Renting in Kansas
Your rights as a tenant in Kansas
In Kansas, the security deposit can be up to 1 month of rent. What state law says about your deposit, the notices you must get, repairs and eviction. Every rule comes with its citation and the text of the law.
Key numbers in Kansas
- Maximum deposit
- Up to 1 month of rent
- K.S.A. 58-2550(a)
- To return your deposit
- 30 days
- K.S.A. 58-2550(b)
- Notice for late rent
- 3 calendar days
- K.S.A. 58-2564(b)
What the law says
The rules, one by one
The basic rules for renting in Kansas, answered with state law and its citation.
Tap “What the law says” to read the exact text and see where it comes from.
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How much can they charge for a deposit?
Up to 1 month of rent
In Kansas, for an unfurnished home a landlord cannot ask for or accept a security deposit of more than one month's rent. If the rental agreement lets you use the landlord's furniture, the limit is one and a half months' rent. If the rental agreement allows pets, the landlord may ask for an additional deposit of up to half a month's rent.
What the law says · K.S.A. 58-2550(a)
“A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit for an unfurnished dwelling unit in an amount or value in excess of one month's periodic rent. If the rental agreement provides for the tenant to use furniture owned by the landlord, the landlord may demand and receive a security deposit not to exceed 1½ months' rent, and if the rental agreement permits the tenant to keep or maintain pets in the dwelling unit, the landlord may demand and receive an additional security deposit not to exceed ½ of one month's rent.”
Source: Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes (Kansas Statutes Annotated) · Verified on October 24, 2026
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When must they return my deposit?
30 days
When the tenancy ends, the landlord may use the deposit for rent you owe and for damages caused by your not meeting your duties or the rental agreement. The landlord must list these charges in a written notice to you. If part is kept for expenses or damages, the landlord must return the rest within 14 days after working them out, and never later than 30 days after the tenancy ends, you give back possession and you ask for the deposit. If you do not ask within 30 days, the landlord must mail what is due to you to your last known address.
What the law says · K.S.A. 58-2550(b)
“Upon termination of the tenancy, any security deposit held by the landlord may be applied to the payment of accrued rent and the amount of damages which the landlord has suffered by reason of the tenant's noncompliance with K.S.A. 58-2555, and amendments thereto, and the rental agreement, all as itemized by the landlord in a written notice delivered to the tenant. If the landlord proposes to retain any portion of the security deposit for expenses, damages or other legally allowable charges under the provisions of the rental agreement, other than rent, the landlord shall return the balance of the security deposit to the tenant within 14 days after the determination of the amount of such expenses, damages or other charges, but in no event to exceed 30 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession and demand by the tenant. If the tenant does not make such demand within 30 days after termination of the tenancy, the landlord shall mail that portion of the security deposit due the tenant to the tenant's last known address.”
Source: Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes (Kansas Statutes Annotated) · Verified on October 24, 2026
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If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?
3 calendar days
If you do not pay rent when it is due, the landlord can give you a written notice. It says you have not paid and that the rental agreement will end if you do not pay within 3 days. The 3 days are three straight 24-hour periods. They start when the notice is handed to you or to someone over 12 who lives there, or posted where it can be seen. If the notice is mailed, the law says 2 more days should be allowed to pay.
What the law says · K.S.A. 58-2564(b)
“The landlord may terminate the rental agreement if rent is unpaid when due and the tenant fails to pay rent within three days, after written notice by the landlord of nonpayment and such landlord's intention to terminate the rental agreement if the rent is not paid within such three-day period. The three-day notice period provided for in this subsection shall be computed as three consecutive 24-hour periods. When such notice is served on the tenant or to some person over 12 years of age residing on the premises, or by posting a copy of the notice in a conspicuous place thereon, the three-day period shall commence at the time of delivery or posting. When such notice is delivered by mailing, an additional two days from the date of mailing should be allowed for the tenant to pay such tenant's rent and thereby avoid having the rental agreement terminated.”
Source: Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes (Kansas Statutes Annotated) · Verified on October 24, 2026
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How much notice ends a month-to-month rental?
30 days
To end a month-to-month tenancy, you or the landlord must give written notice. The notice must say the tenancy ends on a rent-paying date at least 30 days after the notice is received. For a week-to-week tenancy, the notice is at least 7 days before the end date. If you are in the U.S. military and must end the tenancy because of military orders, you do not have to give more than 15 days' written notice.
