How To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Kansas in 2026

The Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) — Division of Vehicles administers motor vehicle titling throughout the state. Private-party title transfer applications are received and processed at the county treasurer's motor vehicle offices located in each of Kansas's 105 counties. The legal framework governing the transfer of ownership is established by K.S.A. 8-135, which requires the new owner to apply for registration and title within 60 days of the transfer date.

What Does Transferring a Car Title to a Family Member in Kansas Mean?

In Kansas, the certificate of title is the official legal instrument that establishes and records the ownership of a registered motor vehicle. No person acquires a legal interest in a vehicle subject to registration unless that interest is evidenced by a certificate of title or manufacturer's statement of origin that has been duly issued or assigned.

Kansas issues both physical and electronic certificates of title. When a title is held electronically — typically by an active lienholder — a separate process involving the Electronic Sales Agreement (Form TR-39a) and a 60-day permit applies. For standard transfers where a physical title is in hand, the seller completes the assignment on the reverse of the certificate and delivers it to the buyer at the time of conveyance.

All private-party title transfer applications must be submitted to any county treasurer's motor vehicle office. County treasurers collect applicable fees, property taxes, and any due sales tax, then forward the application to KDOR's Titles and Registrations Bureau for the issuance of a new certificate. Standard transfers are typically processed within a few business days of the state's receipt.

Transfers between family members may be structured either as a gift — a conveyance in which no monetary consideration is exchanged — or as a private sale at an agreed price. Kansas law treats each structure differently for sales tax purposes, and the appropriate exemption form varies depending on both the nature of the transaction and the specific family relationship involved.

Eligible Family Members for Title Transfers in Kansas

Kansas law distinguishes between two categories of tax-preferred family transfers, each governed by a separate exemption standard.

Lineal-relative sale exemption. Under Kansas sales tax law and the KDOR motor vehicle tax guidance, a private sale of a motor vehicle between lineal ascendants or descendants — and their spouses — is exempt from sales tax regardless of the price paid. This exemption applies to transactions documented with a completed Affidavit of Relationship (Form TR-215). The relatives who qualify under this exemption are:

• Father and mother
• Son and daughter
• Adopted children and stepchildren
• Grandfather and grandmother
• Grandchildren
• Spouses of any of the above

The following relatives do not qualify for the lineal-relative sale exemption and are subject to standard Kansas sales tax on any monetary purchase price:

• Brothers and sisters
• Aunts and uncles
• Nieces and nephews

Gift exemption. A transfer of any vehicle as a bona fide gift — meaning no consideration of any kind is present in the transaction — is exempt from Kansas sales tax regardless of the recipient's relationship to the donor. To qualify, the vehicle must be conveyed without payment, trade, or any other form of compensation. If the vehicle carries an active lien and the recipient is legally obligated to satisfy that lien, the obligation constitutes consideration, and the transfer is treated as a taxable sale.

Standard titling requirements under K.S.A. 8-135 apply to all transfers regardless of the parties' relationship. Vehicles with outstanding liens require lienholder involvement before or at the time of transfer.

How To Transfer a Car Title as a Gift to a Family Member in Kansas

The following procedure applies when a vehicle is conveyed as a gift with no monetary consideration.

Step 1 — Inspect the title for lien status and completeness. The transferor must confirm that no active lienholder is listed on the face of the certificate of title. An outstanding lien that the recipient must satisfy transforms the transaction into a taxable sale. If a lien is recorded, the lienholder must release it before or concurrent with the transfer. For Kansas lienholders, a signed and notarized release using Form TR-150 (Release of Lien) is required.

Step 2 — Complete the title assignment on the reverse of the certificate. The transferor must execute the assignment section on the back of the Kansas certificate of title. This includes:

• The recipient's full legal name and address
• The date of conveyance
• The purchase price field — enter "Gift" or "$0"
• The odometer reading (for vehicles less than ten model years old that are not registered at 20,000 lbs. or higher)
• The transferor's legal signature and printed name
• The transferor's acknowledgment of mileage certification

The recipient's printed name and signature are also required on the assignment to acknowledge the odometer and price certification.

Step 3 — Complete the Affidavit of Relationship (Form TR-215) or Vehicle Gift Certification (Form TR-12). For gifts to lineal relatives (parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, and their spouses), both parties must complete and sign the Affidavit of Relationship (TR-215). This form certifies the family relationship and establishes the sales tax exemption.

For gifts to relatives who are not lineal ascendants or descendants, the Vehicle Gift Certification section of the Affidavit to a Fact (Form TR-12) must be completed and signed by both parties.

