Cal. Civ. Code § 535.160
Tender of rent and costs on judgment date, effect — not bar to landlord's appeal — no stay of execution if no money judgment, exceptions
Operative Text
If the defendant, on the date any money judgment is given in any action pursuant to this chapter, either tenders to the landlord, or brings into the court where the suit is pending, all the rent then in arrears, and all the costs, further proceedings in the action shall cease and be stayed. If on any date after the date of any original trial, but before the judgment becomes final, the defendant shall satisfy such money judgment and pay all costs, any execution for possession of the subject premises shall cease and be stayed; except that the landlord shall not thereby be precluded from making application for appeal from such money judgment. If for any reason no money judgment is entered against the defendant and judgment for the plaintiff is limited only to possession of the subject premises, no stay of execution shall be had, except as provided by the provisions of section 535.110 or the rules of civil procedure or by agreement of the parties.
Missouri Revised Statutes § 535.160 establishes a mechanism by which a tenant facing a money judgment in an eviction-related action can halt further court proceedings by paying all overdue rent and court costs on the day the judgment is entered. If the tenant satisfies the money judgment and pays all costs after the original trial but before the judgment becomes final, any execution for possession of the premises must stop — though the landlord retains the right to appeal the money judgment. When no money judgment is entered and the court's ruling is limited solely to awarding possession to the landlord, no automatic stay of execution is available unless the parties agree, civil procedure rules apply, or the conditions of § 535.110 are met.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.160, compliant property owners and managers understand that accepting a full tender of arrears and costs on the judgment date will trigger a stay of further proceedings, which is a statutory outcome rather than a discretionary one. Operators generally document all payments received and track whether a money judgment has been entered, since the stay provisions differ depending on whether the judgment includes a monetary component. Landlords should also be aware that even when a stay of execution on possession is triggered by satisfaction of a money judgment, § 535.160 expressly preserves their right to pursue an appeal of that money judgment.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.160 provides tenants with a potential path to halt eviction proceedings by tendering all rent in arrears and court costs on the date a money judgment is entered, or by satisfying the judgment before it becomes final. Tenants facing an eviction action may want to understand whether a money judgment has been entered in their case, since the availability of a stay under this section depends on that distinction — cases limited only to possession do not automatically qualify for a stay under § 535.160. Tenants navigating these circumstances may benefit from consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with Missouri landlord-tenant law to understand which options may be available to them.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation