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The bottom line: To sell a car in Kansas, you sign the title over to the buyer in blue or black ink. Title notarization is not required and emissions testing is not required before sale.
Within 10 days, you must file the Form TR-216 online through the iKan portal, or surrender your license plates in person at your county treasurer’s office. That filing protects you from tickets, accidents, and violations after the buyer drives off.
License plates stay with the seller, so you can transfer your plates to another vehicle you own (with credit for any remaining registration), or surrender them at your county treasurer's motor vehicle office. If you’ve lost the title, a duplicate costs $10 and takes 10 to 40 days to arrive.
Ready to see what your Kansas car is worth? Compare offers from multiple buyers in under two minutes.
Kansas at a glance
- Title required to sell: yes
- Title notarization required: not required
- Cost to replace a lost title: $10
- Replacement title processing time: 10 to 40 days
- Title replacement available online: no
- Bill of sale required: recommended
- Bill of sale notarization required: not required
- Emissions testing required to sell: not required
- Safety inspection required to sell: not required
- License plates stay: with the seller
- Buyer’s deadline to register: 60 days from the date of sale, inclusive of weekends and holidays
- Buyer penalty for missing deadline: $2 statutory penalty added to other fees, plus $1 per month (or partial month) of unpaid registration, and additional accruing penalties on any unpaid sales tax and property tax
- Form to release yourself from liability: Form TR-216
- Deadline to file release of liability: 10 days
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Step-by-Step Process for Kansas
Step 1: Prepare Your Kansas Paperwork
Documents you’ll need:
- Vehicle title – Must be in your name and clear of liens
- Valid Kansas driver’s license – Name must match the title exactly
- Lien release documentation – If you still owe money on the car
If your title is missing:
You’ll need to get a replacement first. Download Form TR-720B and submit it to your county treasurer’s office with your ID and $10. Your replacement title will arrive in 10 to 40 days.
If you can’t get a duplicate title
If a duplicate title isn’t an option, online junk car buyers like Peddle and Wheelzy will purchase your vehicle using a Power of Attorney form in place of the title.
If you still owe money on the car:
Your lender holds the lien and must release it before you can transfer the title. Kansas accepts the lien release on the title itself, a notarized lien release, Form TR-150, or a letter from the lienholder releasing the lien.
Contact your lender to find out which method they use. If you owe more than the car’s worth, you’ll need to pay the difference.
Learn more: How to Sell a Financed Car?
Name matching requirement:
Check your title carefully. The name on your driver’s license must match the name on the title exactly. If you got married or changed your name, bring documentation showing the name change.
Step 2: Prepare Your Car
Clean your car inside and out, gather maintenance records, and run a VIN check to get the best price and build buyer confidence.
Learn more:
Step 3: Research Your Asking Price
Use free tools to see what similar cars are selling for in Kansas before you set your price.
Learn more: Best Free Car Valuation Tools
Step 4: Choose Your Selling Platform
Facebook Marketplace works well in Kansas, especially in Wichita, Topeka, and the Kansas City metro where buyer activity is highest. Autotrader and Cars.com are good for reaching buyers statewide and from neighboring states.
Emissions testing in Kansas is not required before sale. Peddle or Wheelzy will buy your old or damaged car directly, and Carvana gives competitive offers if you have a newer car.
Best for Newer Cars
-
Offer amount 35% 5/5
-
Process ease 20% 5/5
-
Offer validity 15% 4/5
-
Pickup / drop-off 15% 4/5
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Payment speed 15% 4/5
- Accepts cars with active loans
- Trade-in can save on sales tax
- License plate starts the quote
- Direct deposit option available
Best for Older Cars
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Offer amount 30% 5/5
-
Quote speed 20% 5/5
-
Pickup speed 20% 4/5
-
Vehicle acceptance 15% 5/5
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Process ease 15% 5/5
- Quote stays valid for 7 days
- Handles all the paperwork too
- Buys cars that are missing keys
- Pays cash or check at pickup
Best for Junk Cars
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Offer amount 30% 5/5
-
Quote speed 20% 5/5
-
Pickup speed 20% 5/5
-
Vehicle acceptance 15% 4/5
-
Process ease 15% 4/5
- Assists with replacement titles
- Buys cars stripped for parts
- Driver pays you before loading
- Quote often needs a phone call
Learn more:
Step 5: Meet with Buyers Safely
Always meet at public places like bank parking lots during daylight hours.
