How to Fill Out the Missouri Bar Enrollment & Annual Statement + FAQs

The Missouri Bar Annual Enrollment Fee and Statement is the yearly form every lawyer licensed in Missouri must file with the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Missouri, by January 31, to confirm their contact information, pick their fee category, and pay the enrollment fee that keeps their license active. It is both a payment and an information update rolled into one form, and the Supreme Court of Missouri receives it under Rule 6.01.

Miss the deadline and the cost climbs fast. A flat $50 penalty hits the moment you are late, then $5 stacks on each month after that, and if you stay unpaid for three straight years you lose your good standing and must apply to the Court for reinstatement under Rule 5.28. The standard 2026 enrollment fee for an active Missouri lawyer is $410, and the statement opens online through the MyFees portal any time you sign in.

Here is what you will learn in this guide:

  • 📋 How to read your mailed invoice and fill out each box on the annual enrollment statement correctly.
  • 💳 How to pay online by credit card or eCheck, by mail, or in person, and what proof to keep.
  • 🧮 How to pick the right fee category so you never overpay or underpay.
  • ⚠️ The field-level mistakes that trigger a hold, a penalty, or an accidental suspension.
  • 🔄 How new lawyers, non-residents, inactive members, and retirees handle their first or final statement.

What the Form Is and Who Must File It

The Missouri Bar Annual Enrollment Fee and Statement is the document that proves you are a lawyer in good standing for the calendar year. Under Rule 6.01(a), every person licensed to practice law in Missouri must pay an enrollment fee to the Clerk of the Supreme Court on or before January 31 each year. Rule 6.01(b) then requires you to furnish an annual enrollment statement at the same time, on a form the Clerk prescribes. The two pieces travel together, so paying without updating your information, or updating without paying, leaves the job half done.

The form solves a real problem for the Court: it keeps an accurate, current roster of who may practice law and where to reach them. The fee you pay is split three ways under Rule 6.01(m), into a low income legal services fee, a bar fee, and an advisory committee fee. For every dollar you pay, 63 cents funds The Missouri Bar, 25 cents supports the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, and 12 cents goes to Legal Services for low income Missourians.

Almost everyone with a Missouri license files. That includes active practitioners, lawyers in their first three years, non-residents licensed here, and inactive members who pay a reduced fee. The handful of people who do not pay are the narrow exempt groups in Rule 6.01(d): retired judges, retired commissioners, lawyers licensed 50 years or more, and lawyers age 75 or older. Even exempt lawyers receive a receipt of good standing, so the Court still tracks them.

A common misconception is that the bar bills you and waits for a response. It does not work that way. Rule 6.01(a) says the fee is due and must be paid regardless of any assessment, notice, or demand by the Clerk. If your invoice never arrives in the mail, you still owe the fee on time, and “I never got the bill” is not a defense against the penalty.

Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need

Gather everything before you open the form or sign in to MyFees. The statement is short, but a wrong number in one box can delay your receipt or trigger a processing hold, so accuracy beats speed every time. The Court traditionally mails invoices in early December, so most lawyers complete this in December or January.

Here is your pre-filing checklist:

  • Your attorney enrollment number. This is the bar number the Clerk assigned at your admission, and it is how the Court matches your payment to your record. Without it, an online payment can post to the wrong account or bounce back.
  • Your mailed invoice or MyFees balance. The invoice shows your exact amount due and your assigned fee category. If you misplaced it, you can sign in to MyFees and retrieve a replacement statement at any time.
  • Your current mailing address. Rule 6.01(b)(2) requires it, and this address of record is where the Court and the bar send official notices. A stale address means you miss deadlines you never knew existed.
  • Your current email address. This is also required under Rule 6.01(b)(2), and it is now the main channel for Court and bar updates. A dead email address can cut you off from disciplinary or deadline notices.
  • Your county of residence. Rule 6.01(b)(4) asks for your county, or the city of St. Louis, and the state if you live outside Missouri. This drives your voting place and your record location.
  • Your fee category. Decide whether you are Category 1, 2, 3, or inactive before you pay, because the amount due changes with the category. Paying the wrong category leaves a balance or an overpayment.
  • Your voting place selection. Rule 6.01(b)(5) and 6.01(i) require you to designate a voting place for Board of Governors elections. Skipping it can leave your statement incomplete.
  • Your payment method. Have a credit card or bank account ready for an eCheck, or a check if you mail it. The eCheck processing fee is just 50 cents, while credit cards carry a separate transaction fee set by the state’s payment processor.
  • Your trust account, or IOLTA, information. The form includes a mandatory trust account certification, and the rules come from the Missouri IOLTA Program. Have your trust account status clear in your mind before you certify.

