Landlord Entry Notice Requirements in Kansas
At a glance
| Governing law | K.S.A. 58-2557 ('Landlord's right to enter; limitations'), part of the Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (K.S.A. 58-2540 to 58-2573), Kansas's own version of the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. The access section is unusually short and, unlike most URLTA states, sets no numeric notice period. It has not been amended since it was enacted (History: L. 1975, ch. 290, § 18) |
|---|---|
| Advance notice required | 'Reasonable notice' — no fixed figure. Section 58-2557(a) permits entry 'at reasonable hours, after reasonable notice to the tenant.' There is no separate shorter period for showings |
| Reasons a landlord may enter | Entry is for the purposes listed in § 58-2557(a): 'to inspect the premises, make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations or improvements, supply necessary or agreed services, or exhibit the dwelling unit to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workmen or contractors.' The statute frames these as the landlord's 'right to enter' at reasonable hours on reasonable notice; it does not add the 'no other right of access' exclusivity clause some states use |
| Permitted hours | 'Reasonable hours' (§ 58-2557(a)). Kansas imposes a reasonableness standard rather than a fixed clock or a 'normal business hours' limit — the time of entry must be reasonable under the circumstances |
| When no notice is needed | One statutory no-consent case: the landlord 'may enter the dwelling unit without consent of the tenant in case of an extreme hazard involving the potential loss of life or severe property damage' (§ 58-2557(b)). Kansas's emergency standard is phrased more demandingly than a generic 'emergency' — it takes an extreme hazard threatening life or severe property damage. Separately, K.S.A. 58-2565 governs a landlord's entry during a tenant's extended absence and when a unit is treated as abandoned |
| Form and delivery of the notice | Section 58-2557 does not say whether the notice must be written or oral, list required contents, or fix a delivery method — it requires only 'reasonable notice.' A dated written notice stating the time and purpose is the safe practice, but the statute leaves the form open |
| Special rules for showings | No separate showing rule. Exhibiting the unit to 'prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workmen or contractors' is one of the ordinary purposes in § 58-2557(a) and runs on the same reasonable-hours, reasonable-notice standard. See the advance-notice row |
| Tenant's remedies for unlawful entry | Section 58-2557(c) bars abuse and harassment but states no damages amount. K.S.A. § 58-2559(b) allows damages and injunctive relief for landlord noncompliance with the rental agreement or § 58-2553; whether it reaches a particular entry depends on the ground asserted |
Requirements one by one
Advance notice required
The landlord may enter "at reasonable hours, after reasonable notice to the tenant" (§ 58-2557(a)). Kansas supplies no numeric minimum, and the same reasonable-notice rule applies to showings.
Reasons a landlord may enter
Section 58-2557(a) permits inspection; necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations, or improvements; necessary or agreed services; and showings to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workmen, or contractors.
Permitted hours
Entry must be at "reasonable hours" (§ 58-2557(a)); the statute gives no fixed clock.
When no notice is needed
The landlord may enter without consent only "in case of an extreme hazard involving the potential loss of life or severe property damage" under § 58-2557(b). The statutory exception is tied to the stated hazard, not routine scheduling convenience.
Tenant's remedies for unlawful entry
Section 58-2557(c) says the landlord "shall not abuse the right of access or use it to harass the tenant," but that section states no damages amount. K.S.A. § 58-2559(b) separately permits damages and injunctive relief for noncompliance with the rental agreement or § 58-2553.
What trips people up
"Reasonable notice" and "reasonable hours" are separate requirements. A notice may be given far enough ahead yet still propose an unreasonable entry time, or vice versa. The hazard exception removes the consent requirement only for the extreme conditions named in subsection (b).
Common questions
Must the notice be written? Section 58-2557 requires reasonable notice but does not prescribe writing, contents, or a delivery method.
Does Kansas give showings a shorter notice period? No. Showings are one of the purposes listed in § 58-2557(a) and use the same reasonable- notice and reasonable-hours standard.
What statutory relief is stated outside the access section? K.S.A. § 58-2559(b) allows damages and injunctive relief for noncompliance with the rental agreement or § 58-2553; § 58-2557 itself states the no-abuse rule but no damages figure.
Statutes and sources
- K.S.A. 58-2557 — "The landlord shall have the right to enter the dwelling unit at reasonable hours, after reasonable notice to the tenant" for the listed purposes. Subsection (b) states the extreme-hazard exception, and subsection (c) bars abuse and harassment. https://ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch58/058_025_0057.html (accessed 2026-08-17)
- K.S.A. 58-2559 — "Except as otherwise provided in this act, the tenant may recover damages and obtain injunctive relief for any noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement or K.S.A. 58-2553." https://ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch58/058_025_0059.html (accessed 2026-08-17)
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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