Missed Court in Missouri: What Happens Next

What Missouri law says can follow a missed court date: whether it is a separate crime, the driver’s license rule for traffic cases, what happens to bail, and the court’s own next steps. It runs in your browser and nothing is stored.

What kind of case was the court date for?
How was the person released before the date?

Pick the state, the kind of case and how the person was released to see what that state’s law says.

Missouri failure to appear law

In Missouri, missing a required court date after release can be charged as its own crime. The statute grades it by the kind of case:

  • Released on a felony charge: class E felony. Knowingly failing to appear after release is a class E felony if the matter included a felony. (RSMo § 544.665)
    Failure to appear is: (1) A class E felony if the criminal matter for which the person was released included a felony;
  • Released on a misdemeanor charge: class A misdemeanor. If the matter included misdemeanors but no felony, failure to appear is a class A misdemeanor. (RSMo § 544.665)
    (2) A class A misdemeanor if the criminal matter for which the person was released includes a misdemeanor or misdemeanors but no felony or felonies;

The statute’s mental-state words are “knowingly”, so the reason the date was missed can matter.

When a date is missed, the court’s order is called a arrest warrant (RSMo § 544.455.3).

Driver’s license after a missed traffic date in Missouri

For a resident charged with a moving traffic violation who misses the court date, the court mails a notice and, if the charge is not disposed of and paid within 30 days, orders the Director of Revenue to suspend driving privileges (minor traffic violations are excluded). (RSMo § 302.341.1)

will order the director of revenue to suspend the defendant's driving privileges if the charges are not disposed of and fully paid within thirty days from the date of mailing.

Bail and bonds after a missed date in Missouri

On a missed appearance without sufficient excuse the recognizance is forfeited and enforced by scire facias, unless the court remits it for cause shown. (RSMo § 544.640)

To compare what posting bail costs in Missouri, see the Missouri bail bond calculator.

How to deal with a missed date in Missouri

Only the court that set the date can recall a warrant or give a new date. Contact that court’s clerk, or the lawyer or public defender on the case, who can ask the court to recall or quash the warrant.

What this page does not do

  • It does not check whether a warrant was issued in any case or whether anyone will be arrested.
  • Whether a separate failure-to-appear charge is filed is the prosecutor’s decision; what happens to bail is the court’s.
  • It collects nothing; your choices stay in your browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is failure to appear a crime in Missouri?

Yes. Released on a felony charge: class E felony under RSMo § 544.665; Released on a misdemeanor charge: class A misdemeanor under RSMo § 544.665.

Is missing court a felony in Missouri?

In some cases. released on a felony charge: class E felony under RSMo § 544.665. Otherwise: released on a misdemeanor charge: class A misdemeanor under RSMo § 544.665.

Will Missouri suspend my license for missing a traffic court date?

For a resident charged with a moving traffic violation who misses the court date, the court mails a notice and, if the charge is not disposed of and paid within 30 days, orders the Director of Revenue to suspend driving privileges (minor traffic violations are excluded). The rule is in RSMo § 302.341.1.

Sources

Checked against the sources above on October 20, 2026.

Know someone who could use this? Share this free tool:

Share: