Sahvelo

Transferring a vehicle in Kansas after someone dies

Kansas has an affidavit for a situation most states have no instrument for: there is a will, and nobody has probated it yet. Form TR-83a moves one vehicle while the will waits — and the person who signs it guarantees title to every purchaser who comes afterwards, which is a promise worth reading before making.

State Kansas

The procedure is set by the state that issued the title, not by where the owner lived.

Sahvelo publishes 50 states for this topic. If the title came from another state, that state's motor vehicle agency is the authoritative source until we publish it. See what's published.

Paths
5 in this state

The paths this state offers

Every route Sahvelo has verified for transferring a vehicle after a death in this state, side by side. The guided questions identify which one applies to you.

Path When it applies Court involvement Tax owed Speed Authority
Transfer on death The certificate of title names a beneficiary and there is no surviving joint owner None A title fee and any other appropriate fees or taxes Fastest — one affidavit and the death certificates K.S.A. 59-3508; form TR-82
Decedent's Affidavit There is a will, the courts have not probated it, and one vehicle is to move None A title fee and any other appropriate fees or taxes Fast — one page, but only one vehicle Form TR-83a
Small estates affidavit Probate assets of $75,000 or less and nobody appointed, testate or intestate None — no letters of administration or letters testamentary The affidavit certifies that debts, claims and taxes have been or will be paid Fast, once the property is itemized and the affidavit sworn K.S.A. 59-1507b; form TR-83b
Executor or administrator A fiduciary has been appointed, or the estate is above the ceiling District court — letters testamentary or of administration A title fee and any other appropriate fees or taxes Depends on the appointment Kansas Division of Vehicles — titling FAQ
Trustee The vehicle is titled in a trust None A title fee and any other appropriate fees or taxes Not established beyond the form the Division names Kansas Division of Vehicles — form TR-81

An affidavit for a will nobody has probated

Most states offer either an affidavit for an intestate estate or a probate. Kansas offers a third thing, for the interval in between. Form TR-83a states its own purpose: it can be used when there is a will but the courts have not probated the will, and the heirs may use it to obtain title or title and registration for one vehicle pending final action on the will.2

One vehicle. It is not a general route out of probate — it moves a single car while the will is waiting, and a family with two of them needs a different instrument for the second.2

Who may use it is narrow. The form asks the affiant to list surviving sole and only direct heirs at law — a spouse and minor children — by name and relationship, and to certify that they are an heir and that the deceased was the lawful owner.2

A surviving spouse claims under a named statute rather than as an heir: title to the vehicle under provision of K.S.A. 59-403(a) as exempt personal property to the affiant. Where there is no surviving spouse, the affiant claims as a surviving heir instead.2

Where the one-vehicle limit bites, the small estates affidavit is the alternative: it works whether the person died testate or intestate, and it takes several VINs.7

A guarantee to all subsequent purchasers

Every affidavit in this corpus asks the signer to take on something. Most ask for an indemnity to the creditors, or a promise to pay the debts out of what is collected. Kansas asks for something different in kind: the affiant guarantees title to said vehicle to all subsequent purchasers.2

Read who that reaches. Not the estate, not the creditors, not the Division — the person who buys the car from you, and the person who buys it from them. It is a warranty of title running down the chain, and it is one sentence on a one-page form.2

The small estates affidavit asks for something narrower and more familiar: that all unpaid debts, claims or demands against the deceased or the estate, and all estate and inheritance taxes due, have been or will be paid. Paid, or will be paid — the alternative is on the form.7

The ceiling moved on 1 July 2023

K.S.A. 59-1507b directs rather than permits. Where a Kansas resident dies, testate or intestate, and the total assets of the estate subject to probate do not exceed $75,000, personal property transferable to the estate shall be transferred to a person claiming to be a successor — without letters of administration or letters testamentary — on an affidavit showing entitlement.6

Check the date on anything else you read. The judicial council's own form records the change: the amount was raised from $40,000 to $75,000 effective July 1, 2023. Guidance written before that date names a figure nearly half the current one.7

Successor is defined rather than left to ordinary language: a person entitled to the property by will or by intestate succession, or nominated as a personal representative under the will.6

