Kansas tenant screening laws

No section of the Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, read whole, limits application or screening fees (K.S.A. 58-2540 to 58-2573).

• You may not deny tenancy to an applicant who otherwise qualifies because the applicant is, was within the past 12 months, or is in imminent danger of becoming a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or stalking (K.S.A. 58-25,137(a)(1); K.S.A. 58-25,137(f)).See Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking or stalking on the Kansas page
• Kansas fair housing law bars refusing to rent because of race, religion, color, sex, disability, familial status, national origin or ancestry (K.S.A. 44-1016(a)).See Fair housing on the Kansas page
• From July 1, 2026, a city or county may not limit your use of income tests, credit, eviction, property damage or criminal history under your usual screening criteria (SB 391 (2026)).
• When reviewing an eviction record, check the current court disposition rather than treating an old filing as a permanent judgment. Since July 1, 2026, eligible residential eviction records can be expunged through a court request. The process is not automatic: it generally requires three years since judgment, satisfaction of the related monetary judgment and no additional covered eviction judgment during that period. See the eviction process section for the notice and objection procedure (2026 Kansas Laws, ch. 132, sec. 1; Kansas Judicial Council, July 1, 2026 notice).See Eviction process on the Kansas page
• An unsatisfied monetary judgment prevents expungement unless the plaintiff and defendant agree. Expungement does not erase the underlying debt or separate civil remedies, and public housing authorities retain the access specified for federal housing applications. Check the order and applicable reporting requirements before relying on a screening report (2026 Kansas Laws, ch. 132, sec. 1(a)(5) to (7)).

Kansas law makes it unlawful to refuse to rent, set different terms, or advertise a preference because of race, religion, color, sex, disability, familial status, national origin or ancestry (K.S.A. 44-1016(a); K.S.A. 44-1016(b); K.S.A. 44-1016(c)).

• Refusing reasonable modifications at the tenant's expense, or reasonable accommodations in rules and policies, needed by a person with a disability is discrimination (K.S.A. 44-1016(h)(3)).
• Familial status means having a child under 18 living with a parent, custodian or their designee (K.S.A. 44-1015(i)).
• You may not deny, evict or find in breach a tenant because the tenant is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or stalking (K.S.A. 58-25,137(a)).See Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking or stalking on the Kansas page