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Kansas · 26th Judicial District of Kansas

Grant County District Court Guide

Settled Estate records a $109.50+ court filing fee and a 4-month creditor claim period for the Grant County District Court, read from 11 linked sources and last verified September 7, 2026.

By Settled Estate Editorial Team

District Court information · Updated September 2026

Settling an estate while grieving is hard. This page takes it one step at a time, and free local help is listed below.

$109.50+
Court filing fee
4 months
Creditor claims, from notice
(620) 356-1526
Filing office phone
Unofficial guide · Verified September 2026 · Grant County District CourtSources (11)

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Not sure if you need probate?

Many estates can avoid probate entirely. Assets with beneficiary designations, joint accounts, and trust assets may pass automatically without court involvement.

Immediate Actions

The first days

First: Get Death Certificates

Required for everything

Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Office of Vital Statistics

Kansas death certificates are issued BY THE STATE, not by the county. Kansas registers deaths centrally through its electronic death registration system, so a Grant County family orders from the KDHE Office of Vital Statistics in Topeka: in person, by regular or priority mail, online or by telephone through VitalChek, or through the state's iKan app. The district court does not issue death certificates and neither does the county.

How to order

Secure the Property

  • Lock the residence and secure valuable items
  • Forward mail to a responsible family member
  • Make a list of what you find (don't throw anything away yet)

Locate Important Documents

Will or trust documents
Property deeds
Bank/investment statements
Insurance policies
Vehicle titles
Tax returns (last 3 years)

Required by Law

Legal duties

Deposit the Will

KANSAS PUTS THE DEADLINE ON PROBATING THE WILL, NOT ON HANDING IT OVER, AND IT IS SIX MONTHS. No will of a person who died a Kansas resident passes property unless a petition for its probate is filed within six months after the death (K.S.A. 59-617). Anyone who has the will, or knows of it and can get it for probate, and knowingly withholds it from the district court for more than six months after the death is liable for reasonable attorney fees, costs and all damages suffered by beneficiaries who did not know of it (K.S.A. 59-618). That is civil liability; the section names no crime. A will or a copy may instead be filed with the statutory affidavit in the district court of the decedent's last residence, and if that is done within six months of the death it may be admitted to probate later; the docket fee for that filing is $48.50 (K.S.A. 59-618a). There is no deadline expressed in DAYS, which is why the day count is recorded as 0 rather than converted. (K.S.A. 59-617, 59-618 and 59-618a)

Cost: $48.5
Where: Grant County Clerk of the District Court (Reid Borchetta)
Clerk Website

Creditor claim window

Creditors generally have 4 months from the date of first publication of the notice to creditors to bring claims against the estate. (K.S.A. 59-2239, 59-2236 and 59-709)

Notify Key Parties

  • Banks and credit card companies (to prevent unauthorized use)
  • Social Security Administration (1-800-772-1213)
  • Employer (if applicable) for final paycheck and benefits

Assess Your Situation

Before filing anything

Which probate type is right for you?

1

Small estate? If the estate is worth less than the Kansas small-estate limit (shown on the options below), you may qualify for simplified procedures.

2

Is there a valid will? If yes, you'll file for probate with will. If no will exists, it's intestate probate.

3

Complex assets? Business interests, real estate in multiple states, or contested claims may require probate administration.

Select a probate type below to see specific requirements and costs.

Which applies to your situation?

Not sure? Use the free checker at the top of this page - you don't have to decide this alone.

Not a court proceeding and not filed with the district court. Where the total assets of the estate SUBJECT TO PROBATE do not exceed $75,000 in value, a successor gives a signed affidavit to whoever holds the decedent's personal property and the holder transfers it. TWO THINGS ARE TRUE AT ONCE AND BOTH MATTER: real estate subject to probate COUNTS toward the $75,000 measure, and the affidavit CANNOT transfer real estate. There is no waiting period, so the affidavit can be used immediately after the death.