The reason a bank or a county treasurer can act on it is the discharge. The transfer is deemed to be a transfer to the personal representative of the deceased, and the successor's receipt constitutes a full discharge and release to the same extent as if it had been made to an executor or administrator.6

The form is not rigid: the affidavit is deemed sufficient if in substantial compliance with the form set forth by the judicial council. And the vehicle detail is only sometimes needed — VIN numbers and odometer readings are required only where the form is going to the Division of Vehicles to obtain transfer of a vehicle title.67

The power of attorney stopped working

This is the Kansas rule most likely to send a family home from the counter, and the Division states it flatly: a power of attorney is not valid if the person making the appointment is deceased.1

What a power of attorney is for is the living case: it is required when the person listed on the face of a title, who is still living, is appointing or authorizing someone else to act as the vehicle owner.1

Two mechanical rules apply to any power of attorney Kansas does accept, and both catch people out: a faxed or photocopy of the form will not be accepted, and all signatures must be in the original ink.1

No title over an unreleased lien

Kansas's lien rule is in the statute rather than in the agency's practice, and it is absolute: notwithstanding any other provision of the section, no certificate of title shall be issued for a vehicle having any unreleased lien or encumbrance on it, unless the transfer has been consented to in writing by the holder of the lien or encumbrance — in a form approved by the Division.5

That approved form is the Lienholder Consent to Transfer Ownership, TR-128, and the Division names it in the same breath as the heir affidavits. On the transfer-on-death route it must be notarized, or replaced by a notarized lien release from the lienholder of record.13

Where the loan is already paid off there is a shortcut through the same document: use the assignment portion of form TR-128, attach the lien release in place of the lienholder's portion of the consent, and apply for title at the county treasurer's office.1

The transfer-on-death designation is itself subject to this. K.S.A. 59-3508 makes the whole arrangement subject to the rights of all lien holders.4

The registration expires on the transfer

Kansas treats the plate as belonging to the person rather than to the car, and says so at the top of its titling statute: upon the transfer of ownership of any registered vehicle, the registration and the right to use any license plate on it expire, and the plate shall be removed by the owner.5

Keeping somebody else's plate is an offense: it is unlawful for any person other than the person to whom the license plate was originally issued to have possession of it.5

The new owner has 60 days, inclusive of weekends and holidays, from the date of transfer to apply for registration — and may not drive the vehicle on a Kansas highway during that period without having obtained temporary registration from the county treasurer or from a dealer. Missing the deadline adds a $2 penalty to the other fees.5

The title fee is $10, and the statute provides the general route for an inheritance: where ownership passes by operation of law, the person owning the vehicle may procure a certificate of title on furnishing satisfactory proof of that ownership to the county treasurer.5

What to do, step by step

The order of operations for each path. Only one of these applies to you — the guided questions will say which.

Transfer on death

The certificate names a beneficiary. Form TR-82 claims it.

  1. First

    Get verification of the designation

    The title, the last registration receipt, or a verification of ownership from the county treasurer or the Division of Vehicles, showing who is named as beneficiary.

  2. First

    Collect a death certificate for each owner

    A copy is needed for every owner shown on the Kansas title.

  3. First

    Deal with any lienholder

    A notarized lienholder's consent on form TR-128, or a notarized lien release from the lienholder of record.

  4. First

    Complete form TR-82

    It is sworn, and it warns that the law provides severe penalties for making false statements under oath.

  5. First

    One beneficiary must take title before any sale

    At least one of the parties listed as a beneficiary must title the vehicle in their name before transferring the ownership of the vehicle.

  6. Take it to the county treasurer's motor vehicle office

    Apply for title there. The title fee is $10, and registration is due within 60 days of the transfer.

Decedent's Affidavit

A will nobody has probated. One vehicle, on form TR-83a.

  1. First

    Confirm the will is unprobated

    The form is for use when there is a will but the courts have not probated it, pending final action on the will.

  2. First

    List the surviving direct heirs at law

    The form asks for surviving sole and only direct heirs at law — spouse and minor children — by name and relationship.

  3. First

    Identify the basis of the claim

    A surviving spouse claims under K.S.A. 59-403(a) as exempt personal property. Where there is no surviving spouse, the affiant claims as a surviving heir.

  4. First

    Read the guarantee before signing

    The affiant guarantees title to the vehicle to all subsequent purchasers — a warranty running to whoever buys the car afterwards.

  5. First

    Take it to the county treasurer's motor vehicle office

    With the Lienholder Consent to Transfer Ownership, form TR-128, and a copy of the current registration or verification of ownership.

Small estates affidavit

Probate assets of $75,000 or less, testate or intestate.

  1. First

    Value the probate estate

    The total assets of the estate subject to probate must not exceed $75,000. The ceiling rose from $40,000 on 1 July 2023.

  2. First

    Attach a certified copy of the death certificate

    The affidavit states the date of death and that a certified copy is attached to it.

  3. First

    Check that nobody has been appointed

    No petition for the appointment of an executor or administrator may be pending or have been granted.

  4. First

    Itemize the property and the people

    The names, ages, relationships and addresses of the beneficiaries or heirs, and an itemized list of the personal property including insurance proceeds payable to the estate.

  5. First

    Add the VINs and odometer readings

    Required only where the form is going to the Division of Vehicles to obtain transfer of a vehicle title.

  6. First

    Swear it before a notarial officer

    The affiant also certifies being over 18 and legally competent to make the affidavit and receive the property.

  7. First

    Take it to the county treasurer's motor vehicle office

    With form TR-128 and a copy of the current registration or verification of ownership. A title fee applies along with any other appropriate fees or taxes.

Executor or administrator

The same process as an heir, with the appointment behind it.

  1. First

    Obtain the letters

    Letters testamentary or letters of administration from the district court.

  2. First

    Furnish satisfactory proof of ownership

    Where ownership passes by operation of law, the person owning the vehicle may procure a certificate of title on furnishing satisfactory proof to the county treasurer.

  3. First

    Deal with any lien

    No title issues over an unreleased lien without the holder's written consent on form TR-128 — or, where the loan is paid off, the assignment portion of TR-128 with the lien release attached.

  4. First

    Apply at the county treasurer's motor vehicle office

    Executors and administrators may apply for an original title using the same process as an heir.

  5. Register within 60 days

    Inclusive of weekends and holidays, from the date of transfer — and the vehicle may not be driven meanwhile without temporary registration.

Trustee

A vehicle titled in a trust moves on a Certificate of Trust.

  1. First

    Use form TR-81

    A trustee may transfer property by using a Certificate of Trust, form TR-81.

  2. First

    Ask what else the counter needs

    What the Division requires from a trustee beyond the certificate is not published, so the county treasurer's motor vehicle office is where to establish it.

  3. First

    Clear or consent to any lien

    No certificate of title issues for a vehicle with an unreleased lien unless the holder has consented in writing in a form approved by the Division.

  4. Remove the plate and reregister

    The registration expires on the transfer and the plate comes off; the new owner has 60 days to apply for registration.

Documents and forms

Each name below links to the official form or the agency page that issues it.

Needed on every path

Needed on some paths

  • Form TR-82 — Transfer on Death Affidavit

    Applies to The title names a beneficiary — form TR-82

    Used by the beneficiaries on the death of the vehicle owners. Sworn, with a warning about severe penalties for false statements under oath.

    Link checked 2026-08-18

  • Form TR-83a — Decedent's Affidavit

    Applies to A will nobody has probated — one vehicle, on form TR-83a

    For a will the courts have not probated. Moves one vehicle pending final action on the will, and carries the affiant's guarantee of title to all subsequent purchasers.

    Link checked 2026-08-18

  • Small Estates Affidavit (form TR-83b)

    Applies to The estate is inside the ceiling — the small estates affidavit

    The judicial council's affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b, which can be used in place of the Division's Claim of Heir form. Sworn before a notarial officer.

    Link checked 2026-08-18

  • Form TR-81 — Certificate of Trust

    Applies to The vehicle is in a trust — a Certificate of Trust

    How a trustee transfers a vehicle held in a trust. The Division names the form and publishes no further procedure.

    Link checked 2026-08-18

  • Form TR-12 — One and the Same Affidavit

    Applies to The title names a beneficiary — form TR-82

    Where the name of a beneficiary listed on the deceased's title is not the way it is to appear on the beneficiary's new title.

    Link checked 2026-08-18

  • A death certificate

    Applies to The title names a beneficiary — form TR-82The estate is inside the ceiling — the small estates affidavit

    On the beneficiary route, a copy for each owner shown on the Kansas title. On the small estates route, a certified copy attached to the affidavit.

    Link checked 2026-08-18

  • Letters testamentary or letters of administration

    Applies to An executor or administrator applies, by the same route

    Where a fiduciary has been appointed. Executors and administrators may apply for an original title using the same process as an heir.

    Link checked 2026-08-18

  • A lien release

    Applies to A will nobody has probated — one vehicle, on form TR-83aThe estate is inside the ceiling — the small estates affidavitAn executor or administrator applies, by the same route

    Where the loan has been paid off, use the assignment portion of form TR-128 and attach the release in place of the lienholder's portion of the consent.

    Link checked 2026-08-18

Where and how to file

  • In person

    The local county treasurer's motor vehicle office

    The Division's own answer names the destination: take the completed form, the Lienholder Consent to Transfer Ownership form TR-128, and a copy of the current registration or verification of ownership to your local county treasurer's motor vehicle office.Executors and administrators of estates may apply for an original title using the same process.A title fee will apply, along with any other appropriate fees or taxes.

    Find an office

    Applies to every path

  • In person

    The local county treasurer's motor vehicle office

    Take the Transfer on Death Affidavit and the documentation it lists to your local county treasurer's motor vehicle office when making application for title.Where a lienholder is on the face of the title, bring a notarized written lienholder's consent on form TR-128 or a notarized lien release from the lienholder of record.

    Find an office

    Applies to The title names a beneficiary — form TR-82

  • In person

    The local county treasurer's motor vehicle office

    Where the lien has been paid off, use the assignment portion of form TR-128, attach the lien release in lieu of the lienholder's portion of the consent, and make application for title at the county treasurer's motor vehicle office.

    Find an office

    Applies to A will nobody has probated — one vehicle, on form TR-83aThe estate is inside the ceiling — the small estates affidavitAn executor or administrator applies, by the same route

What it costs

Fees change, and the agency's own schedule is the only current source. Where Sahvelo cannot verify a fixed amount, it links the schedule rather than quoting a number.

FeeAmountNotesFee schedule
Certificate of title Published by the agency Statutory: the fee for each original certificate of title, in addition to the fee for registration. The Division states the same figure on its own page. Current fee schedule
Late registration penalty Published by the agency $2 added to other fees for failing to make application for registration within the 60 days. Small, but the real consequence is that driving the vehicle after the period is unlawful unless it has been registered. Current fee schedule
Other fees and taxes Published by the agency Sahvelo states no further figure. The Division says only that a title fee will apply, along with any other appropriate fees or taxes. Current fee schedule
Notarizing Published by the agency The small estates affidavit is sworn before a notarial officer, and the lienholder's consent on the transfer-on-death route must be notarized. What a Kansas notary charges is not established here. Current fee schedule

After you file

  • The old registration is gone. It expired on the transfer of ownership, the plate has to be removed by the owner, and it is unlawful for anybody other than the person to whom the plate was originally issued to have possession of it.The new owner has 60 days, inclusive of weekends and holidays, to apply for registration — and may not drive the vehicle on a Kansas highway in the meantime without temporary registration from the county treasurer or a dealer. A $2 penalty is added to other fees for failing to apply.

    Applies to every path

  • The undertaking on form TR-83a does not end when the title issues. The affiant guarantees title to the vehicle to all subsequent purchasers, so keep a copy of what was signed — and note that the form operates pending final action on the will, which has still to happen.

    Applies to A will nobody has probated — one vehicle, on form TR-83a

  • Where more than one beneficiary was named, at least one of them must hold the title in their own name before the vehicle can be sold on. A beneficiary who does not want it conveys their interest to the other by affidavit rather than simply declining.

    Applies to The title names a beneficiary — form TR-82

  • A lien that was consented to rather than released stays on the vehicle. Kansas will not issue a title over an unreleased lien without the holder's written consent, and consenting to the transfer is not the same as discharging the debt.

    Applies to every path

If your situation doesn't fit one of these paths

Common complications, and what each one changes.