If any item is missing, stop and find it. A blank required box can hold up your bar card, and a guess on your category can cost you a penalty later when the balance surfaces.

Where to Get the Form and How to Access It

You do not hunt for this form, it comes to you. The Clerk of the Supreme Court of Missouri mails an annual fee statement and invoice to every licensed lawyer, usually in early December. That paper statement is the official form, pre-printed with your name, your enrollment number, your category, and your amount due, so most of the heavy lifting is already done for you.

If the paper statement is lost, late, or never arrives, the online route is faster. Sign in to the MyFees portal on The Missouri Bar website, where members in good standing can view their balance, retrieve a replacement statement, and pay online. MyFees also explains the enrollment fee categories and shows your current balance, so it doubles as a reference tool and a filing tool.

Online access requires your Missouri Bar sign-in credentials. If you have never set up an account, you create one with your bar number and the email the bar has on file, which is one more reason to keep your email address current. Once inside, look for the “My Fees” link on the left side of the Practice Portal.

A frequent misconception is that the mailed form and the online portal are different filings. They are not. The Court’s own guidance confirms that if you pay online, it is not necessary to return the paper statement you received in the mail. Pick one channel, finish it, and do not double-file.

Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the Missouri Annual Enrollment Statement Line by Line

The statement is organized into numbered boxes plus a payment line and a signature. Work through them in order. The pre-printed paper form already fills in most boxes, so your real job is to confirm what is right and correct what is wrong. Below, each box gets its own walkthrough.

Box 1 — Name and Mailing Address

This box asks for your full legal name and your current mailing address, the place where the Court and the bar send official mail. To answer it, check that the pre-printed name matches your name on the Court’s roll, and write your current street or P.O. Box address in clear print if anything changed. For example, Daniel R. Whitfield confirms the printed name and writes 4120 Maryland Ave., Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63108 in the address lines.

The edge case here is a recent move. If you relocated since last year, line through the old address and print the new one, because Rule 6.01(b) requires you to notify the Clerk of every change in your mailing address. A P.O. Box is allowed for your mailing address, so use it if that is where you reliably receive mail.

The most common mistake is leaving an outdated address because the form arrived at the old one anyway. The direct consequence is that you stop receiving official notices, including disciplinary and deadline mail, and missing those notices does not excuse missing the underlying deadline. A misconception people hold is that updating the firm directory or LinkedIn updates the Court, but only the statement, or a written notice to the Clerk, changes your official address of record.

Box 2 — Email Address and Enrollment Number

This box asks for your current email address and your attorney enrollment number, the two identifiers the Court uses to match your record and reach you fast. To answer it, type your working email in lowercase and confirm the pre-printed enrollment number is the bar number you were assigned at admission. For example, Aisha N. Okafor enters aokafor@okaforlaw.com and confirms her enrollment number reads #58213.

The edge case is a shared or firm email. Use the address you personally monitor, not a general office inbox, because Court notices addressed to a firm catch-all can sit unread. If your enrollment number is missing or smudged on the paper form, find it on a prior bar card or in MyFees rather than guessing.

The most common mistake is transposing two digits of the enrollment number when paying online. The direct consequence is that your payment posts to the wrong lawyer’s account or rejects, leaving your own balance unpaid past the deadline. A misconception is that your enrollment number is the same as your Social Security number or your login, but it is a separate, Court-assigned identifier that never changes.