Step 4 — Prepare a Bill of Sale. A bill of sale is required in addition to Form TR-215 for all family transfers. Form TR-312 serves as the KDOR-issued Bill of Sale form and must include the vehicle year, make, and VIN; the names and addresses of both parties; the purchase price (or "Gift"); and the date of the transaction. The seller's signature is required; the bill of sale constitutes an affidavit of the amount exchanged.

Step 5 — Transferor removes the license plates. Under Kansas law, the previous owner must remove the license plates from the vehicle once the title is assigned and the vehicle is delivered. License plates in Kansas are registered to the owner, not to the vehicle. The transferor may apply to reuse the same plate number on a replacement vehicle by paying a $1.50 fee.

Step 6 — The recipient applies for title and registration at a county treasurer's office. The recipient must submit all required documents and fees to any Kansas county treasurer's motor vehicle office within 60 days of the transfer date. Required items include:

• The assigned certificate of title
• The completed Form TR-215 or TR-12, as applicable
• The completed Form TR-312 (Bill of Sale)
• Proof of current insurance (showing VIN, make, year, policy number, insured's name, and policy dates)
• Payment of all applicable title, transfer, and registration fees
• Property tax assessed by the county appraiser (paid at the time of registration)

No sales tax is collected on a qualifying gift transfer, provided the vehicle is conveyed without consideration, and the appropriate exemption form is properly completed.

How To Transfer a Car Title as a Sale to a Family Member in Kansas

When a vehicle is sold to a family member at a stated price, the procedure below applies. The applicable tax treatment varies by the family relationship involved.

Step 1 — Agree upon a purchase price and complete the title assignment. The seller must execute the full assignment on the back of the Kansas certificate of title, including:

• The buyer's full legal name and address
• The agreed purchase price
• The date of sale
• The odometer reading (required for vehicles less than ten model years old, not registered at 20,000 lbs. or higher)
• The seller's legal signature and printed name
• The buyer's printed name and signature, acknowledging odometer and price certification

If the title form is non-conforming and lacks a space for the purchase price or odometer, a separate Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form TR-59) and a Bill of Sale (TR-312) are required.

Step 2 — Prepare a written Bill of Sale. A Bill of Sale (Form TR-312) is required for all private-party sales. The document must include the vehicle's year, make, and VIN; the full names and addresses of both the seller and the buyer; the purchase price; the date of sale; and the seller's signature under penalty of perjury.

Step 3 — Establish the applicable sales tax treatment.

• If the buyer is a lineal relative or lineal relative's spouse: Both parties must complete and sign the Affidavit of Relationship (Form TR-215). The sale is exempt from Kansas sales tax under the lineal-relative exemption. No sales tax is collected by the county treasurer.
• If the buyer is a sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew: No exemption form applies to the sale. Kansas sales tax at the combined state (6.5%) and applicable local rate is due and collected by the county treasurer at the time of registration.

Step 4 — Address any existing lien. If a security interest is listed on the certificate of title, the lienholder must release the lien in writing before the title can be freely assigned. Lien releases from Kansas lienholders must be notarized. Form TR-150 (Release of Lien) is available for this purpose. If the vehicle is subject to a lien and is being transferred with the buyer assuming the debt, the transaction constitutes a taxable sale subject to the full purchase price — or the outstanding loan balance, if greater.

Step 5 — Seller removes the license plates. The seller removes and retains the license plates upon delivery of the vehicle. A 60-day temporary permit may be issued to the buyer at the county treasurer's office, allowing the vehicle to be legally operated while the title application is pending.

Step 6 — Buyer submits the title application to a county treasurer's office. The buyer must present all documents and payment to any county treasurer's motor vehicle office within 60 days of the sale date. Required items include:

• The assigned certificate of title
• The completed Form TR-312 (Bill of Sale)
• Form TR-215 (if claiming the lineal-relative exemption)
• Proof of current insurance
• Payment of all applicable title and transfer fees
• Any sales tax due (collected by the county treasurer unless exempted)
• Property tax as assessed by the county appraiser

What Documents Are Needed To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Kansas

The following documents are required for a Kansas vehicle title transfer, per KDOR Division of Vehicles guidance and county treasurer requirements.

