Missouri
Missouri Hit and Run Laws: Penalties and What to Do
Missouri criminalizes leaving the scene of an accident under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 577.060, with penalties ranging from a Class A misdemeanor carrying up to one year in jail for minor incidents to a Class D felony carrying up to seven years in prison when a death occurs.
Hurt in a hit-and-run? If the driver who hit you fled or had no insurance, your own uninsured/underinsured-motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may pay your injury claim. Estimate what it could be worth with our free Missouri Car Accident Settlement Calculator.
Quick Summary of Missouri Hit and Run Laws
Under Missouri Revised Statutes § 577.060, any driver involved in an accident who knowingly leaves the scene without stopping and providing required information commits a criminal offense. Penalties range from a Class A misdemeanor for minor incidents to a Class D felony when a death occurs.
Missouri takes hit and run seriously. The state classifies the offense at multiple levels depending on the damage, injuries, and the driver's history. A first-time property damage offense is a misdemeanor, but any physical injury, significant property damage, prior conviction, or fatality pushes the charge into felony territory.
Missouri is an at-fault state that follows a pure comparative fault rule for civil claims. Separately, Missouri Revised Statutes § 303.040 requires a written report to the Director of Revenue within 30 days of certain accidents involving an uninsured motorist.
Last verified: March 2026. This page reflects current Missouri Revised Statutes § 577.060 and related provisions.
Penalties for Hit and Run in Missouri
Missouri structures penalties based on the circumstances of the accident. Each classification carries specific maximum sentences.
| Offense Type | Classification | Maximum Prison | Maximum Fine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic hit and run (no injury, damage under $1,000) | Class A Misdemeanor | 1 year | $2,000 |
| Physical injury to another person | Class E Felony | 4 years | $10,000 |
| Property damage over $1,000 | Class E Felony | 4 years | $10,000 |
| Prior hit and run conviction | Class E Felony | 4 years | $10,000 |
| Death resulting from accident | Class D Felony | 7 years | $10,000 |
Points on Your Driving Record
A hit and run conviction adds either 6 or 12 points to your Missouri driving record, depending on who issued the citation. Accumulating 12 points within a one-year period results in a one-year license revocation.
Additional Consequences
Beyond criminal penalties and point accumulation, a hit and run conviction leads to driver's license suspension or revocation. Your insurance premiums will increase substantially. A felony conviction creates a permanent criminal record that affects employment opportunities, professional licensing, and housing applications.
What the Law Requires (§ 577.060)
Missouri Revised Statutes § 577.060 establishes the duties of drivers involved in accidents. You commit the offense of leaving the scene when you meet all three elements:
- You are the operator of a vehicle involved in an accident
- The accident results in injury, death, or property damage to another person
- You have knowledge of the accident and leave without stopping and providing required information
Information You Must Provide
At the scene of an accident, you must give the following information to the other party or to a law enforcement officer:
- Your full name
- Your residence address, including city and street number
- Your vehicle registration or license plate number
- Your operator's license number, if you have one
If no law enforcement officer is present at the scene, you must report the accident to the nearest law enforcement agency.
The Knowledge Requirement
The statute requires that you have "knowledge" of the accident. This means the prosecution must prove you knew an accident occurred and still chose to leave. If you were genuinely unaware that a collision happened, you may not meet the legal definition of the offense.
However, courts interpret this broadly. Circumstantial evidence such as vehicle damage, witness testimony, and surveillance footage can establish that you should have known about the accident.
Misdemeanor Hit and Run Offenses
Leaving the scene of an accident is a Class A misdemeanor in Missouri when the situation involves only minor property damage and no aggravating factors.
When Hit and Run Is a Misdemeanor
A hit and run is classified as a Class A misdemeanor when:
- The accident involves only property damage under $1,000
- No one suffers physical injury
- You have no prior hit and run convictions
A Class A misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of 1 year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Striking a Parked or Unattended Vehicle
Section 577.060 does not contain a separate leave-a-note rule for parked or unattended vehicles. It applies to any accident that damages another person's property, and it requires you to give your name, address, registration number, and operator's license number to the other party or to a law enforcement officer, or, if no officer is in the vicinity, to the nearest law enforcement agency.
When the owner of a parked car cannot be found, reporting the collision to the nearest law enforcement agency is the step the statute names. Leaving a note with your contact details is a sensible courtesy, but the statute does not say a note alone satisfies the duty.
