Domestic Limited Partnership Formation Filing in Kansas

At a glance

Requirements one by one

Agreement and certificate

Kansas defines a domestic LP as at least two persons with general and limited partners under § 56-1a101(g). The agreement may be written or oral; §§ 56-1a101(e)-(i) connect admission of partners to it. For public formation, § 56-1a151(a) requires an executed certificate stating the name, Kansas registered-office address, resident-agent name and address, and each general partner's name and business or residence address. The required field list does not call for limited-partner names or an agreement attachment.

Name, office, and signatures

The name must contain “Limited Partnership,” “L.P.,” or “LP” under § 17-7921(a). A limited partner's name generally cannot be used unless the same-name or prior-use exception in subsection (b) applies. Section 17-7918(a)-(b) supplies the distinguishability test and a written-consent route for a conflicting name. The LP maintains a Kansas registered office under § 17-7924(a), (c) and a qualifying resident agent under § 17-7925(a)-(b). All general partners sign the initial certificate under § 17-7908(c)(1).

Filing charge and effective time

Section 56-1a605(b) delegates the certificate application and recording fee to regulation, subject to a $150 ceiling. Current K.A.R. § 7-51-1 sets that component at $75. The Secretary of State's Form CK (revised February 27, 2026) lists actual submission charges of $85 online or $90 on paper. Section 56-1a151(b) makes formation effective on filing or at a later time specified in the certificate, if the section is substantially complied with; it states no numerical outside limit for the later time.

What trips people up

A filed certificate gives notice of LP status, listed general partners, and other required certificate facts under § 56-1a158. If using a conflicting name by consent, § 17-7918(b) requires the other entity's written consent on the Secretary's form to be filed. The formation provision in § 56-1a151(a)-(b) states no newspaper publication or proof requirement.

Common questions

Must limited partners sign the certificate? Section 17-7908(c)(1) assigns initial-certificate signing to all general partners.

May the LP itself act as resident agent? Section 17-7925(a)(1) expressly lists the covered entity itself as an eligible agent.

Does a name search alone clear a similar name? The distinguishability rule in § 17-7918(a) and its filed written-consent route in subsection (b) control the statutory name test.

Statutes and sources

The current Kansas Revisor statute pages, Kansas Register regulation, and Secretary of State Form CK were checked September 23, 2026.

• Kan. Stat. Ann. § 56-1a101(e)-(i): “"General partner" means a person who has been admitted to a limited partnership as a general partner in accordance with the partnership agreement and so named in the certificate of limited partnership or similar instrument of the state or foreign country under which the limited partnership is organized if so required. […] "Limited partner" means a person who has been admitted to a limited partnership as a limited partner in accordance with the partnership agreement. "Limited partnership" and "domestic limited partnership" mean a partnership formed by two or more persons under the laws of the state of Kansas and having one or more general partners and one or more limited partners. […] "Partnership agreement" means any valid written or oral agreement of the partners as to the affairs of a limited partnership and the conduct of its business.” (official text; accessed September 23, 2026).

• Kan. Stat. Ann. § 56-1a151(a)-(b): “In order to form a limited partnership, a certificate of limited partnership must be executed and filed in the office of the secretary of state. Such certificate shall set forth: (1) The name of the limited partnership; (2) the address of the registered office and the name and address of the resident agent for service of process required to be maintained by K.S.A. 17-7925, and amendments thereto; (3) the name and the business or residence address of each general partner; and (4) any other matters the general partners determine to include in the certificate. (b) A limited partnership is formed at the time of the filing of the initial certificate of limited partnership in the office of the secretary of state or at any later time specified in the certificate of limited partnership if, in either case, there has been substantial compliance with the requirements of this section.” (official text; accessed September 23, 2026).

