(a) When and by Whom. A judgment may be revived by order of the court that entered it pursuant to a motion for revival filed by a judgment creditor within ten years after entry of the judgment, the last payment of record, or the last prior revival of the judgment.
Rule 74.09.Revival of Judgment.
Part I · Rule 74: Judgments, Orders and Proceedings Thereon · Last amended January 1, 2020 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 74.09 lets a judgment creditor revive a judgment within ten years of entry, last payment, or the last revival, by filing a motion that leads to a show-cause order against the judgment debtor.
Full Text of Rule 74.09
(b) Order to Show Cause. Upon the filing of a motion of revival of a judgment, an order shall issue to the judgment debtor to show cause on a day certain why such judgment should not be revived. The order to show cause shall be served pursuant to Rule 54 on the judgment debtor, his successors in interest, or his legal representatives.
(c) Judgment of Revival. If the judgment debtor, his successors in interest, or legal representatives fail to appear and show cause why the judgment should not be revived, the court shall enter an order reviving the judgment.
Amendment History
Adopted May 22, 1987, eff. Jan. 1, 1988; Amended June 25, 2019, eff. Jan. 1, 2020.
Plain-English Summary
A Missouri judgment does not stay collectible forever on its own — its lien runs for ten years under Rule 74.08. Rule 74.09 provides the mechanism for extending that life through revival. A judgment creditor can file a motion for revival with the court that entered the judgment, and the court can revive it, so long as the motion comes within ten years of the entry of the judgment, the last recorded payment on it, or the last prior revival.
Revival is not automatic on filing. Once the creditor files the motion, an order to show cause issues to the judgment debtor, requiring the debtor to explain on a specific date why the judgment should not be revived. That order must be served on the debtor, the debtor's successors in interest, or the debtor's legal representatives, following the service procedure in Rule 54.
If the debtor — or successors or legal representatives — fails to appear and show cause, the court enters an order reviving the judgment. The revival effectively resets the collection clock, though as Rule 74.10 explains, the timing of the show-cause order relative to the original lien's expiration affects whether the revived lien beats out intermediate encumbrances on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can seek revival of a judgment?
The judgment creditor, by filing a motion for revival with the court that entered the judgment.
What is the deadline to seek revival?
The motion must be filed within ten years after entry of the judgment, the last payment of record on it, or the last prior revival, whichever is most recent.
What happens after the creditor files a motion for revival?
An order to show cause issues to the judgment debtor, directing the debtor to appear on a specific date and explain why the judgment should not be revived.
How must the show-cause order be served?
It must be served on the judgment debtor, the debtor's successors in interest, or the debtor's legal representatives, pursuant to Rule 54.
What if the debtor doesn't respond to the show-cause order?
If the debtor, successors in interest, or legal representatives fail to appear and show cause, the court enters an order reviving the judgment.
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: revival of judgment missourirenew a judgmentjudgment revival motionshow cause order judgment