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Transfer on Death Deed Laws in Kansas

Kansas allows transfer on death deeds under K.S.A. 59-3501 and following, and the deed must be recorded with the county register of deeds before the owner's death.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Kansas at a glance

TOD deed allowed
Yes
Uniform act adopted
No, own statute
Kansas enacted its own TOD deed law in 1997, before the uniform act existed.
Recording rule
Before the owner's death
Must be executed, acknowledged and recorded with the register of deeds in the county where the property is located.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Kansas

Does Kansas allow transfer on death deeds for real estate?

Yes. TOD deed allowed in Kansas: yes.

Has Kansas adopted the Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act?

No, own statute. Uniform act adopted in Kansas: no, own statute. Kansas enacted its own TOD deed law in 1997, before the uniform act existed.

When must a transfer on death deed be recorded in Kansas?

Recording rule in Kansas: Before the owner's death. Must be executed, acknowledged and recorded with the register of deeds in the county where the property is located.

Where do the Kansas transfer on death deed laws come from?

The rules above come from Kan. Stat. 59-3501 and Kan. Stat. 59-3502. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Where a transfer on death deed is allowed, it generally has to be signed with the same formalities as an ordinary deed and recorded in the land records of the county where the property sits. A deed that is signed but never recorded within the time the statute requires may have no effect, so check the recording rule before relying on one.

A transfer on death deed usually covers only the property it describes. It does not replace a will, and other assets still pass under a will, a trust or the intestacy rules. Keeping the deed consistent with your other estate planning documents helps avoid conflicting instructions.

Creditors, Medicaid estate recovery and property tax rules can still reach property that passes by a transfer on death deed in some situations. If the property is mortgaged, jointly owned or the beneficiary situation is complicated, consider having a local real estate or estate planning attorney review the deed.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.