  • The decedent died a Kansas resident, with or without a will
  • The total assets of the estate subject to probate do not exceed $75,000 in value
  • The claimant is a successor: entitled by will or intestate succession, or nominated as personal representative in the will
  • The affidavit substantially complies with the form set by the Kansas Judicial Council, published as "Small Estates Affidavit (02-2024)"
Qualifies:
$75,000
Typical duration:
Immediate; no waiting period and no court filing
Attorney:
not required by law, though many families use one

No docket fee, because the affidavit never reaches the court. The Kansas Department of Revenue publishes its own version for vehicle work as form TR-83b, whose printed heading independently corroborates the $75,000 figure from a second official Kansas host.

The ordinary Kansas route. A petition to admit the will to probate, or for administration where there is no will, is filed with the clerk of the Grant County District Court. The court appoints an executor or administrator and issues letters. The personal representative publishes notice to creditors within 30 days of filing the petition, files an inventory and valuation within 30 days of the letters, gives actual notice to known creditors, pays allowed demands in the K.S.A. 59-1301 order, and closes on a petition and notice of final settlement. K.S.A. 59-1501 gives nine months from appointment to settle, extendable by the court for cause.

  • File in the district court of the county where the decedent resided (K.S.A. 59-2203)
  • File the petition to probate a will within six months of the death, or the will does not pass property (K.S.A. 59-617)
  • Mail the elective-share notice to the surviving spouse within 10 days of qualification (K.S.A. 59-2233)
  • Publish notice to creditors within 30 days of filing the petition, once a week for three consecutive weeks (K.S.A. 59-709)
  • File the inventory and valuation within 30 days of the letters of appointment (K.S.A. 59-1201)
Qualifies:
No dollar threshold
Filing fee:
$109.50
source
Typical duration:
6 to 12 months
Attorney:
not required by law, though many families use one

The $109.50 is the statewide statutory docket fee of K.S.A. 59-104(a)(1). The supreme court may add up to $22 per docket fee on and after July 1, 2026, so the counter total may be higher. Publication of the creditor notice is billed separately by the newspaper.

K.S.A. 59-3201 through 59-3206 let the district court administer an estate without supervising it. At the hearing on the petition the court decides whether the estate is administered as a simplified estate or a supervised estate, weighing the size of the estate, the kinship of the heirs and devisees, solvency, the nature of the estate, the wishes of the heirs and devisees and the probable cost of administration. Under a simplified estate no notice of the representative's actions is given except notice of final settlement, and the letters say on their face that they issue under the act.

  • Ask for administration under the Kansas simplified estates act in the petition
  • The court determines simplified or supervised at the hearing (K.S.A. 59-3202)
  • The published notice must warn that the court need not supervise the administration and that written objections may cause the court to order supervision (K.S.A. 59-2222(b))
Qualifies:
No dollar threshold; the court decides
Filing fee:
$109.50
source
Typical duration:
6 to 12 months
Attorney:
not required by law, though many families use one

Simplified administration removes court supervision, not the four-month creditor bar or the nine-month settlement period, so it saves hearings rather than months. It is opened on the same $109.50 docket fee.

A discretionary court order rather than an administration. On a petition the district court may refuse to grant letters where the estate will be exhausted by the exempt property and the K.S.A. 59-403 allowance to the surviving spouse and minor children, or, on the $75,000 ground, where the real and personal estate does not exceed $75,000, the K.S.A. 59-403 allowances do not apply or are waived, and the petitioning heir, devisee, legatee, creditor or other interested person gives bond for at least the value of the estate. This route MEASURES REAL ESTATE, unlike the small estates affidavit.

