Tag Division
The Stafford County Treasurer's Office is an agent for the State of Kansas for registering and titling motor vehicles. We issue license plates upon receipt of proper documentation and submission of the correct fees. The fees include registration fees, personal property taxes, title fees, and sales tax, if applicable. Each year the State sends out courtesy reminders six weeks prior to the expiration date of the license plate. It is a state law that every vehicle has proper insurance coverage before the vehicle can be registered. We handle the initial titling of vehicles in Stafford County, as well as the annual renewals. Once a vehicle is purchased, the new owner has 30 days in which to bring their documentation into our office to be processed. If the purchase is an out-of-state title, the owner of the vehicle needs to have a vehicle identification inspection completed. This is done at the Police Department for a charge of $10.00 in cash only and on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Sheriff's office. Inspections should be done by appointment. The license plates in Kansas expire based on the first letter in the last name of the first person on the title.
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Last name begins
with:
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Tag expires at
midnight on:
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A
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February 28 (or 29)
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B
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March 31
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C - D
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April 30
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E - F - G
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May 31
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H - I
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June 30
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J - K - L
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July 31
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M - N - O
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August 31
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P - Q - R
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September 30
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S
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October 31
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T - V - W
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November 30
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U - X - Y - Z
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December 31
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Physical proof of insurance is now required on ALL Kansas license tags. The proof must show each vehicle's information, policy number, and expiration date.
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Standard
Vehicle Tag: Cost: Varies--Includes registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes |
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Personalized
Tag: A
personalized tag can contain up to seven letters, numbers, and/or
spaces in any combination. The message on the tag cannot be vulgar
or have an indecent meaning; acceptability will be decided by the
State of Kansas DMV. Personalized tags run in five-year cycles. Year
2000 is an issuance year. All personalized plates should be ordered
at the County Treasurer's office in the Pratt County Courthouse and
will take at least 30 days from the date of order to be delivered
to the tag office. Applicants need to fill out the Personalized
Tag Form. Cost : $44.00 in addition to registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes. |
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Disabled Tag:
An individual can receive only one handicapped
tag. A business that transports handicapped individuals can have
as many tags as it requires. An individual making initial application
for a permanent disabled license plate must also apply for a disabled
identification card which must be carried by the person that has
been assigned the disabled plate. The TR-156
Disabled Placard and/or Plate Application must
be filled out and signed by a licensed health care professional.
If the vehicle has a current regular tag, that tag must be taken
to the tag office to be replaced with a Disabled tag. |
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Personalized
Disabled Tag: These can contain up
to five letters, numbers, and/or spaces in any combination.The message
cannot be vulgar or have an indecent meaning. All personalized plates
run in five-year cycles. Year 2000 is an issuance year. Personalized
plates must be ordered at the County Treasurer's office in the Pratt
County courthouse and take at least 30 days after ordering to be delivered
to the tag office. The TR-159
Disabled Placard and/or Plate Application must
be completely filled out and signed by a licensed health care professional. Cost: $45.00 in addition to registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes |
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Antique Vehicle
Tag:
An antique vehicle is any vehicle that is at least 35 years old,
inclusive, and one powered by a motor using petroleum fuel, steam,
electricity, or a combination thereof. The owner must provide proof
of ownership by presenting a properly assigned title and a notarized
bill of sale, which includes the make, year, selling price, and
vehicle identification number (VIN). |
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Personalized
Antique Vehicle Tag: An
antique vehicle is any vehicle that is at least 35 years old, inclusive,
and one powered by a motor using petroleum fuel, steam, electricity,
or a combination thereof. The owner must provide proof of ownership
by presenting a properly assigned title and a notarized bill of sale,
which includes the make, year, selling price, and vehicle identification
number (VIN). A personalized antique vehicle tag can contain up to
seven letters, numbers, and/or spaces in any combination. The message
on the tag cannot be vulgar or have an indecent meaning; acceptability
will be decided by the State of Kansas DMV. All personalized plates
should be ordered at the County Treasurer's office in the Pratt County
Courthouse and will take at least 30 days from the date of order to
be delivered to the tag office. Cost : $43.50 in addition to registration, tag, and title fees. Annual fees are $17.00 after the tag is issued. |
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Special
Vehicle Tag: A
vehicle which is at least 20 years old and which has not been altered,
except to assure normal running operation, may qualify for a special
tag. Owners of "special interest vehicles" must also own
and have registered one or more vehicles with regular registration.
Included as a "special interest vehicle" is a vehicle manufactured
before 1949 that has been modified and may be registered as a "street
rod." An applicant must designate the vehicle as either a "street
rod" or a "special interest vehicle" and complete the
Special Interest Vehicle/Street Rod Affidavit. Special
Interest/Street Rod tags take at least 90 days after ordering to be
delivered to the tag office. Cost: $29.00 for a full year or half of the fee for six months, in addition to registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes |
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U.S.