  • There is an unprobated will and two vehicles

    Form TR-83a will only move one of them. Its own text limits it: the heirs may use the affidavit to obtain title or title and registration for one vehicle pending final action on the will. The small estates affidavit is the alternative — it works whether the person died testate or intestate, it takes several vehicle entries, and its ceiling is on the probate estate rather than on the number of cars.27

  • You are being asked to guarantee title to strangers

    You are, and it is worth understanding before signing. Form TR-83a closes with a sentence that runs past the estate entirely: the affiant guarantees title to said vehicle to all subsequent purchasers. That is a warranty of title to whoever buys the car from you and to whoever buys it from them — a different undertaking from the indemnities other states ask for, which run to the creditors or to the estate. The small estates affidavit asks for something narrower: that debts, claims, demands and taxes have been or will be paid.27

  • You have a power of attorney the person signed before they died

    It stopped working. The Division states it plainly: a power of attorney is not valid if the person making the appointment is deceased. What a power of attorney is for is the living case — where the person listed on the face of a title, who is still living, is appointing somebody else to act as the vehicle owner. Two mechanical rules apply to the ones Kansas does accept: a faxed or photocopy will not be accepted, and all signatures must be in the original ink.1

  • You read somewhere that the Kansas limit is forty thousand dollars

    That figure is out of date. The judicial council's own form records the change: the amount was raised from $40,000 to $75,000 effective July 1, 2023. Anything written before that date, including a good deal of general guidance still online, names a ceiling nearly half the current one — which means an estate somebody was told was too big may not be.76

  • There is a beneficiary on the title and a surviving co-owner

    The co-owner comes first. K.S.A. 59-3508 transfers the vehicle on the death of the owner or of the last survivor of the joint tenant with right of survivorship owners — so where one joint tenant survives, the beneficiary's interest has not arisen yet. Form TR-82 asks for a copy of the death certificate for each owner shown on the Kansas title, which is the same point from the paperwork side.43

  • Two beneficiaries are named and one of them does not want the car

    They can step aside, but the car still has to be titled before it can be sold. A beneficiary who wishes to disclaim their interest may do so by completing an affidavit conveying their interest to the other person named as beneficiary — and then at least one of the parties listed as a beneficiary must title the vehicle in their name before transferring the ownership of the vehicle. Selling it straight out of the deceased's title is not an option.3

  • There is still a loan on the car

    Kansas will not issue a title over it without the holder's agreement, and that is statutory rather than a counter practice: no certificate of title shall be issued for a vehicle having any unreleased lien or encumbrance unless the transfer has been consented to in writing by the holder, in a form approved by the Division. That form is the Lienholder Consent to Transfer Ownership, TR-128, and on the transfer-on-death route it must be notarized or replaced by a notarized lien release. Where the loan is already paid off, use the assignment portion of TR-128 with the release attached in place of the lienholder's consent.531

  • You were planning to keep driving on the existing plate

    The registration ended when ownership transferred. Upon the transfer of ownership of a registered vehicle, the registration and the right to use any license plate on it expire, and the plate shall be removed by the owner — and it is unlawful for anybody other than the person to whom the plate was originally issued to have possession of it. The new owner has 60 days to apply for registration and may not drive the vehicle in the meantime without temporary registration from the county treasurer or a dealer.5

  • The car was put into a trust

    Neither heir affidavit reaches it. The Division's answer is one line — a trustee may transfer property by using a Certificate of Trust, form TR-81 — and it publishes nothing further about what a trustee brings to the counter. Sahvelo states nothing more, and the county treasurer's motor vehicle office is where to establish it. The lien rule and the plate rule still apply either way.15

  • The surviving spouse is told the car is exempt property

    That is how form TR-83a frames it. The affiant certifies being the surviving spouse of the deceased and claims title to the vehicle under provision of K.S.A. 59-403(a) as exempt personal property to the affiant. Where there is no surviving spouse, the same form is used but the affiant claims as a surviving heir instead. What K.S.A. 59-403(a) says beyond that is not read here — the form is the authority for what the Division accepts, not for the statute behind it.2

  • The beneficiary's name on the title is not how they use it now

    There is a form for that. If the name of a beneficiary listed on the deceased's title is not the way it is to be listed on the beneficiary's new title, a One and the Same Affidavit, form TR-12, must be completed. Take it with the Transfer on Death Affidavit to the county treasurer's motor vehicle office.3

  • The will is probated after the car has already moved on TR-83a

    Sahvelo does not state what happens then, because nothing published says. Form TR-83a describes itself as operating pending final action on the will, which implies that something follows — and neither the form nor the Division's guidance says what. What is established is what the affiant already promised: a guarantee of title to all subsequent purchasers. Ask the county treasurer's motor vehicle office, and a Kansas probate attorney about the estate.2

Questions people ask about this

  • There is a will and nobody has probated it. Can we still move the car?

