Repossession Laws in Kansas
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In Kansas, a lender can start the repossession process if you're more than 10 days late on your car payment, but they must first send a written notice giving you 20 days to catch up. If you don’t pay by the deadline, your car can be taken without a court order, as long as the repo company doesn’t breach the peace. After repossession, the lender may sell your car and can try to collect any remaining loan balance from you if the sale doesn’t cover everything you owe. You may be able to avoid repossession or reduce added fees by working with your lender early or considering Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which can temporarily pause collection efforts.
Written by Upsolve Team.
Updated November 7, 2025
How Many Payments Can I Miss Without Risking a Repossession in Kansas?
In Kansas, if you’re more than 10 days late on a car loan payment, your lender can consider your loan to be in default. This puts you at risk of repossession.
But before the lender can repossess your vehicle, they have to give you a written notice and a chance to catch up on payments.
🗓️ This gives you 20 more days to make the overdue payment and avoid repossession.
Will I Be Notified Before the Repossession? How?
Yes, Kansas law requires your lender to send you a written right to cure notice before they can repossess your car. This happens after your payment is more than 10 days late. The notice must give you 20 more days to catch up on your payment and avoid losing your car.
The letter must include:
✅ Your lender’s contact info
✅ Details about your loan
✅ How much you need to pay and the deadline to avoid repossession
✅ A warning about possible repossession-related costs
Lenders are only required to send this notice once during the life of the loan. If you fall behind again later, they can repossess without sending another warning.
After 30 days, the lender can repossess your car at any time without giving additional notice.
How Can I Prevent a Repossession?
If you’re struggling to make your car payment, try reaching out to your lender as soon as possible. It’s often helpful to reach out before missing the payment.
It might feel uncomfortable, but many lenders would rather work with you than go through the hassle of repossessing your car.
When you call, explain your situation honestly. Let them know you want to stay on track with your loan and ask if they offer any hardship options. Some lenders may offer a modified payment plan, temporary forbearance, or other ways to help you catch up.
If you’ve already received a default or right to cure notice, there may still be time to stop the repossession. You can usually bring the loan current by paying the overdue amount, along with any fees listed in the notice.
💡 If missed car payments are part of a larger financial issue, you may also want to consider Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Filing triggers an automatic stay, which temporarily stops most collection efforts — including repossession — and gives you time to regroup.
If your case is simple, you may be able to use Upsolve’s free online tool to file for Chapter 7 on your own, without a lawyer.
What Can Repo Companies in Kansas Do?
Once your right to cure period ends, a repo company can take your car without a court order. That said, they can’t enter your home or breach the peace. This means they can’t use threats, force, or deception or go into your garage or behind a locked gate.
🚙 If your car is parked in a driveway or on a public street, they’re usually allowed to repossess it.
Kansas doesn’t require repo agents to be licensed, but they do need operating authority from the Transportation Division of the Kansas Corporation Commission. If something about the repossession doesn’t seem right, you can report your concerns to the Kansas Corporation Commission or the lender that hired the company.
What About the Personal Property in My Car?
If you think your car might be repossessed, try to remove all your personal belongings from it as soon as possible. After the car has been repossessed, getting your items back can be an additional hassle during an already stressful time.
If your car has already been repossessed, the repo company should notify you that your items were removed and stored — usually at your expense. They should also tell you how to get your belongings back. This only applies to loose items, not anything permanently attached to the car.
If you don’t hear from the repo company, contact your lender right away to ask how to retrieve your property.
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What Happens After a Repossession in Kansas?
After your car is repossessed, what happens next depends on how much of the loan you’ve already paid.
If you’ve paid 60% or more of the loan or purchase price and haven’t signed anything giving up your rights, the lender must sell the car. They generally have up to 90 days to do so.
If you’ve paid less than 60%, the lender can choose to keep the car instead of selling it, but only if they send you a notice and you don’t object.
Whether the lender decides to sell the car at a public auction or through a private sale, Kansas law requires them to send you a written notice first.
This notice must include:
A description of the car
The type of sale (public or private)
The time and place of a public sale, or the date after which a private sale will happen
How to request an itemized list of what you still owe
The lender must handle the sale of your car in a fair and reasonable way — legally known as a commercially reasonable sale. This matters because if the car sells for less than what you owe on the loan, plus any repossession-related fees, you may still be responsible for the remaining balance.
Do I Still Owe After a Repossession in Kansas?
If your car sells for less than what you owe on it plus the repossession costs, you may still owe after the repossession. The amount owed in this case is called a deficiency balance. It often includes repo-related costs like towing, storage, and auction fees.
This is why some people choose to voluntarily return the car before it’s repossessed. This won’t erase the debt, but it may reduce fees and help avoid the stress of having your car towed.
🏛️ Lenders will usually try to collect the deficiency balance from you after the sale, often by suing you and trying to get a wage garnishment order.
Kansas law offers some protections:
If your car sells for $1,000 or less at auction, the lender may not be allowed to collect a deficiency balance at all.
You’re entitled to a detailed, itemized list of the fees tied to the repossession. Kansas law caps these collection-related charges at 15% of the unpaid loan balance after default.
If you’re struggling to repay a deficiency balance and other debts, you may want to consider filing bankruptcy. Bankruptcy can clear these balances and most other consumer debts, such as credit cards and medical bills.
✨ If you can’t afford an attorney, Upsolve’s free filing tool may be able to help you start the process on your own.
Can I Get My Car Back After a Repossession in Kansas?
If the lender has already sold the car, it’s usually too late to get it back.
If it hasn’t been sold, you may be able to get your car back after it’s been repossessed, but it can be challenging. It often requires having access to a large lump sum of money to redeem the car.
The notice the lender sends after the repossession will explain how you can redeem the vehicle. You usually have to pay the full loan balance or all missed payments, along with repossession, towing, and storage fees.
Where Can I Find More Information About Repossession Laws in Kansas?
Kansas Legal Services: helps low-income Kansas residents navigate legal issues
Washburn Law Clinic: upper-level law students represent clients who can’t afford an attorney
Kansas State Legislature: Kansas statutes regarding repossession