  • File a petition for refusal of letters in the district court
  • Where the surviving spouse or minor children petition, give notice under K.S.A. 59-2222
  • On the $75,000 ground, give bond of not less than the value of the estate, conditioned on paying the decedent's debts in order of preference and distributing the balance
Qualifies:
$75,000
Filing fee:
$48.50
source
Typical duration:
1 to 3 months
Attorney:
not required by law, though many families use one

The $75,000 figures in K.S.A. 59-2287(a)(2) and (b) were set by L. 2023, ch. 77, sec. 11, effective July 1, 2023; both were $50,000 before that act. This is a separate route from the K.S.A. 59-1507b affidavit and not a tier of it, even though the two now carry the same number.

The ordinary Kansas way to clear title to real estate when nobody opened a probate. Once the decedent has been dead more than six months, no will has been filed under K.S.A. 59-618a within six months, and no petition for probate or administration has been filed, any person interested in the estate or claiming an interest in the property may petition the district court of the county of residence or of any county where property lies. The court assigns the property to the persons entitled at the date of death under the intestate succession law in effect on that date, or under a valid settlement agreement.

  • Wait until the decedent has been dead more than six months (K.S.A. 59-2250)
  • Confirm no will was filed under K.S.A. 59-618a within six months and no probate or administration petition has been filed
  • Give notice under K.S.A. 59-2209 where title to real estate is to be assigned
Qualifies:
No dollar threshold; more than six months after the death
Filing fee:
$49.50
source
Typical duration:
1 to 3 months after the six-month wait
Attorney:
not required by law, though many families use one

The decree is recorded with the Grant County register of deeds to put the title of record in the heirs' names.

File for Probate

Where to file, forms & fees

Where to File

Office: Grant County District Court
Address: Grant County Courthouse, 108 S. Glenn, Second Level, Ulysses, KS 67880
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
How: in person, by mail
Get Forms

Free Filing Help Available

Kansas Free Legal Answers can help you understand forms and filing requirements at no cost.

Visit Self-Help Center

Other Topics That May Apply

Property & Real Estate

Property transfer after death, recording

Grant County Register of Deeds (Julie K. Widder)

Website

Vehicle Title Transfer

Retitle or transfer the deceased's vehicle. Office, forms, fees.

Grant County Treasurer's Motor Vehicle Office

County treasurer's motor vehicle office

Office Website

Kansas publishes no statewide motor-vehicle office locator, so the street address, phone and hours of this office are not recorded here. Confirm them on the county website before you travel.

When a Kansas vehicle owner dies, the new owner applies for a certificate of title at the county treasurer's motor vehicle office in the county where the vehicle is garaged, and the treasurer notifies the Division of Vehicles to issue the title. K.S.A. 8-135(c)(2)(B) covers this case directly: when ownership of a vehicle passes by operation of law, the person owning the vehicle may procure a certificate of title on furnishing satisfactory proof of ownership to the county treasurer. Which form applies turns on the facts, and Kansas has four death routes: a transfer-on-death designation the owner made on the title before death, the K.S.A. 59-1507b small estates affidavit where the probate estate is $75,000 or less, form TR-83a for one vehicle where a will has not yet been probated, and ordinary probate.

Transfer scenarios

Transfer-on-death beneficiary named on the title

Documents needed:

  • The Kansas certificate of title showing the transfer-on-death designation
  • Form TR-82, Transfer on Death Affidavit, completed by the beneficiary
  • Certified copy of the death certificate
  • Current proof of insurance
  • Title and Registration Manual Application, form TR-212a, and the title fee

The designation is made while the owner is alive, by writing the owner's name on the certificate of title followed in substance by the words transfer on death to, and the name of the beneficiary; the abbreviation TOD may be used (K.S.A. 59-3509). The beneficiary has no interest until the death and the owner may change the designation at any time without the beneficiary's consent. On the death, ownership vests in the beneficiary under K.S.A. 59-3511, and the beneficiary takes TR-82, the title, the death certificate and proof of insurance to the county treasurer's motor vehicle office.

This route is not a testamentary disposition and is not invalidated for failing to conform to chapter 59. Do not confuse the form with the designation: TR-82 is the claim after death, and the designation is made on the title beforehand.

