Kansas DOV Title Transfer Guide

What Do I Need for a Kansas Title Transfer?

In order to successfully transfer a Kansas vehicle title, you need the Kansas Title and Registration Manual Application (Form TR-212a) and pay all applicable vehicle title transfer fees. Depending on your circumstances for this situation, you may be required to complete and submit additional documentation and payments.

Smog Certification/Vehicle Inspection

In Kansas, there is no requirement for emissions testing. However, Kansas does have a vehicle inspection program the Highway Patrol administers to specific vehicles when the time comes for the vehicle to have its state inspection.

The following vehicles are required to have a motor vehicle examination before their owner can apply for vehicle registration and vehicle title:

Any vehicle or trailer that has an out-of-state or out-of-country vehicle title
Any vehicle or trailer that was purchased out of state with an out-of-state bill of sale
Antique vehicles that are model year 1950 or newer that were purchased in Kansas with an in-state bill of sale
Any vehicle that is titled as a non-highway (with no liability insurance) or salvaged vehicle, but the owner wants to apply for the vehicle title and registration for a formerly non-highway or rebuilt salvaged vehicle
Any boat trailer that weighs or exceeds 2,001 pounds that’s never been titled in Kansas (if you own a boat trailer that fits these criteria, you need to complete an Ownership Affidavit for Vehicle-Trailer-Antique Motor Form (Form TR-90)

All vehicles that meet this specific set of criteria are required to have a motor vehicle examination performed, regardless of age.

Completing a Kansas VIN Inspection

To successfully complete a Kansas VIN inspection, you can visit your nearest KHP location and inquire about the best days and times to have an inspection performed. The required fees and paperwork for a Kansas vehicle inspection include:

Payment for the $20 inspection fee
Vehicle Title and Registration paperwork (if required) Call ahead to make sure you have the required paperwork
MVE-1 Form (the KHP provides this form) Once the vehicle inspection is complete, you will receive a pink receipt.

Once the vehicle’s inspection is complete, take the pink receipt and any other vehicle title, registration fees, and any other documentation to your county treasurer’s office to complete the registration and title process.

How to Transfer Your Vehicle Title in Kansas?

When you are buying or selling a vehicle in the Sunflower State, you are required to transfer the vehicle’s title.

Buying a Vehicle From a Dealership

When you purchase a vehicle from a dealership in Kansas, you must apply for a vehicle title and registration within 60 days of the purchase date. Failure to apply for the vehicle’s title and registration within the given amount of time will result in late fees.

To receive a vehicle title transfer for a new vehicle in Kansas, and register your vehicle, you need to take the following documents and payment to your local Kansas county treasurer’s motor vehicle office:

Properly signed title or manufacturer’s certificate of origin
Proof of a valid KS vehicle insurance policy
Sales tax receipt if you purchase the vehicle from a Kansas dealer (If you purchased your vehicle from an out-of-state dealer, you must obtain a copy of the sales invoice. The KS county treasurer’s office will collect the required sales tax.
A motor vehicle examination (Form MVE-1) if applicable. This form is only available when you bring your vehicle to a Kansas inspection station and the vehicle’s title or a bill of sale.
A completed Title and Registration Manual Application (Form TR-212a)
Payment for all applicable title transfer and vehicle registration fees

Buying a Vehicle From a Private Seller in Kansas

Before you consider purchasing a vehicle from a private seller in Kansas, you need to make sure the vehicle’s seller has the required documentation to successfully complete a vehicle title transfer.

To successfully complete the Kansas DOV vehicle title transfer and vehicle registration, you need the following documents to submit to your Kansas county treasurer’s office:

The vehicle’s title (correctly signed and completed by the vehicle’s seller)
A bill of sale (Form TR-312) if the vehicle’s title doesn’t have space to list the purchase price, or you purchased the vehicle from an individual or business out of state
Proof of a valid KS auto insurance policy
A motor vehicle examination (Form MVE-1). This form is available from a KS inspection station if the vehicle title is from out of state.
A Title and Registration Manual Application (Form TR-212a)
Payment for the applicable vehicle title transfer and registration fees

NOTE: If the vehicle’s seller does not provide a vehicle title or fails to provide an adequate amount of information on the vehicle title, you may require the assistance of an attorney or need to obtain a court order to complete the Kansas vehicle title transfer.