Box 3 — County of Residence and Voting Place

This box asks for the county, or the city of St. Louis, where you reside, plus your designated voting place for Board of Governors elections under Rule 6.01(b)(4) and 6.01(b)(5). To answer it, write your county of residence and select your voting place from the four options in Rule 6.01(i): the city of St. Louis, the Kansas City portion of Jackson County, the rest of Jackson County, or any other county. For example, Marcus T. Lee writes Greene County and designates any county other than Jackson County as his voting place.

The edge case is living in one county but practicing in another. Rule 6.01(i) ties your voting place to where you are employed or keep your principal law office, so use your office location, not your home, if they differ. If you live in Missouri but do not practice here, your voting place is simply where you reside.

The most common mistake is leaving the voting place blank because it feels optional. The direct consequence is an incomplete statement and lost eligibility to vote in Board of Governors elections that shape the bar. A misconception is that Category 3 non-residents can vote, but Rule 6.01(i) makes a Category 3 lawyer ineligible to vote unless they elect to pay the higher Category 1 fee.

Box 4 — Fee Category and Amount Due

This box asks which fee category applies to you and the total dollar amount you owe, the heart of the whole form. To answer it, match yourself to one of the four categories and write the matching amount, then carry that number to the payment line. For example, Janet Caldwell, a non-resident Missouri lawyer, marks Category 3 and writes $325.00 as her amount due.

The four 2026 categories are spelled out by the Court as follows:

Fee Category 2026 Amount and Who It Covers
Category 1 $410 for all lawyers not in Category 2 or 3, the standard active fee
Category 2 $280 for lawyers licensed fewer than three years, except those admitted without examination
Category 3 $325 for lawyers who neither reside, practice, nor work in Missouri
Inactive $100 for any lawyer not stricken who has ceased practicing law in Missouri

The edge case is changing your category on the form itself. The Court allows you to note a category change directly on the statement, but if you do, you must also update your address in Box 1, your county in Box 3, and the amount due in Box 4 so everything matches. The most common mistake is paying the prior year’s amount out of habit. The direct consequence is a lingering balance that quietly accrues the $5 monthly penalty until you notice. A misconception is that “inactive” is free, but the inactive fee is still $100 every year under Rule 6.03.

Box 5 — Optional Demographic Questions

This box asks the voluntary questions on gender, race, and ethnicity, which the Court added to the form for reporting and fairness studies. To answer it, fill in the responses if you choose to, or leave them blank, since they are entirely optional. For example, Priya Raman chooses to answer the gender question and leaves the race and ethnicity items blank, which is fully permitted.

The edge case is worrying that a blank here voids your statement. It does not, because these questions are optional and carry no penalty for skipping them. The gender question has appeared since the 2016 forms, and race and ethnicity since the 2017 forms.

The most common mistake is assuming these answers affect your fee or your standing. The direct consequence of that belief is needless stress, since they affect neither. A misconception is that the answers are published with your name, but the data is collected for aggregate study, not posted in the public lawyer directory.

Box 6 — Mandatory Trust Account (IOLTA) Certification

This box asks you to certify your compliance with Missouri’s lawyer trust account rules, and unlike Box 5, this certification is mandatory. To answer it, review the trust account rules from the Missouri IOLTA Program and certify your status truthfully, confirming whether you hold client funds in a compliant trust account or are exempt. For example, Daniel R. Whitfield, who holds client retainers, certifies that he maintains a compliant IOLTA trust account at his bank.

The edge case is a lawyer who never handles client money, such as in-house counsel or a government attorney. You still complete the certification, but you indicate the basis for any exemption rather than skipping it. If you have IOLTA questions, the program line is reachable for guidance before you certify.

The most common mistake is checking the certification without actually confirming the account is set up correctly. The direct consequence is a false certification that can draw a disciplinary inquiry from the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel. A misconception is that IOLTA only matters for big firms, but any Missouri lawyer who holds client or third-party funds must comply, regardless of firm size.

Box 7 — Signature and Date

This box asks for your signature and the date, the part that turns your entries into a sworn, official filing. To answer it, sign your name as it appears on the form and write the date in MM/DD/YYYY format, for example 01/15/2026. If you pay and file online through MyFees, your electronic submission stands in for the wet signature.