Driving away after hitting a parked car without giving this information can lead to a leaving-the-scene charge. Even though the penalties are relatively modest, a conviction still creates a criminal record.
Reporting Requirements
Missouri Revised Statutes § 303.040 requires a written report to the Director of Revenue within 30 days in two situations:
- The accident involved an uninsured motorist and someone was killed or injured, or property of any one person was damaged by more than $500
- You were an owner or operator involved in an accident in Missouri and did not carry motor vehicle liability insurance
The duty applies to accidents on streets or highways and on parking lots or facilities generally open to the public. If the operator is physically unable to report, the owner must report, and a late report requires a doctor's certificate. For any serious accident, call the police to the scene and consider consulting an attorney before submitting a written report.
Felony Hit and Run Offenses
Hit and run becomes a felony in Missouri under several circumstances. The severity of the felony classification depends on the nature of the accident and the driver's history.
Class E Felony (Up to 4 Years in Prison)
The offense is elevated to a Class E felony when any of the following apply:
- Physical injury: The accident caused physical injury to another person, regardless of how minor the injury may seem
- Property damage over $1,000: The total property damage from the accident exceeds $1,000
- Prior conviction: You have a previous conviction for leaving the scene of an accident, whether in Missouri or any other state
A Class E felony carries up to 4 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. The prior conviction enhancement means that a second hit and run offense is automatically a felony, even if the second incident involves only minor property damage.
Class D Felony (Up to 7 Years in Prison)
The offense becomes a Class D felony when a death occurs as a result of the accident. This is the most serious classification under § 577.060 and carries up to 7 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
DUI Hit and Run
If you were driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol when you left the scene, you can face impairment-related charges in addition to § 577.060. Section 577.060 itself does not create a separate DWI version of leaving the scene. Possible additional charges include:
- First-degree involuntary manslaughter: Class C felony, up to 10 years in prison, if a death resulted from impaired driving
Section 577.060 gives officers jurisdiction to enter privately owned property to investigate an accident when an injured person invites them. Under § 577.041, refusing a chemical test an officer requests results in immediate license revocation, separate from any criminal penalties.
After a DUI conviction, you must complete Missouri's Substance Awareness Traffic Offender Program (SATOP) before your driving privileges can be restored. Missouri allows first-time DUI misdemeanor convictions to be expunged after a 10-year waiting period.
Missouri Traffic Statistics
Missouri has seen a positive trend in traffic fatalities over recent years. According to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), the state recorded its third consecutive year of declining traffic deaths in 2025.
- 2025: 911 preliminary fatalities, down from 955 in 2024 (a 5% decrease)
- 2024: 955 fatalities statewide
- 2023: 991 fatalities statewide
- Three-year decline: Traffic deaths dropped 14% compared to three years ago
MoDOT's Show-Me Zero initiative focuses on reducing fatalities through education, enforcement, engineering, and emergency response. In 2025, six Missouri counties reported zero traffic fatalities, and there were 45 days without a single fatal crash on Missouri roads.
Governor Mike Kehoe has called on all Missourians to make 2026 the fourth consecutive year of declining roadway fatalities.
Key contributing factors in fatal crashes remain consistent: 34.3% of fatal crashes involved speed, and 23.1% involved impaired driving.
How Fault Is Determined in Missouri
Missouri is an at-fault state. The driver who caused the accident bears financial responsibility for damages. Do not admit fault at the scene, as investigators and courts will make that determination based on evidence.
Pure Comparative Fault Rule
Missouri uses a pure comparative fault system. Your percentage of responsibility for the accident reduces your recovery proportionally, but does not bar it entirely. You can recover damages even if you were mostly at fault.
Example: If you suffer $50,000 in damages but are found 30% responsible for the accident, you can recover $35,000.
Key points about fault determination in Missouri:
- You may file a claim with your own insurer or the at-fault driver's insurer
- Victims may file personal injury lawsuits against at-fault drivers
- The court determines fault based on evidence, not statements made at the scene
- Insurance adjusters investigate independently and assign fault percentages
Statute of Limitations for Civil Claims
Missouri provides relatively generous deadlines for filing civil claims:
- Personal injury claims: 5 years from the date of the accident (§ 516.120)
- Property damage claims: 5 years from the date of the accident
- Wrongful death claims: 3 years from the date of death
These deadlines are firm. If you miss the statute of limitations, you lose the right to pursue compensation through the courts regardless of the strength of your claim. If a driver who fled left you hurt, get a free claim review from a Missouri car accident lawyer on suing that driver before those deadlines pass (attorney advertising).
