10 of the 10 rules below carry a statute citation that was read at the official source (most recently October 2026), with the controlling text quoted. The rest are conservative reference values from Aptoria's compliance data and are labeled unverified.
Security deposit size: Unfurnished unit: not more than one month's periodic rent. Furnished unit: not more than 1.5 months' rent. Pets: an additional deposit of up to one-half month's rent is allowed. (K.S.A. 58-2550(a), confirmed 2026-10). Returning the deposit: Return the balance within 14 days after the landlord determines the amount of deductions, but in no event more than 30 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession and demand by the tenant, with an itemized written list of deductions. Wrongful withholding exposes the landlord to the amount due plus damages equal to 1.5 times the amount wrongfully withheld. (K.S.A. 58-2550(b)-(c), confirmed 2026-10).
Late fees: No statutory cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period; the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act leaves rent terms to the agreement (rent payable without demand at the agreed time and place). Late fees must be in the rental agreement. (K.S.A. 58-2545(a), (c) (no late-fee provision in 58-2540 et seq.), confirmed 2026-10). Application fees: No statewide cap on rental application or screening fees. The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (K.S.A. 58-2540 to 58-2573) contains no application-fee section; K.S.A. 58-2545 lets the parties set terms not prohibited by the Act and makes rent payable without demand or notice at the agreed time and place. (K.S.A. 58-2545(c); K.S.A. 58-2540 et seq. (no application-fee provision), confirmed 2026-10).
Nonpayment notice: 3 days after written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate (three consecutive 24-hour periods from delivery/posting; add 2 days if mailed). If unpaid within the period the landlord may terminate and sue for possession. (K.S.A. 58-2564(b), confirmed 2026-10). Rent increases: 30 days. No statute sets a dedicated rent-increase notice period or a rent cap; a landlord changes rent on a month-to-month tenancy by giving the written notice that would otherwise terminate it, i.e., notice effective on a periodic rent-paying date not less than 30 days after receipt (K.S.A. 58-2570(b)). Rent increases in retaliation for tenant complaints are barred by K.S.A. 58-2572. (K.S.A. 58-2570(b), confirmed 2026-10). Ending a month-to-month tenancy: Written notice stating that the tenancy terminates on a periodic rent-paying date not less than 30 days after receipt of the notice (7 days for week-to-week; a tenant in military service may give 15 days). Willful holdover exposes the tenant to 1.5 months' rent or 1.5x actual damages. (K.S.A. 58-2570(b), confirmed 2026-10). Entry: 'Reasonable notice' and entry at reasonable hours; no fixed hour count in the statute (24 hours is the common practice and the engine's conservative floor). Emergency entry allowed without notice. (K.S.A. 58-2557(a), confirmed 2026-10).
Kansas has no statewide rent regulation on file, so any cap on increases would come from a local ordinance. Source-of-income protection is not on file statewide, although cities and counties can add it. Card surcharges on rent: allowed within card-network limits. Managing property for others for compensation generally requires a state license: KS has limited exemptions for owner-employees; broker license still required for third-party management.
Security deposits
What Kansas allows a landlord to collect up front, how it must be held, and the deadline and paperwork for returning it.
Security deposit limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Unfurnished unit: not more than one month's periodic rent. Furnished unit: not more than 1.5 months' rent. Pets: an additional deposit of up to one-half month's rent is allowed.
“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.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “1× monthly rent”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The maximum a landlord may collect up front as security against unpaid rent or damage, usually expressed as a multiple of one month's rent. Separate pet, key or cleaning deposits often count toward the same limit.
Deposit return deadline
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Return the balance within 14 days after the landlord determines the amount of deductions, but in no event more than 30 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession and demand by the tenant, with an itemized written list of deductions. Wrongful withholding exposes the landlord to the amount due plus damages equal to 1.5 times the amount wrongfully withheld.
“the landlord shall return the balance of the security deposit to the tenant within 14 days ... but in no event to exceed 30 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession and demand by the tenant.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days after move-out”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The window after the tenant vacates in which the landlord must refund the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. Missing the deadline is the most common way a landlord forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit.
Separate pet deposit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
A separate pet security deposit IS expressly authorized and capped: if the rental agreement permits pets, the landlord may demand an additional security deposit not exceeding one-half of one month's rent, on top of the base cap (one month's rent unfurnished; 1.5 months' rent furnished).
“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.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Base cap quoted on same page: '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.'
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Permitted”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a refundable pet deposit can be collected on top of the security deposit. Even where it is permitted, the combined amount usually has to stay inside the overall deposit limit.
In practice
• Hold the deposit the way the statute requires (separate or escrow account where applicable) and record the account in the file.
• Document move-in condition with a dated, photographed inventory the tenant can sign; it is the only evidence that supports a later deduction.
• Send the itemized statement and any refund by a trackable method, and keep the receipts or estimates behind every deduction.
Rent, late fees and application fees
The fees a Kansas lease can charge, the statutory ceilings that override the lease, and whether rent increases are regulated statewide.
Late fees
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statutory cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period; the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act leaves rent terms to the agreement (rent payable without demand at the agreed time and place). Late fees must be in the rental agreement.
“Rent shall be payable without demand or notice at the time and place agreed upon by the parties.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Absence finding: section titles of 58-2540 to 58-2573 were read; none addresses late fees. The quote shows the agreement controls rent terms.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Any statutory ceiling on the fee for late rent and any mandatory grace period before it can be charged. Where there is no statutory cap, courts still strike fees they find punitive rather than a reasonable estimate of the landlord's cost.
Application fee limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide cap on rental application or screening fees. The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (K.S.A. 58-2540 to 58-2573) contains no application-fee section; K.S.A. 58-2545 lets the parties set terms not prohibited by the Act and makes rent payable without demand or notice at the agreed time and place.
“Rent shall be payable without demand or notice at the time and place agreed upon by the parties.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
none of the article 25 catchlines (58-2540 to 58-2573) mention application fees or screening.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
A cap on what an applicant can be charged to apply, sometimes limited to the actual cost of screening and sometimes prohibited outright. Fee receipts and refund rules usually travel with the cap.
Statewide rent regulation
Source-confirmed 2026-10
(b) Statewide preemption of local rent control. No statewide rent cap. K.S.A. 12-16,120(a) bars any political subdivision (county, municipality, township) from enacting, maintaining or enforcing any ordinance or resolution controlling the amount of rent charged for leasing private residential or commercial property; (d) also bars conditioning permits or zoning approvals on rent limits. Owners may voluntarily agree to rent limits in exchange for local incentives (c).
“No political subdivision of this state, including, but not limited to, a county, municipality or township, shall enact, maintain or enforce any ordinance or resolution that would have the effect of controlling the amount of rent charged”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Quote continues: '...or the purchase price agreed upon between the parties to the transaction for the lease or purchase' of privately owned property.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide rent regulation (check local ordinances)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a statewide law caps annual rent increases or whether rent control exists for covered units. Local ordinances can add limits even where the state has none.
In practice
• State the late fee, the grace period and the application fee in the lease in dollars or a clear percentage; a fee that is not in the lease is rarely enforceable.
• Never charge above the statutory cap even when the lease says more; the excess is unenforceable and can expose the landlord to penalties.
• Keep fee calculations in the ledger so a tenant, a court or an auditor can reproduce them from the rent roll.
Notices, rent increases and termination
How much written notice Kansas requires before a rent increase, before ending a month-to-month tenancy, and before filing for nonpayment.
Rent-increase notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
30 days. No statute sets a dedicated rent-increase notice period or a rent cap; a landlord changes rent on a month-to-month tenancy by giving the written notice that would otherwise terminate it, i.e., notice effective on a periodic rent-paying date not less than 30 days after receipt (K.S.A. 58-2570(b)). Rent increases in retaliation for tenant complaints are barred by K.S.A. 58-2572.
“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”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Absence-of-rule finding: the 30 days is the termination-notice period applied to a rent change, not an express rent-increase statute.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The written notice a landlord must give before a rent increase takes effect on a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy. Fixed-term leases generally cannot be changed mid-term.
Month-to-month termination notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Written notice stating that the tenancy terminates on a periodic rent-paying date not less than 30 days after receipt of the notice (7 days for week-to-week; a tenant in military service may give 15 days). Willful holdover exposes the tenant to 1.5 months' rent or 1.5x actual damages.
“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”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a landlord must give to end a periodic tenancy without cause. Some jurisdictions require longer notice for long-term tenants or require a stated cause.
Pay-or-quit notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
3 days after written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate (three consecutive 24-hour periods from delivery/posting; add 2 days if mailed). If unpaid within the period the landlord may terminate and sue for possession.
“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.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “3 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a tenant must receive for nonpayment before the landlord can file for possession, and the time the tenant has to pay in full and cure. This is the step most often done wrong in an eviction.
In practice
• Serve notices in the form and by the method the statute names, and keep proof of service with the dated notice.
• Count notice periods the way the statute counts them (calendar days, business days, or "before the next rent due date") and build in a margin.
• Treat a notice to a possibly rent-regulated or subsidized unit as a legal check, because longer periods and extra content requirements usually apply.
Landlord entry
When a Kansas landlord may enter an occupied unit and how much notice the tenant must receive.
Non-emergency entry notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
'Reasonable notice' and entry at reasonable hours; no fixed hour count in the statute (24 hours is the common practice and the engine's conservative floor). Emergency entry allowed without notice.
