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Independent Contractor Test in Missouri

Missouri applies the common law of agency right to control test to decide independent contractor status for unemployment insurance.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Missouri at a glance

Test for unemployment insurance
Common law (right to control) test
Service for pay is employment unless shown to be by an independent contractor; control of manner and means makes the worker an employee.
ABC test for unemployment
No

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Missouri

Which test does Missouri use to classify independent contractors for unemployment insurance?

Test for unemployment insurance in Missouri: Common law (right to control) test. Service for pay is employment unless shown to be by an independent contractor; control of manner and means makes the worker an employee.

Does Missouri apply the ABC test for unemployment insurance?

No. ABC test for unemployment in Missouri: no.

Where do the Missouri independent contractor tests come from?

The rules above come from Mo. Rev. Stat. 288.034.5. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Write down how the working relationship actually operates: who sets the hours, who supplies tools, whether the worker serves other clients and whether the work is part of the business's usual line of work. These facts drive every classification test, and a written independent contractor agreement helps only if it matches them.

Check each law separately. A worker can be a contractor under one statute and an employee under another, because wage laws, unemployment insurance, workers' compensation and tax rules may each use their own test. Federal law also applies its own tests alongside the state rules.

Misclassification can lead to back wages, unpaid unemployment contributions, interest and penalties. If a role is close to the line, read the statute and agency guidance for the state where the work is performed, or ask the state labor or unemployment agency how it applies its test.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.