Learn more:
Step 6: Handle Payment and Negotiate
Cash for cars under $5,000, cashier’s check (verify at bank), or meet at the buyer’s bank for a wire transfer. For extra protection on a private sale, KeySavvy handles secure title transfer and payment in one step.
Learn more:
Step 7: Complete the Kansas Title Transfer
Kansas has specific signing requirements that must be followed exactly. Print and sign your name in the seller/owner field exactly as it appears at the top of the title.
The back of the title must be completed with the purchase price, date of sale, odometer reading, and the printed names and signatures of both seller and buyer. Use blue or black ink only. Any corrections or white-out will void the title completely.
Odometer disclosure:
Kansas requires an odometer statement for most vehicles. If the title doesn’t have space for the odometer reading and purchase price, you’ll need to complete a Bill of Sale (Form TR-312) or an Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form TR-59) as a separate document.
Vehicles model year 2010 or older are exempt from the odometer requirement under the previous federal 10-year rule. For vehicles model year 2011 or newer, federal law requires odometer disclosure for 20 years from the model year, so a 2011 vehicle needs disclosure until 2031, a 2012 until 2032, and so on. Trucks over 16,000 pounds gross vehicle weight are exempt regardless of age.
Multiple owners on the title:
If “And” appears between names, all owners must sign. If “Or” appears between names, only one owner needs to sign.
Buyer’s deadline:
The buyer must apply for a title and register the car at their county treasurer’s motor vehicle office within 60 days from the date of sale, inclusive of weekends and holidays. Late filing triggers $2 statutory penalty added to other fees, plus $1 per month (or partial month) of unpaid registration, and additional accruing penalties on any unpaid sales tax and property tax.
Step 8: Sign Bill of Sale
A bill of sale in Kansas is recommended for protection. It creates a written record of the sale price, date, and both parties’ information that can protect you if a dispute comes up later.
Notarization is not required. Use our free bill of sale generator to create one in minutes, or download the official Form TR-312 from the Kansas Division of Vehicles forms page.
When it becomes required: If the title doesn’t have space for the purchase price or odometer reading, you’ll need Form TR-312 as a supporting document for the buyer’s title application.
Learn more: What is Bill of Sale for a Car? (Seller Guide + Templates)
Step 9: Handle Kansas License Plates and Registration
License plates in Kansas stay with the seller. You can transfer your plates to another vehicle you own (with credit for any remaining registration), or surrender them at your county treasurer's motor vehicle office.
Learn more: How to Remove License Plates Safely?
Step 10: Submit the Release of Liability
File the Form TR-216 online after you sell the car. You must do this within 10 days.
This removes your name as the vehicle owner from state records and protects you from tickets, tolls, or accidents that happen after the sale. If you can’t file online, visit your county treasurer’s office to file in person.
Step 11: Cancel Insurance
Cancel your insurance only after the title transfer is complete.
Learn more: When to Cancel Car Insurance After Selling a Car?
Kansas Sale Checklist
Before the Sale
At the Sale
After the Sale
Kansas DMV Resources
State Resources:
- Kansas Division of Vehicles — Title Information
- Kansas Vehicle Forms and Online Services
- Kansas has 105 county treasurer offices that handle vehicle titles, registration, and tags. Find your local office through the Kansas Division of Vehicles website above.
Phone Support:
- Kansas Division of Vehicles: (785) 296-3621
For a full list of state DMV websites and contact pages, see our List of 50 States DMV Websites.
Kansas Fees and Costs
| What You Pay | Cost | When? |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate title (if needed) | $10 | Before sale |
| Lien payoff (if applicable) | Loan balance | Before sale |
| Form TR-216 | $10 | Within 10 days |
| Everything else (title fee, registration, sales tax) | $0 | Buyer pays at registration |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the buyer have to transfer the title after we complete the sale?
The buyer has 60 days from the date of sale, inclusive of weekends and holidays to apply for title and register the car at their county treasurer’s office. Late filing triggers $2 statutory penalty added to other fees, plus $1 per month (or partial month) of unpaid registration, and additional accruing penalties on any unpaid sales tax and property tax.
