MO Rev Stat § 141.550 (2021)
2021 Missouri Revised Statutes|Title X - Taxation and Revenue|Chapter 141 - Delinquent Taxes — Certain Subdivisions|Section 141.550 - Conduct of sale — interests conveyed — special sale procedures for certain counties, certain owners prohibited from bidding — cost of publication.

Effective - 28 Aug 2012, 2 histories   141.550. Conduct of sale — interests conveyed — special sale procedures for certain counties, certain owners prohibited from bidding — cost of publication. — 1. The sale shall be conducted, the sheriff's return thereof made, and the sheriff's deed pursuant to the sale executed, all as provided in the case of sales of real estate taken under execution except as otherwise provided in sections 141.210 to 141.810, and provided that such sale need not occur during the term of court or while the court is in session.  2. The following provisions shall apply to any sale pursuant to this section of property located within any municipality contained wholly or partially within a county with a population of over six hundred thousand and less than nine hundred thousand:  (1) The sale shall be held on the day for which it is advertised, between the hours of nine* o'clock a.m. and five o'clock p.m. and continued day to day thereafter to satisfy the judgment as to each respective parcel of real estate sold;  (2) The sale shall be conducted publicly, by auction, for ready money. The highest bidder shall be the purchaser unless the highest bid is less than the full amount of all tax bills included in the judgment, interest, penalties, attorney's fees and costs then due thereon. No person shall be eligible to bid at the time of the sale unless such person has, no later than ten days before the sale date, demonstrated to the satisfaction of the official charged by law with conducting the sale that he or she is not the owner of any parcel of real estate in the county which is affected by a tax bill which has been delinquent for more than six months and is not the owner of any parcel of real property with two or more violations of the municipality's building or housing codes. A prospective bidder may make such a demonstration by presenting statements from the appropriate collection and code enforcement officials of the municipality. Notwithstanding this provision, any taxing authority or land bank agency shall be eligible to bid at any sale conducted under this section without making such a demonstration.  3. Such sale shall convey the whole interest of every person having or claiming any right, title or interest in or lien upon such real estate, whether such person has answered or not, subject to rights-of-way thereon of public utilities upon which tax has been otherwise paid, and subject to the lien thereon, if any, of the United States of America.  4. The collector shall advance the sums necessary to pay for the publication of all advertisements required by sections 141.210 to 141.810 and shall be allowed credit therefor in his or her accounts with the county. The collector shall give credit in such accounts for all such advances recovered by him or her. Such expenses of publication shall be apportioned pro rata among and taxed as costs against the respective parcels of real estate described in the judgment; provided, however, that none of the costs herein enumerated, including the costs of publication, shall constitute any lien upon the real estate after such sale. ­­-------- (L. 1943 p. 1029 § 26, A.L. 1945 p. 1761, A.L. 1998 H.B. 977 & 1608, S.B. 778, A.L. 2000 H.B. 1238 and A.L. 2000 S.B. 894, A.L. 2011 H.B. 315, A.L. 2012 H.B. 1659 & 1116)  *See section 141.540, subsection 4, which provides for sale of property at ten o'clock a.m.