    Yes, one of them. Form TR-83a can be used when there is a will but the courts have not probated the will, and the heirs may use it to obtain title or title and registration for one vehicle pending final action on the will. For a second vehicle, the small estates affidavit is the route.27

  • What am I actually promising when I sign the affidavit?

    On form TR-83a, more than most states ask. The affiant guarantees title to the vehicle to all subsequent purchasers — a warranty running to whoever buys the car next and to whoever buys it after them. On the small estates affidavit the undertaking is narrower: that all unpaid debts, claims or demands and all estate and inheritance taxes due have been or will be paid.27

  • How big can the estate be?

    $75,000 of assets subject to probate, and the route works whether the person died testate or intestate. Note the date on anything else you read: the amount was raised from $40,000 to $75,000 effective July 1, 2023.67

  • Where do we go?

    The local county treasurer's motor vehicle office. The Division's own answer sends every route there — with the completed form, the Lienholder Consent to Transfer Ownership form TR-128, and a copy of the current registration or verification of ownership.1

  • We have a power of attorney. Does that help?

    Not after a death. The Division states that a power of attorney is not valid if the person making the appointment is deceased. It exists for the case where the person on the face of the title is still living and is authorizing somebody else to act.1

  • The title names a beneficiary. What do they do?

    Complete form TR-82 and take it to the county treasurer's motor vehicle office with verification of the designation, a copy of the death certificate for each owner shown on the title, and — where a lienholder is listed — a notarized lienholder's consent on form TR-128 or a notarized lien release.3

  • There is a beneficiary but the other owner is still alive. Who gets it?

    The surviving owner. The statute transfers the vehicle on the death of the owner, or of the last survivor of the joint tenant with right of survivorship owners — so a co-owner who is still living comes before the beneficiary.4

  • There is a loan on the car. Does that stop us?

    Not if the lienholder agrees, and Kansas will not proceed without that. No certificate of title shall be issued for a vehicle having any unreleased lien unless the transfer has been consented to in writing by the holder, in a form approved by the Division — form TR-128. Where the loan is paid off, use the assignment portion of TR-128 with the lien release attached.51

  • Can we keep using the plate?

    No. The registration and the right to use the plate expire on the transfer of ownership, and the plate must be removed by the owner — it is unlawful for anybody other than the person it was originally issued to to have possession of it.5

  • How long do we have?

    60 days from the date of transfer, inclusive of weekends and holidays, to apply for registration — and the vehicle may not be driven on a Kansas highway during that period without temporary registration from the county treasurer or a dealer. A $2 penalty is added to the other fees for failing to apply.5

  • What does it cost?

    $10 for the certificate of title, in addition to the registration fee — the statute and the Division give the same figure. Beyond that the Division says only that any other appropriate fees or taxes will apply, so Sahvelo states no further amount.51

  • An executor has been appointed. Is there a different process?

    No. The executors or administrators of estates may apply for an original title using the same process as an heir, at the same county treasurer's motor vehicle office. A trustee is the one who uses a different document — a Certificate of Trust, form TR-81.1

