Check your status
Use the Missouri Return Tracker, also linked from the Missouri Department of Revenue's Check Your Return Status page. You need:
- Your Social Security number
- Your filing status
- The refund (or balance due) you expect
It covers Missouri individual income tax returns and Property Tax Credit claims for 2018 and later. You can sign up for a text or email when your status changes. You can also call the automated inquiry line at 573-526-8299.
How long a Missouri refund takes
| Situation | What Missouri DOR says |
|---|---|
| E-filed return | Typically taking about six days to process (May 2026) |
| Mailed return | Up to six weeks to process (May 2026) |
| Visible in the Return Tracker, e-filed | Up to 5 business days after filing |
| Visible in the Return Tracker, paper | Up to 3 to 4 weeks after mailing |
| Not issued within 45 days | DOR pays interest (if it comes to $1 or more) |
These are processing times, not the day the money reaches you. By law (RSMo 143.811), DOR owes no interest if it refunds within 45 days after you file; after that it pays interest.
What the Return Tracker tells you
DOR says the tracker answers three questions: has my return been received, where is my refund, and was my return accepted as filed or adjusted. It shows your status as easy-to-read graphics and, once issued, the refund issue date. DOR doesn't publish the wording of each status.
Why your Missouri refund is late or smaller
- A missing signature. A return not signed by everyone can't be processed. You get a Signature Request notice; sign and return it.
- A Notice of Adjustment. DOR changed your return. If you disagree with a reduced refund, you can protest within 60 days of the date of the notice.
- A Notice of Debt Offset. Your refund went to a debt owed to another state or federal agency, such as the Department of Social Services, the Missouri Department of Higher Education, state universities, the Kansas Department of Revenue or the IRS. Contact that agency to dispute it. On a joint return, the non-obligated spouse box protects your share, except for IRS debts.
- A returned check. Checks sent to wrong or old addresses come back. You can look up returned refund checks on MyTax Missouri.
We didn't find a Missouri identity verification letter described on DOR's pages. For identity theft, DOR lists idtheft@dor.mo.gov.
If your refund is late
If you haven't received your refund within the times above, DOR suggests checking the Return Tracker. For refund questions, call 573-751-3505. 2025 Missouri returns were due April 15, 2026.
Missouri and the new federal deductions
The Missouri Department of Revenue has not stated yet whether the federal deductions for overtime, tips, seniors and car loan interest change your Missouri return. Check its guidance for the year you are filing. Compare every state in our state-by-state tips and overtime tracker.
Your federal refund is separate
The IRS pays your federal refund on its own schedule. Track it with IRS Where's My Refund, see the week-by-week IRS refund schedule, or estimate your date with the refund date calculator. To see how big your federal refund should be, try the tax refund calculator.
Common questions
How long does a Missouri tax refund take? In May 2026, the Missouri Department of Revenue said e-filed returns were typically taking about six days to process and mailed returns up to six weeks. That is processing time, not the day the money arrives. By law, DOR has 45 days to issue a refund before it owes you interest.
What do I need for the Missouri Return Tracker? Your Social Security number, your filing status and the refund or balance due you expect. It covers returns for 2018 and later.
When can I see my Missouri return in the tracker? Up to 5 business days after you e-file, or up to 3 to 4 weeks after you mail a paper return.
Does Missouri tax tips and overtime? The Missouri Department of Revenue has not stated yet whether the federal tips and overtime deductions change the Missouri return.
Updated November 7, 2026. Sources: Missouri Department of Revenue, "Check Your Return Status" (dor.mo.gov/taxation/return-status), "One Billion Dollars in Tax Refunds Already Issued" (May 20, 2026), "Resolving Individual Income Tax Notices", general individual income tax FAQs, "Individual Income Tax Information" contacts and Missouri Revised Statutes §143.811 (all checked November 7, 2026). Timelines are the state's own published guidance; your refund can take longer if your return needs review.