Check your refund status on the Missouri Department of Revenue website

The Missouri Department of Revenue runs a tool called Where's My Refund that shows you the status of your state tax refund. You can find it on the department's website at dor.mo.gov. The tool tells you whether your return has been received, is being processed, has been approved, or has been sent to your bank or address.

To use the tool, you will need your Social Security number, your filing status (single, married filing jointly, etc.), and the exact refund amount you expect. If you are not sure of the exact amount, check the return you filed or the confirmation email you received when you submitted it. The tool will not show a result if any of these pieces of information is wrong.

The tool updates once per day, usually overnight. If you checked yesterday and saw no status, checking again today may show progress. During tax season (January through May), the site can be slow during peak hours, so try checking early in the morning or late in the evening if you have trouble loading the page.

Key Takeaways

  • Missouri's Where's My Refund tool is on the Department of Revenue website and requires your Social Security number, filing status, and expected refund amount.
  • The tool updates once per day and shows whether your return is received, processing, approved, or sent out.
  • If the tool shows no result, double-check that you entered your information exactly as it appears on your tax return.
  • Most refunds are sent within 21 days of approval, but timing depends on whether you chose direct deposit or a paper check.

What each status message means

When you enter your information into Where's My Refund, the tool will show one of several messages. Return received means the Missouri Department of Revenue has gotten your return but has not started processing it yet. This is normal and happens within a few days of filing. Return being processed means the department is reviewing your return for errors and checking your information against other records. This step usually takes one to two weeks.

Return approved means the department has finished reviewing your return and has approved your refund. At this point, the refund is scheduled to be sent out. Refund sent means the money has left the state's account and is on its way to you. If you chose direct deposit, it will arrive in your bank account within one to three business days. If you chose a paper check, it will arrive by mail within seven to ten business days.

If the tool shows Return under review, the department has flagged something on your return that needs more attention. This might be a math error, a missing document, or information that does not match other records. The department will contact you by mail if they need more information from you. Do not ignore these letters — they will tell you what you need to send back and by what date.

Why the tool might not show your refund

If you enter your information and the tool says it has no record of your return, the most common reason is that you entered something incorrectly. Check that your Social Security number is right, that your filing status matches what you actually filed, and that the refund amount is exact. Even a dollar off will cause the tool to return no result. If you filed jointly with a spouse, use the primary filer's Social Security number.

If you are certain your information is correct and the tool still shows nothing, your return may not have been received yet. If you filed by mail, it can take two to three weeks for the department to scan and enter your return into their system. If you filed electronically, it should show up within two to three business days. If more than three weeks have passed since you mailed your return, or more than a week since you filed electronically, contact the Missouri Department of Revenue directly at 573-751-3505.

Another reason the tool might show nothing is if you filed an amended return (Form 1040-X). The Where's My Refund tool tracks original returns only. If you filed an amendment, you will need to contact the department by phone or mail to check the status of that refund.

Direct deposit versus paper check timing

Missouri refunds can be sent to you in two ways: direct deposit into your bank account, or a paper check by mail. Direct deposit is faster and more reliable. Once your refund is approved and sent, direct deposit refunds usually arrive within one to three business days. The exact timing depends on your bank's processing speed, not on Missouri.

Paper checks take longer. Once your refund is approved and sent, the check is printed and mailed to the address on your return. You should receive it within seven to ten business days of the refund being marked as sent. During busy tax season, mail can take longer, so allow up to two weeks. If you have not received your check after two weeks, contact the department to confirm the address they have on file.

If you filed your return and chose direct deposit but are not sure whether it went through, check your return or your filing confirmation. If you see that direct deposit was selected and your refund status shows sent, the money is on its way to the account number you provided. If it does not arrive within three business days, contact your bank to ask whether the deposit is pending.

What to do if your refund is delayed

Most Missouri refunds are sent within 21 days of approval. If your refund status shows approved but more than 21 days have passed, or if it shows sent but you have not received the money, you have a few options. First, check the Where's My Refund tool again to see if the status has changed. The tool updates daily, and sometimes a refund that showed approved will move to sent overnight.

If the status has not changed in several days, contact the Missouri Department of Revenue at 573-751-3505. Have your Social Security number, filing status, and expected refund amount ready. The department can tell you whether there is a hold on your refund, whether there is a problem with the address or bank account you provided, or whether the refund has actually been sent and is delayed in the mail or in your bank's system.

If you filed by mail and your return has not shown up in the Where's My Refund tool after three weeks, the mail may have been lost. Contact the department to report this and ask whether you should file electronically or resubmit your return by mail.

Refunds held for other debts or unpaid taxes

In some cases, Missouri will hold your refund to pay off other debts you owe to the state. This can happen if you owe back taxes from a previous year, owe money to the Missouri Department of Child Support Enforcement, or owe a debt that has been sent to the state for collection. If your refund is being held for one of these reasons, the Where's My Refund tool will not show a normal status — instead, it will tell you that your refund is being held.

The department will send you a letter explaining why your refund is being held and how much of it will go toward the debt. If you believe the hold is a mistake, or if you want to dispute the debt, you can contact the Missouri Department of Revenue or the agency that reported the debt. The letter will tell you how to do this.

If your refund is held, you will not receive it. Instead, the money will be sent to pay off the debt. This process can take several weeks after your refund is approved.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to get a Missouri refund?

Most refunds are sent within 21 days of approval. If you chose direct deposit, the money arrives in your bank account within one to three business days after being sent. If you chose a paper check, allow seven to ten business days for it to arrive by mail. During busy tax season, timing can be longer.

Can I get my refund faster?

Direct deposit is the fastest way to receive your refund. If you filed by mail and chose a paper check, switching to electronic filing with direct deposit next year will speed up the process. There is no way to rush a refund once it has been filed.

What if the Where's My Refund tool says my refund was sent but I never got it?

If you chose direct deposit, contact your bank to ask whether the deposit is pending or if there was a problem with the account number. If you chose a paper check and have not received it after two weeks, contact the Missouri Department of Revenue at 573-751-3505 to confirm the address on file and ask whether the check was actually mailed.

Do I need to create an account to use Where's My Refund?

No. The Where's My Refund tool does not require you to create an account or log in. You enter your Social Security number, filing status, and refund amount each time you check. You do not need to save anything.

Can I check my spouse's refund status if we filed jointly?

You can check the status of a joint return using either spouse's Social Security number, as long as you have the correct filing status and refund amount. The tool will show the same status either way because it is the same return.