Possible Defenses to Hit and Run Charges
The prosecution must prove that you knew about the accident and intentionally left without providing information. Several defenses may apply depending on the circumstances.
- Lack of knowledge: You were genuinely unaware that an accident occurred. This is the most common defense, particularly for minor collisions or situations where road noise or other factors masked the impact.
- Mistaken identity: You were not the driver, or the vehicle involved was not in your possession at the time of the accident.
- Involuntary departure: You left due to circumstances beyond your control, such as a medical emergency.
- No injury or damage: No one was injured and no property was damaged. Without injury or damage, the elements of the offense are not met.
- Victim refused information: The other party refused to accept your information or acted in a threatening manner.
- Fear for safety: You reasonably believed that remaining at the scene would endanger your life. You must still report the accident promptly.
If you left the scene, contact an attorney immediately, and file any accident report § 303.040 requires within its 30-day deadline. Documenting a valid reason for your departure strengthens any potential defense.
Related Resources
Official Sources:
- Missouri Revised Statutes § 577.060 (Leaving the Scene of an Accident)
- MoDOT Traffic Fatality Statistics
- Missouri SATOP Program
- Missouri Revised Statutes § 303.040 (Accident Reporting)
Other Missouri Laws:
- Missouri Recording Laws
- Missouri Car Seat Laws
- Missouri Statute of Limitations
- Missouri Whistleblower Laws
More Missouri Laws
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file an accident report in Missouri?
Missouri Revised Statutes § 303.040 requires a written report to the Director of Revenue within 30 days when an accident involves an uninsured motorist and causes death, injury, or more than $500 in damage to any one person's property, or when you were involved in an accident without motor vehicle liability insurance. If the operator is physically unable to report, the owner must report, and a late report requires a doctor's certificate.
Can police come onto private property to investigate a hit and run in Missouri?
Section 577.060 gives law enforcement officers jurisdiction to enter privately owned property to investigate an accident when an injured person invites them. Separately, under § 577.041, refusing a chemical test an officer requests results in immediate license revocation.
Is a second hit and run offense automatically a felony in Missouri?
Yes. Under § 577.060, if you have a prior conviction for leaving the scene of an accident in Missouri or any other state, a subsequent offense is automatically a Class E felony carrying up to 4 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
How many points does a hit and run add to my Missouri driving record?
A hit and run conviction adds either 6 or 12 points to your Missouri driving record, depending on who issued the citation. Accumulating 12 points within a one-year period triggers a one-year license revocation.
What should I do at the scene of an accident in Missouri?
Stop immediately and check on all parties. Call law enforcement. Exchange your name, address, vehicle registration number, and operator license number with the other driver. Render reasonable assistance to anyone injured. Avoid admitting fault. Gather evidence and witness information. Contact your insurance company. For serious accidents, consult an attorney before filing a written report.
Updates
Corrected the parked-car, accident-report, DWI, and police-access sections to match the text of Missouri Revised Statutes §§ 577.060 and 303.040.
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Revised Statutes of Missouri, Title XXXVIII (CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT; PEACE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS), Chapter 577
§ 577.060Leaving the scene of an accident — penalties.In force
1. A person commits the offense of leaving the scene of an accident when: (1) Being the operator of a vehicle or a vessel involved in an accident resulting in injury or death or damage to property of another person; and (2) Having knowledge of such accident he or she leaves the place of the injury, damage or accident without stopping and giving the following information to the other party or to a law enforcement officer, or if no law enforcement officer is in the vicinity, then to the nearest law enforcement agency: (a) His or her name; (b) His or her residence, including city and street number; (c) The registration or license number for his or her vehicle or vessel; and (d) His or her operator's license number, if any. 2. For the purposes of this section, all law enforcement officers shall have jurisdiction, when invited by an injured person, to enter the premises of any privately owned property for the purpose of investigating an accident and performing all necessary duties regarding such accident.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-24 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at revisor.mo.gov
Cited in 54 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2023
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- State v. Denzmore (Missouri Court of Appeals 2014, 436 S.W.3d 635)“…then to the nearest police station or judicial officer. Mo.Rev.Stat. § 577.060.1. “Leaving the scene of a motor vehicl…”