Out-of-State VIN Verification

As a resident of Kansas, if you are currently out of state, you may qualify to bypass the motor vehicle examination by completing a Kansas Resident/Business Out-of-State VIN Verification (Form TR-65) Make sure you meet the following criteria:

On active military duty in a state other than Kansas
A full-time student at an out-of-state college, university, or school
You’re submitting an out-of-state vehicle title application for Kansas apportioned registration with a motor vehicle examination and the vehicle is outside of Kansas
Your business or residence is temporarily out of state due to short-term employment or seasonal residency

If you’re eligible to claim temporarily out of state, you are required to return to Kansas with the vehicle to receive a motor vehicle examination before the vehicle title can be issued.

Selling a Vehicle in Kansas

If you’re selling a vehicle in Kansas, make sure you have the proper signatures on the vehicle title to avoid delays with the vehicle title transfer process. In the “owner section” part of the vehicle’s title, you may notice any of the following scenarios:

AND – each vehicle owner showed before or after “and” is required to sign the vehicle title
AND/OR – either of the vehicle’s owners can sign the vehicle’s title (only one signature is required on the vehicle title)
OR – either vehicle owner may sign the title

In order to successfully complete a Kansas vehicle title transfer on a used vehicle, you are required to:

Complete all information on the vehicle title EXCEPT for the buyer’s printed name and signature
Provide an Affidavit to a Fact/Bill of Sale (Form TR-12) if the vehicle title doesn’t have space to list the purchase price
Include a lien release document (if applicable)
Complete the Odometer Disclosure Statement on the vehicle’s title (if applicable). This disclosure statement is required for vehicles that are 20 years old or newer.

Make sure you have the necessary forms and any other required documentation before heading to your local Kansas DOV.

New to Kansas Vehicle Title Transfers

As a new resident of Kansas, you must apply for a vehicle title if your vehicle has been or will be in Kansas for 90 days or longer. To register your vehicle in Kansas as a new resident, you need to:

Take the vehicle and its title to a certified Kansas vehicle inspection station (if the vehicle’s title is being held by a lien holder, they must fax the front and back of the vehicle title to the Kansas Department of Revenue or inspection station.
Have a motor vehicle examination performed at the inspection station. You will need to provide your county treasurer with the pink slip copy of the inspection form.

Once your vehicle has been inspected, go to your Kansas county treasurer’s office and:

Provide the Motor Vehicle Examination Form (Form MVE-1)
Show proof of a valid KS auto insurance policy
Provide the current vehicle registration from the previous state as proof of ownership (if the vehicle title is being held electronically in a different state)
Complete a Title and Registration Manual Application (Form TR-212a)
Submit the $10 payment for the vehicle title fee and payment for the vehicle’s registration and plate fee.

NOTE: If you have a lien on your vehicle, the Kansas Division of Vehicles will obtain the current vehicle title and hold the new Kansas vehicle title until the lien is released. Once you apply for your Kansas vehicle title, you should receive it within 40 days of the application date.

Electronic Vehicle Title Transfers

If you’re sling a vehicle with an electronic title, you need to:

Obtain a lien release document (if applicable)
Complete an Electronic Title Sales Agreement (Form TR-39a) with the vehicle’s buyer
Complete a Power of Attorney, Purchase Price & Odometer Disclosure for Electronic Title (Form TR-40) with the vehicle’s buyer if you are unable to assign the title after it has been issued. (if there is no room to list the purchase price on the form, you will also need to complete a Bill of Sale (Form TR-312)
Obtain the current registration receipt with the lien holder’s information (if applicable)

Once you have these documents ready, give them to the vehicle’s buyer.

If you’re buying a vehicle with an electronic title, you need to wait for the duplicate vehicle title to be assigned. You can get a registration permit for 60 days by submitting the following documentation to your local Kansas county treasurer’s office:

The vehicle’s current registration receipt
A complete Electronic Title Sales Agreement (Form TR-39a)
Proof of a valid KS vehicle insurance policy

When you get the paper vehicle title, you must complete the Kansas vehicle title transfer process. In addition to the above-mentioned documents, you may also need a Power of Attorney, Purchase Price & Odometer Disclosure for Electronic Title (Form TR-40) (if the vehicle’s seller can’t go with you to the KS county treasurer’s office).

How to Transfer a Vehicle Title When the Owner is Deceased?

When the owner of a vehicle dies, and you are the beneficiary of the vehicle, if you choose to keep the vehicle, a vehicle title transfer is required. A vehicle title transfer is also required to gift the vehicle or sell it.

If you are a surviving spouse, beneficiary, or joint owner, you have the legal authority to transfer the vehicle title to someone else when the vehicle’s owner passes away. The process for transferring the vehicle’s title depends on whether or the vehicle is part of a probated estate.

When the vehicle’s owner passes away, the process for transferring the vehicle’s title depends on if the vehicle’s title was in the individual’s name as a descendant or joint ownership. If the vehicle title was only in the descendant’s name, you need to know if the estate is being probated.