• Kan. Stat. Ann. § 56-1a158: “The fact that a certificate of limited partnership is on file in the office of the secretary of state is notice that the partnership is a limited partnership and the persons designated therein as general partners are general partners and is notice of all other facts which are contained in the certificate and which are required by K.S.A. 56-1a151 and amendments thereto to be in the certificate.” (official text; accessed September 23, 2026).

• Kan. Stat. Ann. § 56-1a605(b): “Every limited partnership hereafter formed in this state shall pay to the secretary of state at the time of filing its certificate of limited partnership, an application and recording fee established by rules and regulations of the secretary of state, but not exceeding $150.” (official text; accessed September 23, 2026).

• Kan. Stat. Ann. § 17-7908(c)(1): “Documents related to limited partnerships shall be executed in the following manner: (1) An initial certificate of limited partnership must be signed by all general partners;” (official text; accessed September 23, 2026).

• Kan. Stat. Ann. § 17-7918(a)-(b): “Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), the names of all covered entities, except for banks, savings and loan associations and savings banks, must be distinguishable on the records of the office of the secretary of state from: (1) The name of any other covered entity or foreign covered entity; (2) the name of any non-covered entity, other than a general partnership, that has filed with the office of the secretary of state, including a series of a limited liability company for which a certificate of designation has been filed; (3) any entity name reserved pursuant to K.S.A. 17-7923, and amendments thereto; and (4) the name of any other covered entity, series of a limited liability company or foreign covered entity whose public organic documents, certificate of designation or foreign registration has been canceled or forfeited for any reason within the previous one year. (b) A covered entity may register under any name that is not distinguishable on the records of the office of the secretary of state from the name of any other covered entity or non-covered entity that has filed with the office of the secretary of state with the written consent of the other entity, which written consent shall be filed with the secretary of state on a form prescribed by the secretary of state.” (official text; accessed September 23, 2026).

• Kan. Stat. Ann. § 17-7921(a)-(b): “The name of each limited partnership, as set forth in its certificate of limited partnership, shall contain the words "Limited Partnership" or the abbreviation "L.P." or "LP"; (b) The name of each limited partnership, as set forth in its certificate of limited partnership, may not contain the name of a limited partner unless: (1) The name of the limited partner is also the name of a general partner or the corporate name of a corporate general partner; or (2) the business of the limited partnership had been carried on under that name before the admission of that limited partner.” (official text; accessed September 23, 2026).

• Kan. Stat. Ann. § 17-7924(a), (c): “Every covered entity shall have and maintain in this state a registered office that may, but need not be, the same as its place of business. […] As contained in any covered entity's organic documents or other document filed with the secretary of state under the business entity standard treatment act, the postal address of a registered office shall include the building and suite number, street name or rural route number with box number, city, state and zip code.” (official text; accessed September 23, 2026).

• Kan. Stat. Ann. § 17-7925(a)-(b): “Every covered entity shall have and maintain in this state a resident agent, which agent may be either: (1) The covered entity itself; (2) an individual resident in this state; (3) a domestic corporation, a domestic limited partnership, a domestic limited liability partnership, a domestic limited liability company or a domestic business trust; or (4) a foreign corporation, a foreign limited partnership, a foreign limited liability partnership, a foreign limited liability company or a foreign business trust. (b) Every resident agent for a covered entity shall: (1) If a domestic entity, be in good standing and maintain a business office identical with the registered office that is generally open, or if an individual, be generally present at a designated location in this state at sufficiently frequent times to accept service of process and otherwise perform the functions of a resident agent; (2) if a foreign entity, be authorized to transact business in this state;” (official text; accessed September 23, 2026).

• Kan. Admin. Regs. § 7-51-1: “The application and recording fee for the certificate of limited partnership for a domestic limited partnership: $75.00” (official text; accessed September 23, 2026).

• Kansas Secretary of State Form CK (rev. Feb. 27, 2026): “Online Certificate of Limited Partnership:....... $85 Paper Certificate of Limited Partnership:........ $90” (official text; accessed September 23, 2026).