What the terms mean

6 terms used on this page, defined from the statute
Decedent's Affidavit (TR-83a)
Kansas's instrument for a will the courts have not probated. It obtains title, or title and registration, for one vehicle pending final action on the will, is signed by an heir, and closes with the affiant's guarantee of title to all subsequent purchasers. A surviving spouse claims under K.S.A. 59-403(a) as exempt personal property; anybody else claims as a surviving heir. Kansas DOR — form TR-83a
Successor
The person entitled to use Kansas's small estates route, and the statute defines it rather than leaving it to ordinary language: a person entitled to the property by will or by intestate succession, or nominated as a personal representative under the will. Transfer to a successor is deemed to be a transfer to the personal representative of the deceased. K.S.A. 59-1507b
Transfer-on-death form
A Kansas certificate of title carrying a designation of a beneficiary or beneficiaries to whom the vehicle transfers on the death of the owner, or of the last survivor of joint tenant with right of survivorship owners — subject to the rights of all lien holders. It is included in the certificate itself rather than filed separately, and it is claimed on form TR-82. K.S.A. 59-3508, Kansas DOR — form TR-82
Lienholder Consent to Transfer Ownership (TR-128)
The Division-approved form the Kansas statute requires before a title can issue over an unreleased lien. It is named alongside both heir affidavits, must be notarized on the transfer-on-death route, and can be used with a lien release attached in place of the lienholder's portion where the loan has already been paid off. Kansas Division of Vehicles — titling FAQ, K.S.A. 8-135
County treasurer's motor vehicle office
Where every Kansas title transaction on this page is submitted, including a fiduciary's. The Division of Vehicles then issues the certificate. The treasurer can also issue a verification of ownership, which is one of the accepted proofs on the transfer-on-death route. Kansas Division of Vehicles — titling FAQ
Verification of ownership
A Kansas document that stands in for the certificate of title as proof of who owns a vehicle and who is named as beneficiary. It is issued by either the county treasurer or the Kansas Division of Vehicles, and the last registration receipt serves the same purpose on the transfer-on-death route. Kansas DOR — form TR-82

See the full glossary across every state

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Find my vehicle transfer path

Sahvelo gives information drawn from statutes, agency guidance and official forms. It is not legal advice for your particular situation. Terms & disclaimer.

Sources

Every rule on this page traces to one of the following. All are Kansas state publications: the Department of Revenue's Division of Vehicles and its own forms, the Kansas Judicial Council's small estates affidavit as the Division publishes it, and the Kansas Statutes as published by the Legislature.

  1. Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles — titling a vehicle, frequently asked questions

    The deceased-owner answer naming forms TR-83a, TR-83b, TR-128 and TR-81, the county treasurer as the counter, the $10 title fee, and the warning that a power of attorney is not valid once the person who gave it has died.

    ksrevenue.gov Checked 2026-08-18

  2. Kansas Department of Revenue — form TR-83a, Decedent's Affidavit

    The affidavit for a will the courts have not probated: one vehicle, the spouse's claim under K.S.A. 59-403(a), and the guarantee of title to all subsequent purchasers.

    ksrevenue.gov Checked 2026-08-18

  3. Kansas Department of Revenue — form TR-82, Transfer on Death Affidavit

    What a beneficiary submits, the notarized lienholder consent or lien release, the disclaimer mechanic, and the requirement that one beneficiary title the vehicle before it is sold.

    ksrevenue.gov Checked 2026-08-18

  4. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 59-3508 — motor vehicles, transfer-on-death

    The one-sentence authority for the designation, including that a surviving joint tenant comes before the beneficiary and that the whole arrangement is subject to the rights of all lien holders.

    kslegislature.gov Checked 2026-08-18

  5. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 8-135 — transfer of ownership of vehicles, certificate of title, liens, transfer-on-death

    That the registration expires and the plate comes off, the 60 days to reregister, the $10 title fee, the bar on titling over an unreleased lien, and that vehicles may be held in transfer-on-death form.

    kslegislature.gov Checked 2026-08-18

  6. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 59-1507b — transfer of certain personal property to successor, affidavit

    The $75,000 ceiling, the direction that property shall be transferred, the definition of successor, and the discharge the holder receives.

    kslegislature.gov Checked 2026-08-18

  7. Kansas Judicial Council — Small Estates Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b, published as KDOR form TR-83b

    The six sworn statements, the certified death certificate, the raise from $40,000 to $75,000 on 1 July 2023, and when vehicle VINs and odometer readings are required.

    ksrevenue.gov Checked 2026-08-18

Sources last reviewed 2026-08-18. Sources are re-checked on a schedule, and this date changes when they are. Where a source is marked pending re-verification, the page says so wherever the claim appears.

Related from the Sahvelo Journal: What Happens to a Car When Someone Dies?

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