Probate proves that the last will and testament are legitimate. This legal process administers the estate of the deceased individual. Probate occurs when there is no beneficiary or living spouse provided in the will. The Probate Court determines how to proceed with the deceased individual’s belongings, such as how their property will be distributed.

When the vehicle is part of a probate estate, you need to follow these steps to transfer the vehicle title of a deceased individual:

Contact Probate Court and Attorney

You can’t transfer the vehicle’s title until the probate process is completed, so the administrator or executive of the deceased individual’s estate needs to contact Probate Court or an attorney to learn the next steps they need to take. Once the probate process is complete, the heir will be given the vehicle. If the executor was given the vehicle, they can opt to sell it.

Gather the Required Documents

To successfully transfer the vehicle title of a deceased individual, you need to provide:

Order from Probate Court
Death certificate
Certificate of title
Odometer disclosure statement
Transfer fee

Visit the Title Office

As the beneficiary of the vehicle or the administrator of the deceased individual’s estate, you can visit the title office with the above-mentioned documents to start the Kansas vehicle title transfer process.

How to Transfer a Vehicle Title Without Probate

The process for transferring a vehicle’s title without probate varies according to the state you reside. In Kansas, the deceased person’s property can’t exceed a certain amount, and a specific amount of time needs to have passed since the individual passed away before the vehicle title transfer can be initiated.

As the spouse, joint-owner, administrator, or beneficiary, you may only be required to present the death certificate and the vehicle’s title at your local title office, and they will retitle the vehicle’s title for you. There is no court order or attorney required to transfer a vehicle’s title without probate.

Transferring a Title After a Lease Buyout

You’ve paid off your vehicle loan! Congratulations. Now that you’ve paid off your vehicle, you need to provide these documents to transfer the vehicle’s title:

Proof of Ownership

You must submit the vehicle’s current title (the title that’s in the leasing company’s name, and reassigned to you or in the leasing company’s name, assigned to you on dealer reassignment).

Application Form

The vehicle’s current title can be used as your application form once you complete the section of the title named “Application for Title and Registration”. You are required to include your vehicle insurance information.

Bill of sale
Odometer disclosure statement (located on the reverse side of the vehicle title)

Before heading to your local Kansas DOV office, make sure you have the required documents to prevent delays in the vehicle title transfer process.

How to Transfer Ownership of a Vehicle Without a Title in Kansas?

In the state of Kansas, you are required to have a vehicle’s title in order to transfer a vehicle title to someone else. If you don’t have a vehicle title, you must apply for a duplicate Kansas vehicle title.

Can I Gift a Car to a Family Member?

You can gift a vehicle to a family member. To do so, the new owner of the vehicle must apply for a vehicle title and vehicle registration within 60 days of taking delivery of the vehicle.

If you plan on gifting your vehicle, you need to:

Complete the Vehicle Gift Certification portion of the Affidavit to a Fact (Form TR-12) and give it to the individual receiving the vehicle, and complete the Affidavit of Relationship (Form TR-215) in lieu of the Affidavit to a Fact (Form TR-12), if you and the recipient of the vehicle are related.
Remove the license plates on the vehicle when the title is assigned, and the vehicle has been delivered
Complete a Seller’s Notification of Sale (Form TR-216) and mail it with the payment of $10 for the fee. Address the envelope using the address on the form

If you’re the receiver of the vehicle that is given as a gift, you need to submit the following documents and payment to your local Kansas DOR office to successfully complete the vehicle title transfer:

Proof of a valid KS vehicle insurance policy
A motor vehicle examination (Form MVE-1) from an inspection station, if the vehicle title is from out of state
A completed Affidavit to a Fact (TR-12) or Affidavit of Relationship (Form TR-215) if you and the vehicle’s donor are related.
Payment for all applicable Kansas vehicle title transfer fees

Make sure you have the required documentation and applicable payments to successfully complete this type of vehicle title transfer in Kansas to avoid unnecessary penalties.

Transferring a Vehicle Title When You Have an Out-of-State Title

To transfer an out-of-state vehicle title in Kansas, you need to provide specific documentation to the KS DOR, such as:

Motor vehicle examination
Vehicle title
Proof of a valid Kansas auto insurance policy
Valid out-of-state registration receipt (if required)

You may be required to provide additional documentation, such as a bill of sale, if you are transferring the title of a used vehicle.