Small estates affidavit, probate estate of $75,000 or less

Documents needed:

  • Form TR-83b, the Small Estates Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b, completed and sworn
  • Certified copy of the death certificate, attached to the affidavit
  • The Kansas certificate of title, or an application for a duplicate if it cannot be found
  • Current proof of insurance
  • Title and Registration Manual Application, form TR-212a, and the title fee

The successor swears the affidavit, which recites the date and place of death, whether the decedent died testate or intestate, that the probate estate does not exceed $75,000, that a certified death certificate is attached, that no petition for appointment of an executor or administrator is pending or has been granted, that unpaid debts and taxes have been or will be paid, and the names, ages, relationships and addresses of the heirs. The affidavit and the title go to the county treasurer's motor vehicle office.

The $75,000 is measured on the total assets of the estate subject to probate, not on the value of the vehicle. A family with a $6,000 car and a $200,000 house that is subject to probate is over the line. K.S.A. 59-1507b states no waiting period after the death.

Surviving spouse, one vehicle where a will has not been probated

Documents needed:

  • Form TR-83a, Decedent's Affidavit, naming the heir, the deceased, the date of death and the vehicle
  • Certified copy of the death certificate
  • The Kansas certificate of title
  • Current proof of insurance
  • Title and Registration Manual Application, form TR-212a, and the title fee

The affiant certifies to being an heir, that the deceased was the lawful owner of the vehicle, and lists the surviving sole and only direct heirs at law. The affiant guarantees title to all subsequent purchasers. The affidavit and the title go to the county treasurer's motor vehicle office.

TR-83a covers ONE vehicle only, which follows the single automobile in the K.S.A. 59-403(a) allowance. It is not a general small-estate route, and it is written for the situation where a will exists but has not been probated. Where the estate qualifies under K.S.A. 59-1507b, TR-83b is the broader route.

Two or more names already on the title

Documents needed:

  • The Kansas certificate of title showing how the two names are joined
  • Certified copy of the death certificate
  • Current proof of insurance
  • Title and Registration Manual Application, form TR-212a, and the title fee

Take the title and the death certificate to the county treasurer's motor vehicle office and ask the office to read the ownership line. The Division of Vehicles states the counter rule for two names on a title: AND means every person listed must sign, OR means one signature is enough, and where no connection is printed it defaults to AND. Where the title does not clearly create a joint tenancy, the vehicle is part of the estate and one of the other three routes applies.

This is the scenario most often assumed wrongly. Do not tell a Kansas reader that a jointly titled vehicle automatically passes to the survivor. Ask what the title says.

Probate, where no shortcut applies

Documents needed:

  • Letters testamentary or letters of administration issued by the Kansas district court
  • Certified copy of the death certificate
  • The Kansas certificate of title, or an application for a duplicate if it cannot be found
  • Current proof of insurance
  • Title and Registration Manual Application, form TR-212a, and the title fee

Open probate in the district court of the county where the decedent resided. On appointment, the executor or administrator presents the letters, the death certificate and the title at the county treasurer's motor vehicle office, which verifies the facts and notifies the Division of Vehicles to issue a new certificate of title to the estate or to the person entitled to the vehicle.

A vehicle sold under an order of a Kansas court is handled differently: K.S.A. 8-135(c)(8) has the officer conducting the sale issue the purchaser a certificate reciting the facts of the sale, and the purchaser then has 60 days from the date of sale to apply for title and registration.

Forms

  • Title and Registration Manual Application(TR-212a)(The forms-library row calls it Title and Registration Application. The PDF is served at pdf/tr212.pdf, not pdf/tr212a.pdf.)
  • Transfer on Death Affidavit(TR-82)(This is the claim made after the death. The designation itself is written on the certificate of title while the owner is alive.)
  • Claim of Heir Affidavit, printed as the Small Estates Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b(TR-83b)(Record both titles. The library row says Claim of Heir Affidavit and names neither the statute nor the threshold; the form's own heading names both.)
  • Decedent's Affidavit, pending final action on will(TR-83a)(Served at pdf/tr83.pdf. The constructed pdf/tr83a.pdf does not exist. Covers one vehicle only.)
  • Certification of Trust(TR-81)
  • Application for Secured/Duplicate/Reissue Title, printed as the Manual Title Application(TR-720B)(Mail or take the completed application to the county motor vehicle office. Do not send cash.)
  • Lien Release(TR-150)(The Division of Vehicles will not transfer a title that still shows an unreleased lien.)