“The landlord shall have the right to enter the dwelling unit at reasonable hours, after reasonable notice to the tenant,”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “24 hours”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The advance notice required before a landlord enters an occupied unit for repairs, inspections or showings. Emergencies are the usual exception.
In practice
• Give written notice with the date, a reasonable time window and the purpose, and log the entry afterwards.
• Emergencies are the only common exception; document what made the entry urgent.
• A pattern of unannounced entries is a common basis for tenant complaints and counterclaims.
Payments, fair housing and licensing
Operational rules that sit outside the landlord-tenant act but decide how rent can be collected, who can be screened out, and who may manage for others.
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Returned-payment (NSF) fee
No statewide statutory cap on file
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
Local ordinances can extend protection beyond the statewide rule.
Property-management licensing
License generally required to manage for others
KS has limited exemptions for owner-employees; broker license still required for third-party management.
Compliance posture values are reference data compiled from public statutes and are not source-confirmed line by line. Confirm with the state agency before relying on them.
Kansas next to its neighbors
Own units on both sides of a state line? These are the reference values for every bordering jurisdiction. Open a state to see which values carry a citation.
Federal and state disclosures Aptoria's lease workflow surfaces for Kansas. This is a working checklist from public sources, not a complete legal inventory for a specific property.
• Lead-based paint hazards (pre-1978 housing) — EPA Pamphlet "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home"
• Move-in inventory
Official sources
Primary sources a Kansas landlord should bookmark. Each link was fetched and read during the October 2026 review; the binding text is always the current official version.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Kansas?
Unfurnished unit: not more than one month's periodic rent. Furnished unit: not more than 1.5 months' rent. Pets: an additional deposit of up to one-half month's rent is allowed. (K.S.A. 58-2550(a), confirmed 2026-10).
How long does a Kansas landlord have to return the security deposit?
Return the balance within 14 days after the landlord determines the amount of deductions, but in no event more than 30 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession and demand by the tenant, with an itemized written list of deductions. Wrongful withholding exposes the landlord to the amount due plus damages equal to 1.5 times the amount wrongfully withheld. (K.S.A. 58-2550(b)-(c), confirmed 2026-10).
What is the maximum late fee in Kansas?
No statutory cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period; the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act leaves rent terms to the agreement (rent payable without demand at the agreed time and place). Late fees must be in the rental agreement. (K.S.A. 58-2545(a), (c) (no late-fee provision in 58-2540 et seq.), confirmed 2026-10).
How many days does a Kansas pay-or-quit notice give the tenant?
3 days after written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate (three consecutive 24-hour periods from delivery/posting; add 2 days if mailed). If unpaid within the period the landlord may terminate and sue for possession. (K.S.A. 58-2564(b), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice must a Kansas landlord give before entering?
'Reasonable notice' and entry at reasonable hours; no fixed hour count in the statute (24 hours is the common practice and the engine's conservative floor). Emergency entry allowed without notice. (K.S.A. 58-2557(a), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to raise rent in Kansas?
30 days. No statute sets a dedicated rent-increase notice period or a rent cap; a landlord changes rent on a month-to-month tenancy by giving the written notice that would otherwise terminate it, i.e., notice effective on a periodic rent-paying date not less than 30 days after receipt (K.S.A. 58-2570(b)). Rent increases in retaliation for tenant complaints are barred by K.S.A. 58-2572. (K.S.A. 58-2570(b), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to end a month-to-month tenancy in Kansas?
Written notice stating that the tenancy terminates on a periodic rent-paying date not less than 30 days after receipt of the notice (7 days for week-to-week; a tenant in military service may give 15 days). Willful holdover exposes the tenant to 1.5 months' rent or 1.5x actual damages. (K.S.A. 58-2570(b), confirmed 2026-10).
Does Kansas have statewide rent control?
No statewide rent regulation is on file for Kansas. Local ordinances can still limit increases, so check the city or county where the unit sits before setting a renewal rent.
Is source of income a protected class in Kansas?
No statewide source-of-income protection is on file for Kansas, but cities and counties can adopt it. Check local law before refusing a voucher or benefit income, and apply any screening criteria consistently.
Can a Kansas landlord add a surcharge for paying rent by card?
Allowed within card-network limits. Where a surcharge is allowed, it must still follow card-network rules and be disclosed before payment.
How this page was verified
Every rule is shown in one of two states. “Source-confirmed” means an editor opened the official statute page named next to the rule on the date shown, read the controlling text, and recorded the excerpt you see; the excerpt is quoted verbatim so you can check it. “Reference value” means Aptoria's compliance engine applies a conservative number for this rule, but nobody has yet tied it to a specific statute section on this page, so it must be checked before you rely on it.
This page meets Aptoria's evidence floor for publication (10 source-confirmed rules and 4 fetched official sources). Statutes change; local ordinances can be stricter; the facts of a tenancy change the result.