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Kansas Debt Collection Laws: Time Limits, Garnishment and Your Rights

Kansas debt rules: statute of limitations, wage garnishment limits, protected bank and home exemptions, judgments, collector rules and how to answer a debt lawsuit.

Quick answers for Kansas

Time limit to sue on a written contract
5 years for an action on any written agreement, contract or promise. K.S.A. 60-511(1)
Wage garnishment limit
Follows the federal limit: the lesser of 25% of weekly disposable earnings or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage. K.S.A. 60-2310(b)
Money protected in a bank account
Kansas's list of exempt personal property does not include a general exemption for cash or bank deposits. Exempt federal benefits keep their protection under federal law. K.S.A. 60-2304

Last verified: 2026-10-26

Time limits

Time limit to sue on a written contract5 years for an action on any written agreement, contract or promise.
Source: K.S.A. 60-511(1)
Time limit for credit cards and open accounts3 years for contracts, obligations or liabilities not in writing, such as oral agreements and many open accounts.
Source: K.S.A. 60-512(1)
Can a payment restart the clock?Yes. A partial payment of principal or interest restarts the full limitations period from the date of payment. A written acknowledgment of the debt or promise to pay, signed by the debtor, also restarts it. An oral acknowledgment does not.
Source: K.S.A. 60-520(a)
How long a judgment lastsA judgment becomes dormant, and stops being a lien on real estate, if 5 years pass without a renewal affidavit being filed or execution (including garnishment) being issued. Each renewal affidavit or execution starts a new 5-year period. A dormant judgment can be revived by a motion filed within 2 years after it became dormant.
§ 60-2404: https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/laws/060_000_0000_chapter/060_024_0000_article/060_024_0004_section/060_024_0004_k/
Source: K.S.A. 60-2403(a); K.S.A. 60-2404

Garnishment and what creditors can't take

Wage garnishment limitFollows the federal limit: the lesser of 25% of weekly disposable earnings or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage. One creditor may not issue more than one wage garnishment against the same debtor in any 30-day period. Higher limits apply to support orders.
Source: K.S.A. 60-2310(b)
Money protected in a bank accountKansas's list of exempt personal property does not include a general exemption for cash or bank deposits. Exempt federal benefits keep their protection under federal law.
Source: K.S.A. 60-2304
Homestead exemptionNo dollar limit. A homestead the owner or family lives in is exempt from forced sale up to 160 acres of farmland or 1 acre within a city or town, or a manufactured or mobile home. It is not protected from taxes, the purchase-money debt, or debts for improvements on it.
Source: K.S.A. 60-2301
Vehicle exemptionUp to $20,000 in one vehicle regularly used for transportation, including getting to work. There is no value limit for a vehicle designed or equipped for a person with a disability.
Source: K.S.A. 60-2304(c)
Claiming an exemptionAfter a garnishment order is served, the creditor must send the debtor a notice explaining the garnishment, the right to claim exemptions (or object to the wage calculation), and the right to a hearing. The debtor must file a request for a hearing no later than 14 days after the notice is served. The court then holds the hearing 7 to 14 days later.
Source: K.S.A. 60-735(a)-(b)
Bankruptcy exemptionsKansas has opted out of the federal exemptions. A Kansas debtor uses Kansas exemptions in bankruptcy, but may also exempt the property listed in 11 U.S.C. § 522(d)(10) (such as Social Security, unemployment, disability and certain retirement benefits).
Source: K.S.A. 60-2312

Debt collectors and interest

Interest rate limitsJudgment interest changes each July 1 and equals 4 percentage points above the New York Federal Reserve Bank discount rate as of the preceding July 1. The Secretary of State publishes the rate in the Kansas Register each July.
The current rate was not confirmed. Other subsections set different rules for some judgments.
Source: K.S.A. 16-204(e)(1)

Debt & Collections FAQ

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Kansas?
5 years for an action on any written agreement, contract or promise.
How long can a creditor sue on a credit card debt in Kansas?
3 years for contracts, obligations or liabilities not in writing, such as oral agreements and many open accounts.
Does making a payment restart the statute of limitations in Kansas?
Yes. A partial payment of principal or interest restarts the full limitations period from the date of payment. A written acknowledgment of the debt or promise to pay, signed by the debtor, also restarts it. An oral acknowledgment does not.
How long does a court judgment last in Kansas?
A judgment becomes dormant, and stops being a lien on real estate, if 5 years pass without a renewal affidavit being filed or execution (including garnishment) being issued. Each renewal affidavit or execution starts a new 5-year period. A dormant judgment can be revived by a motion filed within 2 years after it became dormant.
How much of my wages can be garnished in Kansas?
Follows the federal limit: the lesser of 25% of weekly disposable earnings or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage. One creditor may not issue more than one wage garnishment against the same debtor in any 30-day period. Higher limits apply to support orders.
How much money in a bank account is protected from creditors in Kansas?
Kansas's list of exempt personal property does not include a general exemption for cash or bank deposits. Exempt federal benefits keep their protection under federal law.
What is the homestead exemption in Kansas?
No dollar limit. A homestead the owner or family lives in is exempt from forced sale up to 160 acres of farmland or 1 acre within a city or town, or a manufactured or mobile home. It is not protected from taxes, the purchase-money debt, or debts for improvements on it.
Can a creditor take my car in Kansas?
Up to $20,000 in one vehicle regularly used for transportation, including getting to work. There is no value limit for a vehicle designed or equipped for a person with a disability.
What is the maximum legal interest rate in Kansas?
Judgment interest changes each July 1 and equals 4 percentage points above the New York Federal Reserve Bank discount rate as of the preceding July 1. The Secretary of State publishes the rate in the Kansas Register each July.
How do I stop a garnishment or claim an exemption in Kansas?
After a garnishment order is served, the creditor must send the debtor a notice explaining the garnishment, the right to claim exemptions (or object to the wage calculation), and the right to a hearing. The debtor must file a request for a hearing no later than 14 days after the notice is served. The court then holds the hearing 7 to 14 days later.
Which bankruptcy exemptions can I use in Kansas?
Kansas has opted out of the federal exemptions. A Kansas debtor uses Kansas exemptions in bankruptcy, but may also exempt the property listed in 11 U.S.C. § 522(d)(10) (such as Social Security, unemployment, disability and certain retirement benefits).

Debt & Collections in other states

More Kansas law

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.