Kansas landlord-tenant law at a glance
Kansas landlord-tenant law for apartments is set mostly by the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act in Chapter 58, Article 25 of the Kansas Statutes, with eviction procedure in Chapter 61. The table pulls the figures owners use most, from the statutes published by the Kansas Legislature.
| Rule | Kansas requirement | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| End a month-to-month tenancy | Written notice ending on a rent-paying date at least 30 days after receipt | K.S.A. 58-2570(b) |
| End a week-to-week tenancy | Written notice at least 7 days before the termination date | K.S.A. 58-2570(a) |
| Unpaid rent | 3 days to pay after notice; 2 more days if mailed | K.S.A. 58-2564(b) |
| Other material breach | 30-day notice; tenant has 14 days to fix | K.S.A. 58-2564(a) |
| Deposit cap | 1 month’s rent unfurnished; 1.5 months furnished; plus up to half a month for pets | K.S.A. 58-2550 |
| Deposit return | 14 days after deductions are determined, no later than 30 days | K.S.A. 58-2550 |
| Entry | Reasonable notice, at reasonable hours | K.S.A. 58-2557 |
| Rent control | Barred for cities, counties and townships | K.S.A. 12-16,120 |
How much notice does a landlord have to give in Kansas?
A Kansas landlord must give written notice that ends a month-to-month tenancy on a periodic rent-paying date at least 30 days after the tenant receives it. If rent is due on the first, a notice the tenant receives on March 10 ends the tenancy on May 1 at the earliest, not April 9, because the termination date has to land on a rent-paying date.
A week-to-week tenancy ends with written notice at least seven days before the termination date. Tenants in military service who receive orders requiring them to move can end a month-to-month tenancy with not more than 15 days’ written notice. Both landlords and tenants use the same notice periods.
Notice for unpaid rent and lease violations in Kansas
For unpaid rent, a Kansas landlord may end the rental agreement if the tenant does not pay within three days after written notice. The statute counts the three days as three consecutive 24-hour periods, and if the notice is mailed the tenant gets two extra days.
For other material breaches, K.S.A. 58-2564(a) requires a written notice that spells out the acts and omissions that make up the breach and states that the agreement ends on a date at least 30 days after the tenant receives the notice if the breach is not fixed within 14 days.
Security deposit rules in Kansas
Kansas caps security deposits at one month’s rent for an unfurnished unit and one and a half months’ rent when the tenant uses landlord-owned furniture. If pets are allowed, the landlord can take an additional pet deposit of up to half a month’s rent.
When the tenancy ends, the landlord may apply the deposit to unpaid rent and to damages, itemized in a written notice to the tenant. The balance is due within 14 days after the landlord determines the amounts withheld, and in no case later than 30 days after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered and the tenant demands the deposit. If the tenant makes no demand, the landlord mails what is owed to the tenant’s last known address.
The penalty for getting this wrong is steep. A tenant whose deposit is wrongfully withheld can recover the amount due plus damages of one and a half times the amount wrongfully withheld. A tenant who stops paying the last month’s rent and tells you to use the deposit forfeits the deposit, unless the lease says otherwise, and you can still recover the rent.
When can a Kansas landlord enter an apartment?
A Kansas landlord may enter at reasonable hours after reasonable notice, to inspect, make repairs, supply agreed services or show the unit to prospective buyers or tenants. The statute does not set a fixed number of hours, so put a standard, such as 24 hours, in your lease and follow it.
No notice is required in a case of extreme hazard involving the potential loss of life or severe property damage. The landlord may not abuse the right of access or use it to harass the tenant. If you are selling, unit-by-unit buyer inspections fall under this rule.
Late fees in Kansas
Set any late charge in the lease and apply it the same way to every tenant. Have a Kansas attorney review the amount and the wording of the clause, including any grace period, before you rely on it in a dispute or in an eviction filing.
The eviction process in Kansas
A Kansas eviction is a forcible detainer action under K.S.A. 61-3801 and following, filed in the district court of the county where the property is. It moves faster than most civil cases.
- Notice: a 3-day notice for unpaid rent, or a 30-day notice with 14 days to cure for other breaches, under K.S.A. 58-2564.
- Filing: the landlord files a forcible detainer petition after the notice period runs.
- Summons: the court sets the appearance date not less than 3 nor more than 14 days after the summons is issued (K.S.A. 61-3805).
- Judgment: if the court finds for the landlord, it enters judgment for possession and any rent owed.
- Possession: if the tenant does not leave, the landlord asks the court for the order that lets the sheriff restore possession.
Kansas eviction timeline
An uncontested nonpayment case in Kansas can move from notice to judgment in a few weeks: three days for the notice, plus two if mailed, then an appearance date 3 to 14 days after the summons issues. A tenant who files an answer, asks for a trial or files bankruptcy can stretch that, and docket speed differs by county.
Keep copies of every notice and proof of delivery, and file in the right county. Changing locks or cutting off utilities to force a tenant out is not part of the process; the court order and the sheriff are.
Does Kansas have rent control?
No. Kansas bars rent control at the local level. K.S.A. 12-16,120, enacted in 2001 and amended in 2016, says no county, city or township may enact, maintain or enforce an ordinance or resolution that controls the rent charged for privately owned residential or commercial property.
The statute has narrow exceptions. A local government can manage property it owns, and an owner can voluntarily agree to rent limits in exchange for grants or incentives. A city cannot require rent control as a condition for a building permit, plat or zoning approval. For a seller, that means a buyer can underwrite rents moving toward market as leases expire.
What happens to leases and deposits when you sell
Leases stay in force when a Kansas apartment building is sold, and the buyer takes over as landlord. The deposit statute binds the holder of the landlord’s interest at the end of each tenancy, so the buyer is the one who must return deposits under K.S.A. 58-2550 when those tenants move out. Credit the deposits to the buyer at closing so the money is there when it is due.
Kansas also requires the landlord to tell tenants, in writing, who manages the property and who can accept notices and legal papers, and to keep that information current. K.S.A. 58-2551 says the duty extends to any successor landlord, owner or manager, so the buyer should send updated details to every tenant after closing.
- Deliver every lease, amendment and move-in inspection.
- Give the buyer a deposit ledger, including any pet deposits.
- Send tenants written notice of the new owner and manager and where to pay rent.
- Hand over any pending notices or forcible detainer cases.
Kansas landlord-tenant law changes in 2025 and 2026
The core numbers on this page are long-standing. The deposit statute, K.S.A. 58-2550, was last amended in 1997, and the rent control preemption was last amended in 2016. Kansas did change the property tax rules that affect apartment budgets: the revenue neutral rate law, K.S.A. 79-2988, was amended again in 2025.
Check for new bills each session before you update lease forms, and have a Kansas attorney review the forms every year or two. Cities can still pass rules that do not control rent, such as rental licensing or inspection programs, so check the city code where each building sits as well as the state statutes. If you own buildings on both sides of the Kansas City state line, keep separate lease forms, because Kansas and Missouri set different deposit caps and different notice rules for unpaid rent.
Selling a Kansas apartment building with tenants
Skyline buys apartment buildings with five or more units in Kansas, with tenants in place. We buy directly, close on your timeline, and can work inside 1031 deadlines. We take over the leases and deposits at closing and send the tenant notices with you.
For the tax side of a sale, see Kansas capital gains tax on real estate and property tax rate in Kansas.