If the deadline falls on a weekend or state holiday, the next business day applies.
Do I need to get the title notarized when I sign it over in Kansas?
Title notarization in Kansas is not required. Sign the title in blue or black ink exactly as your name appears on the title, and the sale can proceed.
Can you sell a car without a title in Kansas?
Yes, in two ways. Kansas Statute 8-135 normally requires the title to pass to the buyer at delivery, but only antique vehicles 35 model years or older may transfer ownership solely by bill of sale, and 1950 or newer antique vehicles purchased on a bill of sale also require a Motor Vehicle Examination (MVE-1) from the Kansas Highway Patrol.
For all other vehicles, licensed dealers and most online junk car buyers (like Peddle and Wheelzy) will accept your vehicle without the paper title. You sign a Power of Attorney letting them apply for a duplicate title on your behalf, they handle the paperwork, and the sale closes legally.
If you’d rather sell privately, apply for a duplicate title yourself first using Form TR-720B (10 to 40 days for processing).
Learn more: How to Sell a Junk Car in Kansas?
When is a bill of sale required in Kansas?
A bill of sale in Kansas is recommended for most private vehicle sales. It becomes a required supporting document when the title doesn’t have space for the purchase price or odometer reading.
Our bill of sale guide linked above covers everything you need.
Can I sell my car if I still owe money on it in Kansas?
Yes, but you need to coordinate the lien release with your lender first. As long as a lienholder is on the vehicle’s record, the Division of Vehicles won’t issue a clean title to the buyer.
Your lender can release the lien directly on the title, provide a notarized lien release, complete Form TR-150, or issue a letter releasing the lien.
Coordinate with them before signing anything over to the buyer. If you owe more than the car’s worth, you’ll need to pay the difference.
My car was inherited. What additional Kansas forms do I need?
If the estate went through probate, you’ll need certified letters testamentary or letters of administration appointing you as the executor, along with the original title.
If probate wasn’t required (small estate), Kansas allows an Affidavit of Heirship to transfer the title instead.
In both cases, you’ll need to transfer the title into your name before you can sell the car. Visit your county treasurer’s office with the paperwork to get this done.
Both my spouse and I are on the Kansas title. Do we both need to sign?
It depends on how the names are listed on the title. If “And” appears between the names, both owners must sign. If “Or” appears between the names, only one owner needs to sign.
Check the top of your title carefully before the sale to avoid any problems at the county treasurer’s office.
What if I make a mistake on the Kansas title?
Don’t try to fix it with white-out or cross-outs. Any corrections void the title completely in Kansas.
You’ll need to apply for a duplicate title using Form TR-720B, which costs $10 and takes 10 to 40 days to arrive. Take your time filling out the title in the first place to avoid this delay.
The buyer is from out of state. Does Kansas require anything special?
Your obligations as the Kansas seller stay the same. Fill out all Kansas paperwork correctly, including the title assignment and any required odometer disclosure.
File the Form TR-216 within 10 days as you would for any sale.
The buyer will use the completed Kansas title to register the car in their home state. Their state may have additional requirements on their end, but that’s not your responsibility.
Do Kansas license plates transfer to the buyer?
Do I need to file a release of liability after selling my car in Kansas?
Yes. Kansas requires you to file the Form TR-216 within 10 days. File it online or in person at your county treasurer’s office.
This removes your name from the vehicle’s record and protects you from any tickets, accidents, or violations that happen after the sale.
Missing this deadline could leave you on the hook for someone else’s problem.
Ready to sell? Compare offers from multiple services with Sell Car Advisor and see what your Kansas car is worth today.
Article Update History
Originally posted and shared with our readers.
Sources
"not required" Accessed May 31, 2026
"with the seller" Accessed May 31, 2026
Buyer Registration Deadline After Sale
"60 days from the date of sale, inclusive of weekends and holidays" Accessed May 31, 2026
Duplicate Title Application Form
"Form TR-720B" Accessed May 31, 2026
Release of Liability Filing Deadline
"10 days" Accessed May 31, 2026
"recommended" Accessed May 31, 2026