Exhibit 21


      The consolidated subsidiaries of the Registrant at March 1, 1997, were
as  follows:

                                                               State or Other 
                                                              Jurisdiction of
               Name                           Location         Incorporation 

Commerce Bank, National Association       Kansas City, MO        United States

        CB Building Corp.                 Kansas City, MO        Missouri

               Tower Redevelopment
               Corporation                Kansas City, MO        Missouri

        Twin City Development
        Company, Inc.                     Kansas City, KS        Kansas

        Commerce Financial Corp.          Clayton, MO            Missouri

               Commerce Realty Corp.      Clayton, MO            Missouri

Commerce Bank, National Association       Clayton, MO            United States

        County Realty Corp.               Clayton, MO            Missouri

        Commerce Brokerage
        Services, Inc.                    Clayton, MO            Missouri

        Clayton Financial Corp.           Clayton, MO            Missouri

               Clayton Realty Corp.       Clayton, MO            Missouri

Commerce Bank of Omaha,
  National Association                    Omaha, NE              United States

Commerce Bank, National Association       Peoria, IL             United States

Commerce Bank, National Association       Hays, KS               United States

Commerce Bank, National Association       Wichita, KS            United States

        Union Center, Inc.                Wichita, KS            Kansas

        21st Street Redevelopment
        Company, L.C.                     Wichita, KS            Kansas

Mid-America Financial Corp.               Kansas City, MO        Missouri

        Delaware Redevelopment
        Corporation                       Kansas City, MO        Missouri

CBI Insurance Company                     Kansas City, MO        Arizona

Capital for Business, Inc.                Kansas City, MO        Missouri

Commerce Property and Casualty
  Agency, Inc.                            Kansas City, MO        Missouri

Commerce Mortgage Corp.                   Kansas City, MO        Missouri

CFB Venture Fund I, Inc.                  Clayton, MO            Missouri

CFB Partners, Inc.                        Kansas City, MO        Missouri

CBI-Illinois, Inc.                        Kansas City, MO        Delaware

CBI-Kansas, Inc.                          Kansas City, MO        Kansas

CBI-Central Kansas, Inc.                  Kansas City, MO        Kansas

        UBI Financial Services, Inc.      Wichita, KS            Kansas