What the law says · K.S.A. 58-2570(a)-(b)
“(a) The landlord or the tenant may terminate a week-to-week tenancy by a written notice given to the other at least seven days prior to the termination date specified in the notice. (b) The landlord or the tenant may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by a written notice given to the other party stating that the tenancy shall terminate upon a periodic rent-paying date not less than 30 days after the receipt of the notice, except that not more than 15 days' written notice by a tenant shall be necessary to terminate any such tenancy where the tenant is in the military service of the United States and termination of the tenancy is necessitated by military orders. Any rental agreement for a definite term of more than 30 days shall not be construed as a month-to-month tenancy, even though the rent is reserved payable at intervals of 30 days.”
Source: Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes (Kansas Statutes Annotated) · Verified on October 24, 2026
Protections
Protections the law gives you
We show only what state law says, with its citation. Your city may give you more protections.
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Only a court order can remove you
Yes: state law says so
A landlord may not recover or take possession of your home, by a lawsuit or otherwise, except after you abandon or surrender it, or as this law otherwise permits. This includes willfully cutting off your electric, gas, water or other essential service.
What the law says · K.S.A. 58-2569
“A landlord may not recover or take possession of the dwelling unit by action or otherwise, including willful diminution of services to the tenant by interrupting or causing the interruption of electric, gas, water or other essential service to the tenant, except in case of abandonment, surrender or as otherwise permitted in this act.”
Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes (Kansas Statutes Annotated)
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Protection from retaliation
Yes: state law says so
A landlord may not retaliate by raising your rent or cutting services after you complained to the government agency that enforces the building or housing code about a violation affecting health and safety, complained to the landlord that the landlord is not meeting the duty to maintain the home, or organized or joined a tenants' union. If the landlord does, you have the remedies the law provides and a defense if you are sued for possession.
What the law says · K.S.A. 58-2572(a)-(b)
“(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a landlord may not retaliate by increasing rent or decreasing services after: (1) The tenant has complained to a governmental agency, charged with responsibility for enforcement of a building or housing code, of a violation applicable to the premises materially affecting health and safety; or (2) the tenant has complained to the landlord of a violation under K.S.A. 58-2553; or (3) the tenant has organized or become a member of a tenants' union or similar organization. (b) If the landlord acts in violation of subsection (a) of this section, the tenant is entitled to the remedies provided in K.S.A. 58-2563 and has a defense in an action against such tenant for possession.”
Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes (Kansas Statutes Annotated)
Eviction
How an eviction works in Kansas
Step by step, with the time periods the law sets. No landlord can skip the court.
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Written 3-day notice to pay rent
at least 3 calendar days
What the law says · K.S.A. 58-2564(b)
“The landlord may terminate the rental agreement if rent is unpaid when due and the tenant fails to pay rent within three days, after written notice by the landlord of nonpayment and such landlord's intention to terminate the rental agreement if the rent is not paid within such three-day period. The three-day notice period provided for in this subsection shall be computed as three consecutive 24-hour periods.”
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Notice to leave at least 3 days before the lawsuit
at least 3 calendar days
What the law says · K.S.A. 61-3803
“The notice shall be delivered at least three days before commencing the lawsuit, by leaving a written copy with the other party or by leaving a copy thereof with any person over the age of 12 years residing on the premises described in such notice, or if no such person is found upon the premises, by posting a copy of such notice in a conspicuous place thereon, or by mailing a copy of the notice to the other party at the address of the premises described in the notice. The three day notice period provided for in this section shall be computed as three consecutive 24-hour periods to commence at the time the notice is delivered, posted or mailed. If the notice is mailed, an additional two days from the date of mailing shall be allowed for the person to leave the premises before the lawsuit is filed. Intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days on which the office of the clerk of the court is not accessible shall be included in the computation of the notice period. The notice may be combined with any notice provided for in K.S.A. 58-2540 et seq., and amendments thereto.”
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Landlord files the eviction petition
What the law says · K.S.A. 61-3804
“The petition shall describe the premises for which possession is sought and why the plaintiff is seeking possession. If there is rent due for possession of the premises, the petition may include a request for judgment for that amount or the plaintiff may bring a subsequent lawsuit for that amount.”
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Summons; appearance set 3 to 14 days later
3 to 14 days
What the law says · K.S.A. 61-3805
“The time stated in the summons requiring the defendant to appear in response to the petition shall be determined by the court. Such time shall be not less than three nor more than 14 days after the date the summons is issued.”
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Appear on the summons date or file a written answer by then
What the law says · K.S.A. 61-3806(a) (as amended by 2026 Sub. for HB 2357, sec. 2)
“A defendant shall either appear in person or by counsel at the time and date set forth in the summons or file on or before such date a written answer.”