Veteran Tag: All
honorably discharged United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine,
Merchant Marine, or Coast Guard Veterans qualify for this veteran
tag. Individuals will be required to show a DD214. If the vehicle
is currently tagged, individuals must bring in the current tag to
be replaced by the veteran tag. There are no restrictions on the number
of plates for veterans, but the veteran must be listed on the title.
Cost: Tag and title fees and personal property taxes |
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Disabled
Veteran Tag:
To be eligible for this tag the veteran must
be 100% permanently disabled. He/she must provide a TR-103
Form with an initial DAV application. Re-certification
is required every three years. Only the first plate is free; any additional
plates will require the applicant to pay registration fees and personal
property taxes. DAV plates can be transferred from an individual name
to a trust as long as an individual has the tag, DAV card, and his/her
name on the trust. If it is a currently-tagged vehicle, the current
tag must be turned in to be replaced by the Disabled Veteran Plate.
Cost: First plate is free; after that individuals must pay title fees and personal property taxes. |
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Ex-POW Tag:
Applicants for an Ex-POW tag must provide proof
of ownership of the vehicle. The Ex-POW's
name must be on the title. Verification of Ex-POW status can be
made by one of the following methods. |
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Pearl Harbor
Survivor Tag: To receive this plate,
the survivor must meet the following qualifications. |
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National
Guard Tag: Applicants may use their United States Armed
Forces ID cards for proof of Guard membership. Retired members of
the Kansas National Guard may retain their National Guard tags by
having retired ID cards for proof. Applicants will need to complete
the TR-129 Application for National
Guard License Plate Form. On initial application, parts 1 and
2 of the application should be completed. If the vehicle is currently
tagged, individuals must exchange the current tag for the National
Guard tag. The applicant must be on the title of additional vehicles. Cost: Tag and title fees and personal property taxes |
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Combat
Wounded Tag: An applicant must provide a copy of his/her
DD124 the first time applying for a Purple Heart plate. Applicants
are allowed Purple Heart tags for all vehicles of which they are titled
owners. Purple Heart tags cannot transfer to a spouse upon death.
They also cannot not be issued to a company-owned or leased vehicle.
If a vehicle is currently tagged, the current tag must be exchanged
for the Purple Heart tag. Cost: The tag is free. Applicant must pay registration fees and personal property taxes. |
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Amateur
Radio Operator Tag: In order to receive a ARO tag, one
must provide a copy of an unrevoked, unexpired radio license issued
by the Federal Communications Commission. Only passenger cars or trucks
(16,000 lbs. Or less) qualify for ARO registration. Amateur Radio
Operator tags are available approximately 90 days after ordering Cost: $1.00 in addition to registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes |
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Kansas
State University Tag: Applicants must have a certificate
filled out by the University for proof of payment to the Alumni Association.
If the vehicle is leased, the Alumni member must have his/her name
on the title. Only cars and light trucks qualify for education tags.
An annual authorization statement is required when renewing, proving
that Alumni dues are current. If the vehicle is currently tagged,
the current tag must be exchanged for the education tag Cost: $48.50 in addition to registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes Certification for this tag can be done interactively at: www.k-state.com/merchandise/licensePlate.asp |
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Kansas
University Tag: Applicants must have a certificate filled
out by the University for proof of payment to the Alumni Association.
If the vehicle is leased, the Alumni member must have his/her name
on the title. Only cars and light trucks qualify for education tags.
An annual authorization statement is required when renewing, proving
that Alumni dues are current. If the vehicle is currently tagged,
the current tag must be exchanged for the education tag Cost: $48.50 in addition to registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes Certification for this tag may be done interactively at: www.ukans.edu/~kualumni/plate.html |
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Pittsburg
State University Tag: Applicants must have a certificate
filled out by the University for proof of payment to the Alumni Association.
If the vehicle is leased, the Alumni member must have his/her name
on the title. Only cars and light trucks qualify for education tags.
An annual authorization statement is required when renewing, proving
that Alumni dues are current. If the vehicle is currently tagged,
the current tag must be exchanged for the education tag Cost: $48.50 in addition to registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes Certification for this tag may be done interactively at: www.pittstate.edu/alum/plates.html |
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Wichita
State University Tag: Applicants must have a certificate
filled out by the University for proof of payment to the Alumni Association.
If the vehicle is leased, the Alumni member must have his/her name
on the title. Only cars and light trucks qualify for education tags.