The edge case is filing for a deceased or incapacitated colleague, which you cannot do with their signature. Their estate or the advisory committee handles those situations separately under the Court’s incapacity rules. If you mail a check without a signed statement, your filing is incomplete even though the money arrived.

The most common mistake is mailing the check but forgetting to sign and return the statement. The direct consequence is an incomplete filing that can delay your receipt and your bar card. A misconception is that the signature is a formality, but it certifies that every entry, including the trust account certification, is true.

Payment Line — Total Remitted

This line asks for the total payment you are sending, which must equal the amount due in Box 4 plus any penalty if you are late. To answer it, write the exact figure you are paying and choose your method, then confirm the math against your category. For example, a Category 1 lawyer paying on time writes $410.00, while the same lawyer paying in March writes $465.00 to cover the $410 fee plus the $55 March penalty.

The edge case is paying after January 31. The penalty is $50 flat in February, then climbs $5 each month, reaching $105 the following January, so your total must include the right penalty for the month you pay. If you underpay by even a few dollars, the balance stays open and keeps accruing.

The most common mistake is sending the base fee only after the deadline, forgetting the penalty. The direct consequence is that you remain delinquent, the penalty keeps growing, and your reinstatement clock keeps ticking. A misconception is that mailing on January 31 is too late, but Rule 6.01(a) treats a payment placed in the U.S. mail to the Clerk on or before January 31 as timely.

Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios

Below are three lawyers filing three different versions of the statement. Each table shows what they enter in the key sections.

Scenario 1: Daniel, a solo active attorney paying the standard fee online. Daniel has practiced for 12 years in St. Louis and pays through MyFees in mid-January.

Form Section What Daniel Enters
Box 1 Name and Address Daniel R. Whitfield, 4120 Maryland Ave., Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63108
Box 2 Email and Enrollment Number dwhitfield@whitfieldlaw.com, #41992
Box 3 County and Voting Place City of St. Louis; voting place: City of St. Louis
Box 4 Fee Category Category 1
Box 4 Amount Due $410.00
Box 5 Demographics Answered voluntarily
Box 6 IOLTA Certification Certifies compliant trust account
Box 7 Signature and Date Electronic submission, 01/15/2026
Payment Line $410.00 by credit card

Scenario 2: Sofia, a newly admitted lawyer filing her first statement. Sofia was admitted in September 2025 and is licensed fewer than three years.

Form Section What Sofia Enters
Box 1 Name and Address Sofia M. Delgado, 915 Walnut St., Apt. 6C, Kansas City, MO 64106
Box 2 Email and Enrollment Number sdelgado@gmail.com, #61580
Box 3 County and Voting Place Jackson County; voting place: Kansas City portion of Jackson County
Box 4 Fee Category Category 2 (licensed under three years)
Box 4 Amount Due $280.00
Box 5 Demographics Left blank
Box 6 IOLTA Certification Certifies exemption, no client funds held
Box 7 Signature and Date Electronic submission, 01/20/2026
Payment Line $280.00 by eCheck

Scenario 3: Janet, a non-resident lawyer who then switches to inactive. Janet lives and works in Illinois but holds a Missouri license, and this year she decides to stop practicing in Missouri.

Form Section What Janet Enters
Box 1 Name and Address Janet L. Caldwell, 77 W. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60601
Box 2 Email and Enrollment Number jcaldwell@caldwellfirm.com, #38104
Box 3 County and Voting Place Resides in Illinois; not eligible to vote as Category 3
Box 4 Fee Category Changes from Category 3 to Inactive on the form
Box 4 Amount Due $100.00 (inactive fee)
Box 5 Demographics Answered voluntarily
Box 6 IOLTA Certification Certifies exemption, ceased Missouri practice
Box 7 Signature and Date Wet signature, 01/10/2026
Payment Line $100.00 by check, with written inactive request to the Clerk

How to File the Completed Form

Missouri gives you three practical channels, and you only need one. Pick the channel that lets you finish before January 31, and keep proof either way.

Online through MyFees. Sign in at the MyFees portal and pay by credit card or eCheck. The eCheck processing fee is 50 cents, while credit cards carry a separate transaction fee from the state’s payment processor. Online payments post within three to four days, and you do not return the mailed statement. For proof, sign in afterward to print your receipt once the order processes, which the Court asks you to allow 10 to 15 days to complete.

