Under Missouri overtime laws you earn after 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate, and no daily overtime in Missouri — only the weekly total counts. The minimum wage is $15.00. This guide gives the exact missouri overtime laws rule with the date we verified it, the statute, and what to do next.
Rules verified against Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards or an attorney before you rely on it.
Missouri Overtime Laws at a Glance
| Minimum wage | $15.00 |
| Weekly overtime | After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate |
| Daily overtime | No daily overtime in Missouri — only the weekly total counts |
| Rate | 1.5 times the regular rate (double time only where the row says so) |
| State overtime statute | Yes |
In This Missouri Overtime Laws Guide:
Missouri Overtime Laws: The Rules
After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate. No daily overtime in Missouri — only the weekly total counts. The overtime rate is one and a half times your regular rate of pay — the regular rate includes non-discretionary bonuses and shift differentials, not just the base wage.
Retail or service businesses with under $500,000 in annual sales are exempt from the state law; seasonal amusement businesses pay overtime after 52 hours.
How to Calculate Overtime Under Missouri Overtime Laws
Take your total pay for the week, divide by the hours you worked to get the regular rate, and multiply the overtime hours by 1.5 times that rate. A worker paid $15.00 an hour who works 48 hours in a 40-hour state is owed 8 hours at time and a half.
Salary does not mean exempt: a salaried worker below the exemption tests still gets overtime on the hours over the threshold.
Missouri Overtime Laws at a Glance
Rules verified against Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards or an attorney before you rely on it. The statute row is where to check it yourself.
| Minimum wage | $15.00 |
| Weekly overtime | After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate |
| Daily overtime | No daily overtime in Missouri — only the weekly total counts |
| Rate | 1.5 times the regular rate (double time only where the row says so) |
| State overtime statute | Yes |
Who Is Exempt From Missouri Overtime Laws
Missouri’s overtime law follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act exemptions. Salaried executives, administrators, learned or creative professionals, certain computer workers, and outside salespeople are generally exempt. In most cases these roles also have to meet the federal salary-basis and salary-level test, so job title alone does not make someone exempt.
Daily Overtime and Missouri Overtime Laws
Missouri has no daily overtime rule: a 12-hour day in a 36-hour week earns no premium, because only the weekly total counts. Missouri law does not allow private employers to give comp time instead of overtime pay. Under federal rules that Missouri follows, most private-sector workers must receive cash overtime pay.
Is Overtime Taxed Differently Under Missouri Overtime Laws?
No — overtime is ordinary wages and is taxed at the same income-tax rates as the rest of your pay; it can push more of your pay into a higher withholding bracket on one check, but the annual tax rate does not change. Missouri allows employers to count part of a tipped worker’s tips toward the minimum wage.
Overtime is still owed at time-and-a-half of the full minimum wage, not the reduced cash wage, and the tip credit generally stays the same in overtime hours. The state generally requires employers to tell tipped workers about the tip credit.
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How to Claim Unpaid Overtime Under Missouri Overtime Laws
A Missouri worker can file the Minimum Wage Complaint Form (LS-51) with the Missouri Division of Labor Standards. The form covers unpaid overtime as well as minimum wage and final-paycheck problems, and you can file it online or by mail. Anonymous complaints are not accepted, the Division generally does not take wage claims to court for workers, and a limited look-back period applies. You may also file with the U.S.
Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division or pursue a private claim, so confirm your deadline with the agency.
Other Missouri Overtime Laws Rules to Know
Employees of qualifying seasonal amusement or recreation businesses, which federal law would otherwise exempt, are still covered by Missouri overtime law. Their overtime starts at a higher weekly-hours threshold than the standard workweek. Confirm with the Division of Labor Standards whether your employer qualifies.
Think you are owed overtime? The wage-claim agency takes the complaint for free.
Contact Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards
Missouri — the bottom line
- Missouri overtime laws start the premium after 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate — count the week, not the day.
- Under missouri overtime laws the rate is 1.5 times the regular rate, and the regular rate includes your bonuses and differentials.
- Missouri overtime laws are enforced by a free wage claim — you do not need a lawyer to recover unpaid overtime.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I get overtime under Missouri overtime laws?
After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate. No daily overtime in Missouri — only the weekly total counts.
What is the overtime rate in Missouri?
One and a half times your regular rate of pay, which includes non-discretionary bonuses and shift pay.
Does Missouri have daily overtime?
No daily overtime in missouri — only the weekly total counts.
Can my employer give comp time instead of overtime pay in Missouri?
Missouri law does not allow private employers to give comp time instead of overtime pay. Under federal rules that Missouri follows, most private-sector workers must receive cash overtime pay.
How do I claim unpaid overtime in Missouri?
A Missouri worker can file the Minimum Wage Complaint Form (LS-51) with the Missouri Division of Labor Standards. The form covers unpaid overtime as well as minimum wage and final-paycheck problems, and you can file it online or by mail.
Official Missouri Sources & Resources
- Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards: https://labor.mo.gov/dls/wage-hour
- Missouri statute (Retail or service businesses with under $500,000 in annual sales are exempt from the state law; seasonal amusement businesses pay overtime after 52 hours.): https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=290.505
- Verified source: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — state payday requirements: dol.gov
This missouri overtime laws guide was last verified against official Missouri sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More Missouri Workplace Rights Guides
- Missouri Break Laws: Meal and Rest Breaks
- Missouri Final Paycheck Law: Deadlines and Penalties
- Missouri Labor Laws: Every Rule in One Place
- Missouri Unemployment Benefits: How Much and How Long
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Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Final-paycheck deadlines, penalties and non compete rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current rule with your state labor department or a licensed attorney before you act.