Kansas Closing Costs 2026
Recording fees fixed by statute and identical in all 105 counties, a mortgage registration fee the legislature repealed in 2019, and a clear split of what buyers and sellers each pay at a Kansas closing.
Buyer closing costs in Kansas
Kansas buyers pay a familiar set of lender and third-party charges. The part that is genuinely fixed by the state is the recording fee; everything else is priced by the lender, the title company or the service provider, so the ranges below carry a tilde and should be treated as approximations rather than quoted figures.
| Cost | Typical amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Recording fee, deed | $17 first page + $13 each additional | Set by K.S.A. 28-115. Same in all 105 counties |
| Recording fee, mortgage | $17 first page + $13 each additional | A mortgage runs many pages, so this is the larger of the two recording charges |
| Loan origination | ~0.5%–1% of the loan | Lender-set. Compare on the Loan Estimate |
| Appraisal | ~$500–$700 | Ordered by the lender |
| Credit report | ~$50–$100 | |
| Title insurance, lender policy | ~$900–$1,500 | Not set by the state |
| Settlement or closing fee | ~$400–$800 | Charged by the closing agent |
| Prepaid property taxes and insurance | Varies | Escrow setup, not a fee |
Only the recording fees on this table are set by Kansas law. Every other line is negotiable or shoppable, which is why the Loan Estimate matters more here than the state does.
Seller closing costs in Kansas
Sellers in Kansas do not face a state deed transfer tax line, because Kansas does not levy one. The seller side is dominated by the real estate commission and by any owner title policy the parties agree the seller will provide.
| Cost | Typical amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate commission | Negotiable | Agreed in the listing agreement |
| Owner title policy | ~$1,000–$1,800 | Who pays is negotiated locally |
| Recording a mortgage release | $16 | Set by K.S.A. 28-115 |
| Prorated property taxes | Varies | Through the closing date |
| Settlement or closing fee, seller share | ~$300–$600 | Often split with the buyer |
Kansas recording fees, set by statute
K.S.A. 28-115 tells the register of deeds in every county exactly what to charge. The operative schedule applies to documents received and filed on or after January 1, 2018, and it has not been superseded since. That makes recording one of the few closing costs in any state that you can know exactly in advance.
| Document | Statutory fee |
|---|---|
| Deed, mortgage or other instrument, first page | $17 |
| Each additional page | $13 |
| Release or assignment of a real estate mortgage | $16 |
| Certificate certifying an instrument on record | $13 |
| Acknowledgment of a signature | $12.50 |
| Town plats, per page | $32 |
Verify the current schedule at K.S.A. 28-115, published by the Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Subsection (a)(5) is the tier in force.
The repealed mortgage registration fee
Kansas repealed its mortgage registration fee effective January 1, 2019 and charges statutory recording fees instead. Before the change, recording a mortgage carried a percentage-based charge tied to the loan amount, which meant the cost of financing a purchase scaled with the size of the mortgage. The 2014 legislation phased that fee out and raised the flat per-page register of deeds fees in its place.
The practical effect for a Kansas buyer today: the size of your loan no longer changes what it costs to put the mortgage on record. A $150,000 mortgage and a $450,000 mortgage of the same page count record for the same fee.
The repeal is recorded in the statute history for K.S.A. 79-3102: Repealed, L. 2014, ch. 140, section 22; January 1, 2019.
Title Insurance in Kansas
Kansas title rates and charges are filed with the Kansas Insurance Department, and every filing is open to public inspection under the Kansas Open Records Act. One exception: per the Kansas Insurance Department, title agents and agencies that do not handle title policies on properties in counties with fewer than 10,000 people are not required to file rates and charges with the Department.
| Policy Type | Who Pays (Customary, Negotiable) | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Owner’s title insurance | Varies by local custom and is negotiable in the contract | Protects the buyer against title defects, liens and encumbrances |
| Lender’s title insurance | Buyer | Protects the lender’s interest in the property |
| Title search and examination | Varies by local custom | Confirms the seller can convey clear title before closing |
Closing Process in Kansas
Kansas closings are typically handled by a title or escrow company. Kansas is not a mandatory attorney-closing state, so most transactions close without an attorney at the table, though either party is free to have one review the documents.
- Inspection period — Set by the purchase contract rather than by statute.
- Signing — Documents are usually signed at the title company’s office, or by mobile notary.
- Recording — The deed and mortgage are recorded with the county register of deeds at or shortly after closing, at $17 for the first page and $13 for each additional page under K.S.A. 28-115.
- No transfer tax, no registration fee — Kansas charges no real estate transfer tax, and the mortgage registration fee was repealed effective January 1, 2019. Neither appears on a Kansas closing statement.
Estimated closing costs by purchase price
The figures below are illustrations, not quotes. Recording fees are exact because the statute fixes them; the surrounding estimate uses the approximate ranges from the buyer table and assumes a two-page deed and a twelve-page mortgage.
| Purchase price | Recording fees (deed + mortgage) | Est. total buyer closing costs |
|---|---|---|
| $175,000 | $190 | ~$4,000–$6,000 (Est.) |
| $250,000 | $190 | ~$5,000–$8,000 (Est.) |
| $350,000 | $190 | ~$6,500–$10,500 (Est.) |
Recording math: deed at $17 + $13 = $30, mortgage at $17 + eleven pages at $13 = $160, for $190 total. Page counts vary by lender and document set, and the totals exclude prepaids and escrow deposits, which are not fees.
How to Reduce Your Kansas Closing Costs
- Compare lenders. This is where working with an experienced Brokered Mortgage Advisor can help you save time and money throughout your transaction, by shopping rates and costs with several different lenders before your loan package is submitted.
- Shop title and settlement services. Kansas does not set title rates, so pricing varies between providers and you are entitled to choose your own.
- Ask for seller concessions. Purchase contracts commonly allow a seller credit toward buyer closing costs within program limits.
- Check KHRC eligibility. The First Time Homebuyer Program applies its assistance to closing costs as well as down payment, though it is unavailable in Johnson County and inside the Kansas City, Lawrence, Topeka and Wichita city limits.
- Consider a lender credit. Accepting a slightly higher rate in exchange for a credit can cut cash needed at closing.