Completing an Out-of-State Vehicle Transfer as a New Resident of Kansas

As a new Kansas resident, you need to provide several documents that prove your new residency in the state and ownership of a vehicle. To successfully perform an out-of-state vehicle title transfer in Kansas as a new resident, you need to do the following and provide the listed documentation:

Take your vehicle to a Kansas motor vehicle inspection station
Have a motor vehicle examination performed
Have the vehicle’s title, the inspection record, and proof of a valid KS vehicle insurance policy
Submit the required documents and pay all necessary fees to the county treasurer’s motor vehicle office

This type of vehicle title transfer in Kansas may require additional steps, which will vary based on your specific situation.

Titling an Out-of-State Vehicle After Buying or Selling a Vehicle

Transferring an out-of-state vehicle title in Kansas after buying or selling a vehicle is the same process required to transfer a vehicle’s title when moving to Kansas from out of state. You have to appear in person at your local KS DOV office because online transfers are not an option.

You may be able to receive an electronic title transfer or record, but this will depend on the method of payment you used to purchase your car.

Requesting a Duplicate Vehicle Title in Kansas

You must request a duplicate Kansas vehicle title if you lost it, is illegible, is mutilated, damaged, or stolen. The duplicate vehicle title process is handled by the Kansas Division of Vehicles.

If your vehicle has a gross weight rating that exceeds 26,000 pounds, you are allowed 2 lien holders on file. If your vehicle is being financed, the existing lien holder must release it before the new lien holder is allowed to apply for a secured vehicle title. Duplicate Kansas vehicle title applications can be processed by mail or in person.

Obtaining a Duplicate Kansas Vehicle Title in Person

To apply for a duplicate Kansas vehicle title in person, you need to submit:

A completed Application for Duplicate/Secured Reissued Title (Form TR-720B) and make sure this form includes:
- Vehicle year
- Vehicle make
- Vehicle identification number
- Owner name
- Current odometer reading
Payment for the lost title fee of $10
$10 for removing a lien from the paper vehicle title
$11.50 to add a lien to the vehicle title

Your replacement vehicle title will be issued within 40 days of completing this process. If you don’t receive your replacement Kansas vehicle title after 6 weeks, call the KS Title and Registration Office at (785) 296-3621.

Obtaining a Duplicate Kansas Vehicle Title by Mail

If you want to obtain a duplicate vehicle title by mail, you need to complete an Application for Duplicate/Secured/Reissued Title (Form TR-720B) and mail it with a check for $10 to the Titles and Registrations Office at:

Department of Revenue
Titles and Registrations
P.O. Box 2505
Topeka, KS 66612

You must also submit a Request and Consent for Kansas Title to be Issued with Lien and Mailed Out of State Form (Form TR-42), and have a release of lien (with lien holder consent) notarized.

How Much Does a Title Transfer Cost in Kansas?

The fee for a title transfer in Kansas is $10. If you also require a duplicate vehicle title transfer fee, the cost is $10.

Where Can I Go to Transfer a Vehicle Title in Kansas?

There are different locations in Kansas where you can transfer a vehicle’s title.

Department of Motor Vehicles
2910 Arnold Ave
Salina, KS 67401
(785) 825-0321

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (7 AM to 5:45 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)

Department of Motor Vehicles
1400 Main St Ste 207
Great Bend, KS 67530
(620) 793-1831

Monday-Friday (8 AM to 4:45 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)

Department of Motor Vehicles
210 N Kansas Ave
Ellsworth, KS 67439
(785) 472-4152

Monday-Friday (8 AM to 5 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)

How to Fill Out the Kansas Title and Title Transfer Forms

In order to complete the vehicle title and vehicle title transfer forms in the state of Kansas, you need to fill out the required forms and have all the necessary signatures. You also need a bill of sale that discloses information pertaining to the vehicle, such as the vehicle’s make, model, year, and color. You need to also make sure you include the vehicle’s VIN.

If you sold a vehicle instead of gifting it, you need to add sales tax to the total price of the vehicle. You need to provide a current odometer reading in the “transfer of title by seller” section of the vehicle’s title. The recipient of the vehicle needs to sign the title in the provided spaces.

Additional information may be required to complete the vehicle title transfer process in Kansas, such as proof of a valid KS vehicle insurance policy that meets or exceeds the vehicle insurance minimums set by the state. You may also be required to present a valid government-issued photo ID, but a foreign passport can be used as proof of identification.

My Car Title Was Signed But Never Transferred. What Do I Do?

If a vehicle’s title is signed, but not transferred, this is known as an open title. When a vehicle has an open title, the vehicle’s previous owner didn’t sign the title, which means they are not responsible for any fees or payments associated with the vehicle.

If you lose the title, you can request a duplicate vehicle title, but the vehicle’s title will remain open temporarily. The person who is listed on the vehicle title needs to request the duplicate title and sign it, so you can put the vehicle in your name.