- State v. Hirt (Missouri Court of Appeals 2000, 16 S.W.3d 628)“…ry trial for leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, section 577.060, RSMo 1994. Mr. Hirt contends that the trial…”
- State v. Owen (Missouri Court of Appeals 1988, 748 S.W.2d 893)“…SMo 1986; of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, Sec. 577.060, RSMo 1986; and of driving while intoxicated,…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 577.041Refusal to submit to chemical test — admissibility — request to include reasons and effect of refusal.In force
1. If a person under arrest, or who has been detained pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection 1 of section 577.020, or stopped pursuant to subdivision (3) or (4) of subsection 1 of section 577.020, refuses upon the request of the officer to submit to any test allowed pursuant to section 577.020, then evidence of the refusal shall be admissible in any proceeding related to the acts resulting in such detention, stop, or arrest. 2. The request of the officer to submit to any chemical test shall include the reasons of the officer for requesting the person to submit to a test and also shall inform the person that evidence of refusal to take the test may be used against such person. If such person was operating a vehicle prior to such detention, stop, or arrest, he or she shall further be informed that his or her license shall be immediately revoked upon refusal to take the test.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-31 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at revisor.mo.gov
Cited in 263 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2019
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Berry v. Director of Revenue (Supreme Court of Missouri 1994, 885 S.W.2d 326)“…of Berry’s refusal to submit to a chemical test pursuant to § 577.041, RSMo Supp.1992, to determine his blood alcoh…”
- Blanchard v. Director of Revenue (Missouri Court of Appeals 1993, 844 S.W.2d 589)“…o review the revocation of his driver’s license pursuant to § 577.041 RSMo 1986. We affirm. At approximatel…”
- Brown v. Director of Revenue (Missouri Court of Appeals 2005, 164 S.W.3d 121)“…ion based on his refusal to submit to a chemical test under section 577.041 RSMo (2000). 1 We reverse and r…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Revised Statutes of Missouri, Title XIX (MOTOR VEHICLES, WATERCRAFT AND AVIATION), Chapter 303
§ 303.040All motor vehicle accidents to be reported — director to notify all other parties, contents — parties to furnish information — nonresident requirements.In force
1. The operator or owner of every motor vehicle which is involved in an accident within this state, including a nonresident operator or owner of a motor vehicle, or the owner of a legally or illegally parked car which is in any manner involved in an accident within this state, with an uninsured motorist, upon the streets or highways thereof, or on any publicly or privately owned parking lot or parking facility generally open for use by the public, in which any person is killed or injured or in which damage to property of any one person, including himself, in excess of five hundred dollars is sustained, and the owner or operator of every motor vehicle which is involved in an accident within this state if such owner or operator does not carry motor vehicle liability insurance shall, within thirty days after such accident, report the matter in writing to the director. Such report, the form of which shall be prescribed by the director, shall provide the operator with notice of the following: (1) That it is the responsibility of the operator, not the state, to bring an action at law on the claim of the operator arising out of the accident; (2) That the security deposited shall…
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-31 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at revisor.mo.gov
Cited in 6 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 1997
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Strom v. Automobile Club Inter-Insurance Exchange (Missouri Court of Appeals 1997, 952 S.W.2d 794)“…red motor vehicle ... failed to file the report required by section 303.040, RSMo, shall be prima facie evidence of unins…”
- Daus v. Director of Revenue (Missouri Court of Appeals 1992, 840 S.W.2d 892)“…s reported to Director as an uninsured motorist pursuant to § 303.040, RSMo 1986. On January 9, 1991, Director issu…”
- Tresner v. State Farm Mutual Insurance Co. (Missouri Court of Appeals 1997, 957 S.W.2d 380)“…ther known or unknown failed to file the report required by section 303.040, RSMo, shall be prima facie evidence of unins…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Sources and References
- Missouri Revised Statutes § 577.060 - Leaving the Scene of an Accident(revisor.mo.gov).gov
- MoDOT - Number and Rate of Fatalities(modot.org).gov
- MoDOT - Missouri Third Consecutive Year of Declining Traffic Fatalities(modot.org).gov
- Missouri SATOP Program - Department of Mental Health(dmh.mo.gov).gov
- Missouri Revised Statutes § 577.060 (2024) - Justia(law.justia.com)
- Missouri Revised Statutes § 303.040 - Accident Reporting Requirements(revisor.mo.gov).gov
- Missouri Revised Statutes § 577.041 - Refusal to Submit to Chemical Test(revisor.mo.gov)
Paid attorney referral. RecordingLaw may receive compensation when you use an attorney-help link. RecordingLaw is not a law firm. Submitting a request does not guarantee that an attorney will accept your case and does not create an attorney-client relationship.