Mo. Rev. Stat. » Chapter 506
Missouri Revised Statutes

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 506.240 (2026)

Service of process

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  506.240.  Service of process. — 1.  Service of process under sections 506.200 to 506.320 shall be made by delivering a copy of the summons, with a copy of the petition attached, to the secretary of state of Missouri at his office, or in his absence, to the chief clerk of the secretary of state, at his office, and such service shall be sufficient service upon such nonresident.

  2.  The secretary of state shall immediately mail to the defendant, and to each of them if there be more than one, by restricted, registered mail, addressed to the defendant at his last known address, residence or place of abode a notice of such service and a copy of such process and petition.

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(L. 1941 p. 435 § 5, A. 1949 H.B. 2116, A.L. 1978 S.B. 755)

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 15 cases, 1951–1992 · leading case: State ex rel. Sullivan v. Cross, 314 S.W.2d 889 (Mo. 1958).
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State ex rel. Sullivan v. Cross, 314 S.W.2d 889 (Mo. 1958). · cites it 5× “(to which revision all statutory references will be made except as noted), as originally enacted in 1941, provided for the first time a basis of jurisdiction in suits against nonresident motorists; it made no reference to executors or administrators of the estates of nonresident…”
Haver v. Bassett, 287 S.W.2d 342 (Mo. Ct. App. 1956). · cites it 4× “) Section 506.240, subsection (1) provides that service of process shall be made by delivering a copy of the summons, with a copy of the petition attached, and a fee of $1.”
State ex rel. Plaster v. Pinnell, 831 S.W.2d 949 (Mo. Ct. App. 1992). · cites it 2× “But how can it reasonably be said that such service “by restricted, registered mail,” authorized by Section 506.240 and required by Section 506.”
Drinkard v. E. Airlines, Inc., 290 S.W.2d 175 (Mo. Ct. App. 1956). · cites it 4× “Thereafter, at plaintiff’s request, an alias summons was issued and sent to the Sheriff of Cole County for service on the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 506.240, V.A.M.S. (all statutory references are to V.”
Heston v. Horton, 115 F. Supp. 13 (W.D. Mo. 1953). · cites it 3× “) Section 506.240, RSMo 1949, V.A.M.S., provides that service of process as prescribed in the foregoing, “ * *• * shall be made by delivering a copy of the summons, with a copy of the petition attached, together with a remittance of one dollar, to the secretary of state of…”
Watson v. Watson, 562 S.W.2d 329 (Mo. 1978). “The defective summonses with copies of the petition, were served on the Chief Clerk of the Secretary of State who in turn, as required by law (§ 506.240 and § 506.250), mailed copies thereof to each defendant with a notice advising of the institution of the suit, of the service…”
Williams v. Shrout, 294 S.W.2d 640 (Mo. Ct. App. 1956). · cites it 3× “We therefore have jurisdiction of the appeal,-and must determine whether actual delivery to defendant of the notice and suit papers was, under the terms of the statute, Section 506.240 RSMo 1949, V.A.M.S., essential to valid service.”
Parker v. Bond, 330 S.W.2d 121 (Mo. 1959). · cites it 6× “Section 506.240 (2) provides that the secretary of state shall mail the papers to the defendant (necessarily to the address furnished by plaintiff) “by restricted, registered mail.”
State ex rel. M. Pressner & Co. v. Scott, 387 S.W.2d 539 (Mo. 1965). “restricted, registered mail, addressed to *543 the defendant at his last known address, residence or place of abode a notice of such service and a copy of such process and petition.”
State ex rel. Nw. Arkansas Produce Co. v. Gaertner, 573 S.W.2d 391 (Mo. Ct. App. 1978). “…Similarly, the Supreme Court has promulgated rules which parallel and expand upon § 506.500 (Rule 54.-06) and § 506.240 (Rule 54.15).”
Welker v. Hefner, 97 F. Supp. 630 (E.D. Mo. 1951). “1949, § 506.240 et seq. Service was received by the Secretary of State on January 13, 1951; a registered letter was received by the defendants on the 20th day of January 1951.”
Kuhn v. Yellow Transit Freight Lines, Inc., 12 F.R.D. 252 (E.D. Mo. 1952). “RSMo 1949, § 506.240 V.A.M.S. Should defendant be successful in including them in this action, the entire proceedings could on motion be stayed until sixty days after both such defendants are discharged from the armed forces, pursuant to the provisions of the Soldiers and…”
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