An annual authorization statement is required when renewing, proving
that Alumni dues are current. If the vehicle is currently tagged,
the current tag must be exchanged for the education tag Cost: $48.50 in addition to registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes Please contact the alumni association at (316) 978-ALUM. |
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Children's
Trust Fund Tag: Applicants must have a certificate from
The Children's Trust Fund showing proof of a $50.00 donation. The
form is available here. If
the vehicle is leased, the applicant must have his/her name on the
title. Only cars and light trucks qualify for this tag. If the vehicle
is currently tagged, the current tag must be exchanged for the Trust
Fund tag Cost: Varies--Includes registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes |
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Standard
Motorcycle Tag: Cost: Registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes |
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Personalized
Motorcycle Tag: These can contain up to five letters, numbers,
and/or spaces in any combination.The message cannot be vulgar or have
an indecent meaning. All personalized plates run in five-year cycles.
Year 2000 is an issuance year. Personalized plates must be ordered
at the County Treasurer's office in the Pratt County courthouse and
take at least 30 days after ordering to be delivered to the tag office.
Cost: $43.50 in addition to registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes |
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Disabled
Motorcycle Tag: An individual making initial application
for a disabled motorcycle tag must also apply for a disabled identification
card which must be carried by the person that has been assigned a
disabled tag. The TR-159 Disabled
Placard and/or Plate Application must be completely filled out
and signed by a licensed health care professional. Cost: $4.00 in addition to registration, tag, and title fees and personal property taxes |
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Antique
Motorcycle Tag: An antique vehicle is any vehicle that
is at least 35 years old, inclusive, and one powered by a motor using
petroleum fuel, steam, electricity, or a combination thereof. The
owner must provide proof of ownership by presenting a properly assigned
title or a notarized bill of sale, which includes the make, year,
selling price, and vehicle identification number (VIN). Cost: $43.00 in addition to tag and title fees. Annual fees are $17.00 after the tag is issued, $12.00 of which is personal property tax and $5.00 is an application fee. You may also get a title only for an antique. The same vehicle age requirements exist, but no insurance in necessary. Cost: $7.00 and you pay the $12.00 personal property tax yearly. |
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Standard
Motorbike Tag: Cost: Registration fees |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How much will it cost
to register my vehicle?
A.
| Title Fees | $10.00 |
| Repossession Titles | $13.00 |
| Transfer Fees | $4.50 |
| Registration: | |
| Autos less than 4500 lbs. | $33.00 |
| Autos over 4500 lbs. | $43.00 |
| 12M Trucks | $43.00 |
| Motorcycles | $19.00 |
| Motorbikes | $14.00 |
| Trailers: | |
| 2000 - 8000 | $18.00 |
| 8001 - 1200 | $28.00 |
| 12001 and over | $38.00 |
a. If the weight of the trailer
and the load combined is less than 2,000 pounds, registration is optional.
If a farm trailer hauling the farmer's own product has a load of less
than 6,000 pounds, registration is optional. For fees on trucks with
gross weight of over 16,000 pounds, call the County Treasurer's Office.
b. Property tax is paid at
the time of registration/title application and is determined in the
County Treasurer's Office. The exceptions are heavy trucks, trailers,
and mopeds, whose taxes are determined by the County Appraiser's Office.
c. Reflectorized plate fee is $0.50.
d. Sales tax will be collected
in the tag office if the vehicle is bought from an individual or purchased
out of state. The sales tax rate is 5.90% if the vehicle is purchased
in Stafford County plus a $0.50 collection fee.
e. The fee to transfer a tag is $14.50 plus the
difference in the property tax.
Q. What do I need to know about transferring
a tag from one vehicle to another?
A. The fee to transfer
is $14.50 plus the difference in the property tax. The names on the
two titles must be the same. If the old tag is expired, it can only
be transferred if it is a personalized tag. If this is your renewal
month, your fees will be the same as a new tag minus the $0.50 plate
fee. The old vehicle must be sold or traded in, even if it is not running.
As long as the title is still in your name, the plate must stay with
it.
Q. I'm moving to Kansas from another
state; how do I register my vehicle?
A. If you have the title,
you need to bring in the title, the vehicle inspection, and the proof
of insurance. The person who is named on the title is the only person
who can register the vehicle. If two names appear on the title with
and/or between the names, only one person has to come in. If
two names are on the title with and between them, both persons
must come in. All vehicles coming from out of state must have a VIN
inspection.
If you do not have the title because the lienholder of that state keeps it until the vehicle is paid for, you will need to call that lienholder and have a copy of the title faxed to the Stafford County Treasurer's Office (FAX# 620-549-3700). With your faxed copy, you will then be able to get your vehicle inspected by the Police Department. Sometimes the state you're coming from will request something in writing before releasing a copy of the title. In that case we can register your vehicle with a copy of the out-of-state registration. The State will then request the title from the lienholder and send you a copy to take along for the VIN inspection. The State will send a self-addressed envelope for your return of the inspection form. The Kansas title will be sent to your lienholder.