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The court must consider mediation
What the law says · K.S.A. 61-3806(c) (added by 2026 Sub. for HB 2357, sec. 2)
“In an action in which the underlying rental agreement is governed by K.S.A. 58-2540 et seq., and amendments thereto, the court shall consider mediation unless the court finds that mediation would not aid the parties materially or is impracticable.”
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Trial within 14 days after the appearance date
up to 14 days
What the law says · K.S.A. 61-3807(a) (as amended by 2026 Sub. for HB 2357, sec. 3)
“If a trial is necessary, the trial shall be conducted within 14 days after the appearance date stated in the summons.”
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Judgment for possession and writ of restitution
What the law says · K.S.A. 61-3808(a)
“If judgment is entered against the defendant for possession of the subject premises, the court shall issue, at the request of the plaintiff, a writ of restitution which shall direct anyone who is authorized to serve process and who is named in the writ to place the plaintiff in possession of the premises described in the writ.”
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The person named in the writ carries it out within 14 days
up to 14 days
What the law says · K.S.A. 61-3808(b)
“The writ of restitution shall be executed within 14 days after the person named in the writ receives it, and that person shall file a return as with other writs under the code of civil procedure for limited actions. The person serving the writ may use such reasonable force as is necessary to execute the writ.”
Free or low-cost legal help
If you get a notice or a court case, look for help early: the deadlines are short. These are official pages or pages the state courts link to.
Housing discrimination complaints to the Kansas Human Rights Commission
Any aggrieved person may file a verified complaint with the Kansas Human Rights Commission (which the law calls "the commission"). The complaint is in writing and states the facts of the discriminatory housing practice. It must be filed within one year after the practice occurred, and may be reasonably and fairly amended at any time.
Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes (Kansas Statutes Annotated)- Kansas Legal Services (free legal help for low-income Kansans)kansaslegalservices.org
- Kansas Legal Services: What to do about evictionkansaslegalservices.org
- Kansas Legal Services: Tenant Issues and Rights for Kansas Renterskansaslegalservices.org
- Kansas Free Legal Answers (online legal questions answered free by volunteer lawyers)kansas.freelegalanswers.org
- 18th Judicial District (Sedgwick County): Eviction Resolution Programdc18.org
- 18th Judicial District (Sedgwick County): eviction court process chart (Spanish PDF)forms.dc18.org
Frequently asked questions
How much can a landlord charge for a deposit in Kansas?
In Kansas, for an unfurnished home a landlord cannot ask for or accept a security deposit of more than one month's rent. If the rental agreement lets you use the landlord's furniture, the limit is one and a half months' rent. If the rental agreement allows pets, the landlord may ask for an additional deposit of up to half a month's rent. (K.S.A. 58-2550(a))
When must a deposit be returned in Kansas?
When the tenancy ends, the landlord may use the deposit for rent you owe and for damages caused by your not meeting your duties or the rental agreement. The landlord must list these charges in a written notice to you. If part is kept for expenses or damages, the landlord must return the rest within 14 days after working them out, and never later than 30 days after the tenancy ends, you give back possession and you ask for the deposit. If you do not ask within 30 days, the landlord must mail what is due to you to your last known address. (K.S.A. 58-2550(b))
What notice is required for late rent in Kansas?
If you do not pay rent when it is due, the landlord can give you a written notice. It says you have not paid and that the rental agreement will end if you do not pay within 3 days. The 3 days are three straight 24-hour periods. They start when the notice is handed to you or to someone over 12 who lives there, or posted where it can be seen. If the notice is mailed, the law says 2 more days should be allowed to pay. (K.S.A. 58-2564(b))
How much notice ends a month-to-month rental in Kansas?
To end a month-to-month tenancy, you or the landlord must give written notice. The notice must say the tenancy ends on a rent-paying date at least 30 days after the notice is received. For a week-to-week tenancy, the notice is at least 7 days before the end date. If you are in the U.S. military and must end the tenancy because of military orders, you do not have to give more than 15 days' written notice. (K.S.A. 58-2570(a)-(b))
A summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.
Pending
What is left to verify
We have not yet verified these Kansas rules in the law with their citation, so we do not show them. If you need them today, ask for free legal aid.
- Are there limits on late fees? Not verified yet
- How much notice before a rent increase? Not verified yet
- Protection related to immigration status Not verified yet
- Repair and deduct from the rent Not verified yet