Fees

Original certificate of title$10
Notice of security interest filed with the Division of Vehicles$2.5
Moving an existing license plate to another vehicle$1.5
Duplicate or substitute certificate of title$10
Penalty for failing to apply within 60 days$2

Statutory fees read at the Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes on 2026-09-07 and current as of that date: K.S.A. 8-135(a), 8-135(b), 8-135(c)(4), 8-135(c)(5) and 8-139. The county treasurer also collects registration, the Kansas vehicle property tax and any sales tax due, none of which is a flat statewide figure. Confirm the total with your county treasurer's motor vehicle office before you go.

Small-estate vehicle transfer

Kansas lets a successor transfer a vehicle without opening probate on a sworn small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b, where the total assets of the estate subject to probate do not exceed $75,000. The Department of Revenue publishes its own version of the affidavit for vehicle work as form TR-83b, and the Kansas Judicial Council publishes the general form the statute makes it responsible for.

Threshold: $75,000

Threshold $75,000, measured on the whole probate estate rather than on the vehicle. No waiting period. No court filing. The affidavit is sworn, and the successor who takes property under it is accountable to the estate if a personal representative is later appointed.

Lost or duplicate title

Where the Kansas certificate of title has been lost, mutilated or has become illegible, which is common when a deceased owner's title cannot be found among their papers. The county treasurer's motor vehicle office cannot transfer a title it does not have, so the duplicate comes first.

The person entitled to the title makes immediate application for a duplicate or substitute on furnishing information satisfactory to the Division of Vehicles and paying the fee. Complete form TR-720B, check Replacement and the reason (mutilated or illegible, attaching the title where you have it), and mail or take it to the county treasurer's motor vehicle office.

Form:Application for Secured/Duplicate/Reissue Title, printed as the Manual Title Application(TR-720B)

Fee: $10

Where a lien is still recorded against the vehicle, the reissued title carries it. Form TR-720B prices Add Lien at $11.50, Replace and Add Lien at $21.50, Remove Lien at $10.00 and Replace and Remove Lien at $20.00. To clear a paid-off lien the lienholder must release it on the title itself, by a notarized lien release on form TR-150, or by a letter releasing the lien.

Helpful resources

Statewide forms and steps live in the vehicle title transfer guide. If the title cannot be found, see selling a car without a title.

Vehicle sources (18)

You've seen what probate involves. Here's how to spare your own family.

A few simple steps (naming beneficiaries, a transfer-on-death deed where your state allows it, or a living trust) can keep your estate out of court.

See how to avoid probate in Kansas

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does probate cost in Grant County?
Probate filing fees in Grant County, Kansas vary by the type of administration. The court filing fee shown on this page is $109.50+; confirm current amounts with the District Court before filing.
How long does probate take in Grant County?
Timelines depend on the probate procedure, the court, and whether notice or publication is required. Simplified procedures can range from a few weeks to several months, while full administration often takes 6-12 months or longer.
Do I need an attorney for probate in Grant County?
Attorney requirements depend on the type of administration and your specific situation. Consider talking with a probate attorney before filing or making legal decisions.

More Kansas Resources

Explore the rest of the Kansas probate hub.

Do I need probate?5 pages
For the executor4 pages
Money and taxes5 pages
Family and inheritance5 pages
Transfer assets5 pages
File and learn5 pages

Verified against Grant County District Court on September 7, 2026

Settled Estate is not a law firm, and this content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Probate laws and procedures in Kansas can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.