How to Transfer Your Car Title in Kansas (2024)

How to Complete a Car Title Transfer in Kansas

Fill in the title transfer details on the vehicle title.
Submit the Title and Registration Manual Application (Form TR-212a).
Pay the applicable title transfer fees.
- Continue reading to learn more about KS state car title transfers.

Buying a Vehicle

Buying from a Dealership

NOTE: When you purchase a new vehicle in Kansas, you're required to apply for a vehicle title and registration within 60 days of the purchase date. Late fees apply.

To get apply for a DMV title transfer for a new vehicle (and register the car), you'll need to take the following to your local Kansas county treasurer's motor vehicle office:

Properly signed title or manufacturer's certificate of origin (MCO/MSO).
Proof of car insurance.
Sales tax receipt, if purchased from a KS dealer.
- If purchased from an out-of-state dealer, you'll need a copy of the sales invoice. The county treasurer's office will collect sales tax.
A Motor Vehicle Examination (Form MVE-1), if applicable, obtained by bringing to a KS inspection station the vehicle AND either the title OR a bill of sale. The treasurer's office will need the pink copy of Form MVE-1.
- NOTE: You may be able to use a Kansas Resident/Business Out of State VIN Verification (Form TR-65). See "Out-of-State VIN Verification" below.
  - For a list of circ*mstances when this form is required, please visit the Kansas Department of Revenue (DOR) website. Contact your county treasurer's motor vehicle office or the KS Highway Patrol to find the inspection station nearest you.
A completed Title and Registration Manual Application (Form TR-212a).
Payment for any title transfer fees and vehicle registration fees.

Buying from a Private Seller

Before you buy a car from a private seller in Kansas, you'll need to verify the seller has all the required documents for an auto title transfer.

To complete the DMV title transfer and vehicle registration, you'll need to bring the following to your Kansas county treasurer's office:

The title (properly signed and completed by the seller).
A Bill of Sale (Form TR-312) if:
- The title does not have a space to list the purchase price.
  OR
- You purchased from an individual or business from out of state.
Proof of car insurance.
A Motor Vehicle Examination (Form MVE-1) obtainable from an inspection station, if the title is from out of state.
- Provide the pink copy of Form MVE-1 to the KS treasurer's office.
- Contact your KS DMV office for a list of inspection stations.
A Title and Registration Manual Application (Form TR-212a).
Payment for the applicable title transfer fees and vehicle registration fees.

NOTE: If the seller did not provide a title or enough information on the assignment of title, you may need to seek the help of an attorney to obtain a court order to complete the car title transfer.

Out-of-State VIN Verification

If you're a Kansas resident currently out of state, you may be eligible to bypass obtaining the Motor Vehicle Examination (Form MVE-1) by completing a Kansas Resident/Business Out of State VIN Verification (Form TR-65). You'll need to meet any of the following criteria:

On active military duty in a different state.
A full-time student at an out-of-state college, university or school.
You're submitting an out-of-state title application for KS apportioned registration with a Motor Vehicle Examination (Form MVE-1) and the vehicle is outside of Kansas.
Your resident or business vehicle is "temporarily" out of state due to short-term employment, or seasonal residency.

NOTE: If claiming you're temporarily out of state, you'll ultimately be required to return to Kansas with the vehicle and obtain a Motor Vehicle Examination (Form MVE-1) before the title will be issued.

Selling a Vehicle in Kansas

NOTE: Be sure to have the proper signatures on the vehicle title. The title may reflect any of the following scenarios in the owner section:

AND - Each owner shown before or after “and" must sign.
AND/OR - Either owner can sign; only one signature required.
OR - Either owner on the title may sign.

To complete the vehicle title transfer on your used vehicle in Kansas, you must:

New to KS Car Title Transfers

You must apply for a car title transfer if your vehicle has been or will be in Kansas for 90 days or longer. You'll need to:

Bring the vehicle and its title to a KS vehicle inspection station.
- If the title is being held by a lienholder, they'll need to fax the front and back of the title to the Kansas DOR or inspection station.
Obtain a Motor Vehicle Examination (Form MVE-1) from the inspection station.
- Contact your KS DMV office for your nearest inspection station.
- You'll need to provide your county treasurer with the pink copy of the form.

After you've had your vehicle inspected, visit your Kansas county treasurer's office and:

Submit the Motor Vehicle Examination (Form MVE-1).
Show proof of car insurance.
Provide a current registration from the previous state as proof of ownership, if the title is being held electronically in another state.
Complete a Title and Registration Manual Application (Form TR-212a).
Submit payment for your title transfer fees and registration:
- Title fee: $10.
- Registration and plate fees.

NOTE: If there is a lien on your vehicle, the Kansas Division of Vehicles will obtain the current title and electronically hold the new Kansas title until the lien is released.

After you apply for your KS vehicle title, you should receive it within 40 days after the application date.

Electronic Title Transfers

Selling a Vehicle with an Electronic Title

If your vehicle title is held electronically in Kansas and you're going to sell your vehicle, you'll need to:

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

Provide the above documents to the buyer.