Q. What papers will I need to title
a newly-purchased vehicle?
A. You will need the title or MSO (if it's
a new car), signed over to you, the sales tax receipt or bill of sale,
the car's current mileage, and your proof of insurance. When transferring
a tag between two cars, you need the current registration or tag number
of the old car and the name and address of the person to whom the vehicle
was sold.
Q. What are your office hours?
A. The Tag Office is open between 8 a.m. to
noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office stops doing
vehicle business at 4:30 p.m. in order to run reports and balance the
day's business.
Q. Where are you located?
A. The Tag Office is located on the second
floor of the Stafford County Courthouse at 209 N. Broadway, St. John,
KS.
Q. Where can I get my vehicle inspected,
and during what hours?
A. All out-of-state title for used vehicles
(and Kansas Non-Highway vehicles) require inspection. The fee is $10.00
in CASH ONLY and can be done at the Police Department. Non-highway titles
are inspected by the Highway Patrol.
Q. How can I renew my tags if I didn't
get a renewal notice in the mail?
A. Take your registration or tag number and
proof of insurance to the Stafford County Treasurer's Tag Department,
and they will be able to process your renewal.
Q. How can I get a refund, and what
forms will I need?
A. Bring in your tag, current owner's registration,
Social Security number (for a personal vehicle) or Federal ID# (for
business or lease vehicles), and name and address of the person to whom
the vehicle was sold. Refunds are calculated from the month they are
received.
Q. Where can I get a power of attorney
/ lienholder consent / bill of sale, etc.?
A. These tag forms and many others are available
on this web page in the Vehicle Tag Forms box.
You will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and/or print
these forms. This is a free download, and the site can be accessed from
the Vehicle Tag Forms box above, or you may come into the office to
pick up forms.
Q. My tag was stolen. What do I do?
A. You will need to report the plate stolen
to the Stafford County Sherrif;s Department (620-549-3247). Bring the
tag number and proof of insurance, and we will replace the tag for $3.00.
Q. How do I get a personalized tag?
A. The price for personalized
tags is $44.00, in addition to other fees and personal property
taxes. You will also need to fill out a Personalized
Tag Form.
Q. What will happen if I have delinquent
taxes?
A. If you have delinquent personal property
taxes in ANY county in Kansas, they MUST be paid before vehicles can
be tagged.
Q. How can I pay for my tags?
A. Acceptable forms of payment are cash, check,
money order, and cashier's check.
Q. Where can I go to renew my handicapped
placard? Where do I mail it?
A. This is done at the
Stafford County Treasurer's tag department in the County Courthouse.
Q. Do my tags expire on the first day
or the last day of the month?
A. Auto, truck, and motorcycle tags expire
on the last day of each month, with the exception of heavy trucks (over
12,000 lbs.) and trailers, which expire Dec. 31 with a grace period
until Feb. 15.
Q. Why aren't my tags good for a full
year?
A. Tag renewals are good for a full year. Tags
for vehicles bought new within the year will be good for the period
between the purchase date and the expiration date; in some cases this
will be for just a partial year. Tags
are prorated from the month the title is notarized until the month your
tag comes due, which is determined by your last name. See the Tag
Schedule table above.
Q. I am a military dependent. Shouldn't
I be exempted from property taxes?
A. No. Only the active duty military member
is exempt.
Q. Can I get an extension on my thirty-day
permit?
A. No. There are no extensions.
Q. My doctor says I'm permanently handicapped.
Why do I have to re-certify for handicap privileges?
A. Law requires re-certification every three
years for verification of status of the handicapped individual.
Q. Why do I pay taxes on my leased
vehicle when I'm in the military?
A. The leased vehicle is in the leasing company
name; therefore, it is the legal owner of the vehicle and not exempt.
Q. I am in the military but a Kansas
resident. Do I pay taxes on my vehicle?
A. If the military person and the vehicle are
stationed in Kansas, the vehicle is taxable. If the military person
is a resident of Kansas, but stationed in another state, the vehicle
is exempt.
Q. I own businesses in several counties
in Kansas. Where do I register my vehicle?
A. The vehicle should be registered in the
county where the main business in located.
Q. I am active duty military, but the
vehicle is in my wife's name. Do I have to pay taxes of the vehicle.
A. Yes. The service member must be included
on the title in order to be exempt.
Q. Do I have to get a Kansas driver's
license if I have Kansas plates?
A. Yes
Q. Do I have to register my vehicle
if I am going to sell it?
A. Yes.
You first have to acquire a title in your name before it can be sold
to another individual or business.