline had the motion never been filed.
The rule also covers a party in default: when new or amended pleadings must be served on that party, the party gets the same amount of time to appear and defend as would have applied after the original service of process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to answer a petition in Missouri?
30 days after service of the summons and petition, or a different deadline depending on the method of service used.
What is the deadline to answer after service by publication?
45 days after the first publication of notice, when neither personal nor mail service occurs.
How does filing a Rule 55.27 motion affect my answer deadline?
It resets the clock — the responsive pleading becomes due 10 days after notice of the court’s ruling on the motion, or 10 days after a more definite statement is filed, whichever applies, with a floor of whatever time remained under the original deadline.
How long do I have to reply to a counterclaim?
30 days after the pleading containing the counterclaim is filed, or 20 days after a court order requiring a reply.
What deadline applies to a defaulted party after an amended pleading?
The same amount of time as applied after the original service of process of like character.
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: time to answer a petitionanswer deadline Missouri 30 daysreply deadline Missourimotion tolls answer deadlinetime of pleading service by publication