Required for all transfers:

• Current Kansas Certificate of Title — The existing title with the assignment section on the reverse fully completed and signed by the transferor. Both the seller's and the buyer's signatures are required on the assignment. If multiple names appear on the title joined by "and" (or no conjunction), all listed parties must sign; if joined by "or" or "and/or," a single signature suffices.
• Bill of Sale (Form TR-312) — Required for all transfers. Must include vehicle year, make, VIN, names and addresses of both parties, stated purchase price (or "Gift"), date, and seller's signature under affirmation of accuracy.
• Proof of Insurance — Current policy documentation showing the VIN, vehicle make and year, policy number, insured's name, and policy effective and expiration dates.
• Payment of Title and Registration Fees — Including title fee, transfer fee, modernization fee, and applicable surcharges. Property tax assessed by the county appraiser is also due at the time of application.

Required for sale transfers:

• Sales Tax Payment — Collected by the county treasurer at the time of registration, based on the combined state (6.5%) and local rate, unless a qualifying exemption is documented with Form TR-215.
• Affidavit of Relationship (Form TR-215) — Required when claiming the lineal-relative sales tax exemption. Both the seller and the buyer must sign. Used in place of Form TR-12 for lineal-relative transactions.

Required for gift transfers to non-lineal relatives:

• Affidavit to a Fact — Vehicle Gift Certification (Form TR-12) — Required when the vehicle is gifted to a recipient who is not a lineal ascendant or descendant. Both parties must sign. Write "Gift" in the purchase price space on the title assignment in addition to completing TR-12.

Required in specific circumstances:

• Release of Lien (Form TR-150) — Required if a lienholder is listed on the face of the title. A Kansas lienholder's release must be notarized. An out-of-state release must meet the requirements of the titling state.
• Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form TR-59) — Required if the title is non-conforming and lacks a printed odometer field. Standard Kansas titles accommodate odometer disclosure in the assignment section.
• Power of Attorney (Form TR-41) — Required when an authorized representative signs on behalf of an owner who is unable to sign the title in person.
• Application for Secured/Duplicate/Reissue Title (Form TR-720B) — Required when the original certificate of title has been lost, destroyed, or is otherwise unavailable. Must be completed at any county treasurer's office or submitted by mail to the Titles and Registrations Bureau.
• Motor Vehicle Examination (MVE-1) — Required when the vehicle is titled on an out-of-state or foreign title, was purchased out-of-state on a bill of sale, or falls within specific antique or salvage categories. Inspections are conducted at Kansas Highway Patrol inspection stations. The pink copy of the MVE-1 must be surrendered at the time of title application.

Note on Notarization: The Kansas Division of Vehicles does not require notarization of most title assignments, title applications, or bills of sale executed within Kansas. However, a lien release, a lienholder consent from a Kansas lienholder, and the lienholder's portion of the Request and Consent for Kansas Title to be Issued with Lien (Form TR-42) are each required to be notarized per KDOR policy.

How To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member Online in Kansas

Kansas does not offer a fully online title transfer process for private-party ownership changes, including transfers between family members. New owners must visit any Kansas county treasurer's motor vehicle office within 60 days of the transfer date to submit all required documents and pay any required fees.

What's the Cost To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Kansas?

All applicable fees are set by state statute and collected at the county treasurer's motor vehicle office. The fee schedules below reflect amounts established under Kansas law, including updates enacted by House Bill 2696.

Title and Transfer Fees:

Annual Registration Fees:

Property tax assessed by the county appraiser is also due at the time of title application and registration for most vehicle types. The amount varies by vehicle value and county. Contact the local county appraiser's office for an estimate prior to submitting the title application.

Kansas Sales Tax (for taxable sale transfers only):

Kansas imposes a state sales tax on private-party vehicle sales at a rate of 6.5% of the purchase price, plus any applicable local (city or county) rate. The combined rate varies by the buyer's jurisdiction. Sales tax is collected by the county treasurer at the time of title application and registration.

Sales Tax Exemptions:

• Lineal-relative sales: A vehicle sold between lineal ascendants or descendants — and their spouses — is exempt from sales tax when Form TR-215 is properly completed and submitted. Siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews do not qualify for this exemption and are subject to the full combined rate on the stated purchase price.
• Gift transfers: A vehicle conveyed without any consideration is exempt from sales tax, provided the appropriate affidavit (Form TR-215 or the Vehicle Gift Certification section of TR-12) is completed. If the vehicle carries an active lien that the recipient assumes, the transfer is taxable.

Contact Information

Kansas Department of Revenue — Division of Vehicles, Titles and Registration
Zibell Building, 300 SW 29th Street, Topeka, KS 66611
Phone: (785) 296-3621
Official Website: Kansas Department of Revenue — Division of Vehicles