By mail. Sign your paper statement, enclose a check for the exact amount, and mail it to the Office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Missouri, Attn: Attorney Enrollment, PO Box 150, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102. A payment placed in the U.S. mail to the Clerk on or before January 31 counts as timely under Rule 6.01(a). For proof, keep a copy of the signed statement and your check, and allow at least two weeks for the Court to receive and post it.

In person or by status request. Inactive status, exemptions, and special requests go in writing to the same Jefferson City address or to mae@courts.mo.gov, the Office of Attorney Enrollment, reachable at 573-751-4144. For proof of any written request, keep your dated copy and any email confirmation.

Your bar card is your final proof of payment and good standing. The Clerk issues it within 7 to 10 days for credit card payments and within 2 to 3 weeks for eCheck or mailed checks.

What Happens After You File

Once the Court receives and posts your payment, your balance in MyFees drops to $0.00, which is your fastest confirmation that the filing landed. Online payments post within three to four days, while mailed payments can take two weeks to appear. If your balance still shows a number after that window, call the Office of Attorney Enrollment before assuming it cleared.

The Clerk then issues your bar card, which serves as your receipt and your evidence of good standing under Rule 6.01(e). Active members regain or keep their full benefits, including free Fastcase legal research valued at roughly $695 a year, e-filing access, and voting eligibility. Inactive members keep a narrower set of privileges and cannot practice or e-file.

If you filed late, the penalty is baked into what you paid, and your record reflects the delinquency until the full amount, fee plus penalty, is satisfied. A lawyer who never pays falls under automatic suspension, and Rule 6.01(f) allows retroactive reinstatement once you pay every delinquent year plus accumulated penalties. Stay unpaid for three consecutive years, though, and you leave the easy path entirely and must apply to the Court under Rule 5.28.

Keep your receipt and your bar card somewhere you can find them, because courts, opposing counsel, and clients sometimes ask for proof of good standing. Your MyFees account stores past receipts, so you can reprint one if the original goes missing.

Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form

Each error below has a direct cost, so scan this list before you submit.

  • Assuming no bill means no fee. The fee is due regardless of any notice, so a missing invoice still leaves you fully liable on January 31.
  • Paying after January 31 without the penalty. Your payment stays short, you remain delinquent, and the $5 monthly penalty keeps growing.
  • Leaving an outdated mailing address. You stop receiving official notices, and missed notices do not excuse missed deadlines.
  • Entering a dead or unmonitored email. You lose the main channel for Court and bar alerts, including disciplinary mail.
  • Transposing your enrollment number online. Your payment posts to the wrong account or rejects, leaving your balance unpaid.
  • Paying the wrong fee category. You either overpay or carry a hidden balance that accrues penalties until you notice.
  • Changing category but not the matching boxes. A category change without updating address, county, and amount due creates a mismatch that delays processing.
  • Skipping the voting place. Your statement is incomplete and you forfeit your vote in Board of Governors elections.
  • Falsely certifying IOLTA compliance. A false trust account certification can trigger a disciplinary inquiry from the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel.
  • Mailing a check without the signed statement. The filing is incomplete, which can delay your bar card even though the money arrived.
  • Double-filing online and by mail. Paying twice creates a refund headache, since you only need one channel.
  • Forgetting to print your receipt. Without proof of good standing, you may scramble when a court or client asks for it.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do:

  • Do file before January 31 so you never owe a penalty, because the deadline is firm and the cost starts the next day.
  • Do confirm your fee category first, because the amount due changes with the category and a wrong guess creates a balance.
  • Do update your address and email on the form, because Rule 6.01(b) requires it and your notices depend on it.
  • Do keep your bar card and receipt, because they are your only proof of good standing when someone asks.
  • Do use MyFees if your paper form is lost, because you can retrieve a replacement statement and pay in minutes.
  • Do read the IOLTA rules before certifying, because a false certification can invite a disciplinary inquiry.