Buying a Vehicle with an Electronic Title

You will need to wait for the duplicate title to be assigned, in the interim you can obtain a registration permit for 60 days by submitting the following to your local Kansas county treasurer's office:

The vehicle's current registration receipt.
A completed Electronic Title Sales Agreement (Form TR-39a).
Proof of car insurance.

Once you receive the paper title, you will need to complete the vehicle title transfer. In addition to the documents listed above, you may also need a Power of Attorney, Purchase Price & Odometer Disclosure For Electronic Title (Form TR-40), if the seller cannot go with you to the KS county treasurer's office.

Inherited, Gifted, or Donated Vehicles

Inheriting a Vehicle

Upon inheriting a vehicle, you'll need to complete a DMV title transfer with the KS Division of Vehicles. You'll need:

Gifted Vehicles

NOTE: The new owner must apply for title and registration within 60 days of taking delivery of the gifted vehicle.

If you're giving your vehicle as a gift in Kansas, you'll need to:

Complete the Vehicle Gift Certification portion of the Affidavit to a Fact (Form TR-12) and give the form to the person obtaining the vehicle.
- Write the word “gift" in the “purchase price" space on the title, if available.
- Complete the Affidavit of Relationship (Form TR-215) in lieu of the Affidavit to a Fact (Form TR-12), if you and the recipient are related.
Remove the license plates on the vehicle once the title is assigned and vehicle is delivered.
Complete a Seller's Notification of Sale (Form TR-216) and mail it (along with payment for the $10 fee) to the address on the form (optional).

If you've received a vehicle as a gift, submit the following to your local KS DOR office to complete the vehicle title transfer:

Proof of your of car insurance.
A Motor Vehicle Examination (MVE-1) from an inspection station, if the title is from out of state.
- Contact the KS DOR for a list of inspection stations.
A completed Affidavit to a Fact (TR-12) OR Affidavit of Relationship (Form TR-215) (if you and the vehicle donor are related) from the donor.
Payment for any applicable Kansas title transfer fees.

If you have any specific questions, contact the Kansas state DOR directly.

Donating a Vehicle

If you no longer need your vehicle, you can always donate it to a local non-profit organization in your area. You'll need to contact them directly to find out how to proceed with this type of vehicle title transfer.

For more information, you can read our page about Car Donation.

Fees for Kansas Title Transfers

Title transfer fee: $10.
Duplicate title fee: $10.

NOTE: You'll also pay car registration fees if you're registering your vehicle at the same time as applying for a car title transfer.

Change Your KS Vehicle Title

If you pay off your vehicle loan, change your name, or move to a different Kansas address, you need to update the vehicle information with the Division of Vehicles.

Release of Lien

Once you've satisfied a lien on your vehicle, the lienholder will send the Kansas county treasurer's office notification of your lien release. You will then receive the vehicle title showing the lien has been satisfied or a lien release document.

If you want a clean title, you'll need to apply for a duplicate title.

Correct an Error

If there is an error on your Kansas vehicle title, you'll need to apply for a corrected title. You'll need to visit your local KS county treasurer's office with:

Your current title.
OR
The title and registration receipt, if the title is electronic.

This service is free if the state caused the error. Otherwise, normal title fees apply.

Add or Remove a Name

To add or remove a name on a vehicle title in Kansas, you must:

Visit your local KS county treasurer's office.
Attach the title or give reason for the update on the Title and Registration Manual Application (Form TR-212a).
- Record all the names that are to appear on the new title in the purchaser's space, if adding names to the title.
Obtain a Lien Release (Form TR-150) from the lienholder, if a lien has been satisfied but is still listed on the title.
Obtain a Lienholder's Consent to Transfer Ownership (Form TR-128) from the lienholder, if applicable.
Submit a registration receipt or verification showing the title is held electronically, if applicable.
Pay the applicable vehicle title transfer fees, and any other related fees or taxes.

Once the Division of Vehicles updates the title record, you'll be issued a new registration receipt. If there was no lienholder or you attached a lien release to the application, a new title will be issued as well.

Name Change

If you need to change the name on your title due to marriage or court order, you'll need to process a vehicle title transfer into your new name. Visit your KS county treasurer's office in person with:

The KS vehicle title.
- You must use the purchaser's name space to record your new name.
A copy of the marriage license or court order.
A completed Lienholder's Consent to Transfer Ownership (Form TR-128), if there's a lienholder.
Payment for applicable title fees.

Visit our Name Change page for details on how to update your Kansas driver's license.

Address Change

If you've moved to a new address in Kansas, you'll need to notify the KS Division of Vehicles.

You can submit an address change online, by mail, or in person. For more details, visit our page about Address Changes.

NOTE: You'll need to visit your local county treasurer's office in person to update the address on your registration (license plates) so you can receive your renewal notice.

To receive a replacement copy with the updated information, you must apply for a duplicate KS title and replacement registration document.

Replace Your Kansas Title

NOTE: Neither the Kansas Division of Vehicles nor the county treasurer's office will issue a duplicate title if there is a lienholder on their records

If your KS vehicle title is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can apply for a duplicate from your county treasurer's office:

In person.
OR
By mail.

For complete instructions, visit our Replacing a Lost Title page.