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Payment Methods

The United States District Court-Eastern District of Missouri accepts the following payment methods, many with restrictions on types of services/remittances they can be used for:

Cash and Cashier's Checks

Cash and Cashier's Checks are an accepted method of payment for all transactions receipted by the Court at the Eastern division office in St. Louis. Cashier's checks are also accepted at the Southeastern division office in Cape Girardeau. Cash is not accepted at that office. Cashier's Checks are bank issued checks that must be issued to "Clerk, U.S. District Court". These checks are guaranteed by the financial institution to clear and a stop payment may not be issued on them.

• Effective August 15, 2019, change can only be made in the amount of $20.00 or less

Personal Checks, Business Checks, Money Orders

Checks and money orders are accepted forms of payment for all transactions except cash bail bonds in criminal matters. All checks and money orders should be made payable to "Clerk, U.S. District Court". Personal and Business checks that are returned by the bank for "Insufficient Funds", "Stop Payments", etc. are subject to a $53.00 NSF fee. Frequent return of checks for insufficient funds may result in placing the customer on a cash-only basis.

Credit Cards

The accepted credit cards are MasterCard, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, and American Express. Payments on credit cards will not be accepted for criminal debt (fines, special assessments, and restitutions), criminal bonds, civil bonds, interpleaders, jury costs, etc. The following are the only acceptable transactions to be paid for by credit cards:

  • Civil, Habeas Corpus and Miscellaneous filing fees
  • Notice of Appeal (both District Court and Magistrate Misdemeanor)
  • Copies, Certifications, Exemplifications and searches
  • Admission to the Bar and Pro Hac Vice
  • Certificate of Good Standing and Duplicate copy of Admission Certificate
  • Certificate of Judgment for Another District
  • Reproduction of Magnetic Tape recordings and microfiche copies
  • Retrieval of files from Federal Records Center
  • Returned check fees (but not the original service unless it falls in the categories listed above)