Don’t:

  • Don’t wait for the mailed invoice to pay, because the fee is due whether or not the bill arrives.
  • Don’t pay only the base fee when late, because skipping the penalty leaves you delinquent and the meter running.
  • Don’t pay both online and by mail, because double payment forces you into a refund process.
  • Don’t leave the voting place blank, because it can make your statement incomplete and costs you your vote.
  • Don’t assume inactive status is free, because the inactive fee is still $100 every year under Rule 6.03.
  • Don’t ignore three years of nonpayment, because at year three you lose easy reinstatement and must apply under Rule 5.28.

Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help

Most Missouri lawyers file this themselves, since the form is short and pre-printed. Still, weighing the trade-offs helps if your situation is unusual, such as a category change or a status switch.

Pros of filing on your own:

  • It is free and fast, because you skip any assistant or staff cost and the online payment posts in days.
  • You control accuracy, because you know your own address, category, and trust account status best.
  • You file on your schedule, because MyFees is open any time before the deadline.
  • You keep your own proof, because you handle the receipt and bar card directly.
  • You learn the rule, because doing it yourself builds familiarity with Rule 6.01 for future years.

Cons of filing on your own:

  • You shoulder every error, because a wrong box or category falls on you to catch and fix.
  • Status changes get tricky, because moving to inactive or non-resident status has extra written steps.
  • You may miss the penalty math, because late filers sometimes forget to add the correct monthly amount.
  • You manage your own deadline, because no one reminds you if your invoice never arrives.
  • Reinstatement is complex, because if you let delinquency reach three years, the Rule 5.28 process is far beyond a simple form.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Missouri annual enrollment fee due?

Yes, it is due on or before January 31 each year under Rule 6.01(a), and a payment mailed to the Clerk on or before that date counts as timely.

Do I still owe the fee if my invoice never arrives in the mail?

Yes, the fee is due regardless of any notice or demand by the Clerk, so a missing invoice does not excuse a late or unpaid fee.

Is the standard active enrollment fee really $410 for 2026?

Yes, Category 1 lawyers pay $410, which has been the standard fee since the last increase took effect in 2014.

Do I write my home county or my office county in Box 3?

No, for voting purposes you use where you are employed or keep your principal law office under Rule 6.01(i), not your home, when the two differ.

Do I have to answer the gender, race, and ethnicity questions in Box 5?

No, those demographic questions are voluntary, and leaving them blank does not affect your fee, your standing, or your filing.

Do I need to complete the trust account certification if I never hold client money?

Yes, the IOLTA certification is mandatory, but you indicate the basis for your exemption rather than skipping the box entirely.

Do I return the paper statement if I pay online?

No, the Court confirms that if you pay through MyFees, it is not necessary to mail back the paper statement you received.

Do I write my Social Security number as my enrollment number in Box 2?

No, your attorney enrollment number is a separate identifier the Clerk assigned at admission, and it is the number that matches your payment.

Is the inactive status fee free?

No, the annual inactive fee is $100 under Rule 6.03, set at that amount beginning in 2020, and it is due every year you stay inactive.

Can I be suspended just for paying late?

Yes, default in timely payment subjects you to automatic suspension, though you are retroactively reinstated once you pay the fee plus the accumulated penalty.

What happens if I stay delinquent for three years?

Yes, three consecutive years of nonpayment ends easy reinstatement, and you must then apply to the Court for reinstatement under Rule 5.28.

Am I exempt from the fee at age 75?

Yes, lawyers in good standing who reach age 75, or who have been licensed 50 years or more, are excused under Rule 6.01(d), and age-based exemptions are automatic if the Court has your date of birth.

Does paying my enrollment fee also satisfy my MCLE requirement?

No, MCLE is separate, with hours due by June 30 and the compliance report due by July 31 under Rule 15, distinct from the January 31 fee deadline.

Can a new lawyer pay the reduced Category 2 fee right away?

Yes, lawyers licensed fewer than three years pay $280 as Category 2, except those admitted to the bar without examination, who do not qualify for that reduced rate.

Do I get proof of payment for my files?

Yes, your bar card serves as your receipt and evidence of good standing, and you can also reprint a receipt from MyFees once your payment processes.