Dealing With Debt Collectors in Kansas (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Kansas · Last updated August 13, 2026
This page covers dealing with debt collectors in Kansas. On top of the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Kansas sets its own statute of limitations on debt, generally five years on a written contract under K.S.A. 60-511 and three years on an oral or open account under K.S.A. 60-512. The Kansas Consumer Protection Act (K.S.A. 50-623) bars deceptive and unconscionable practices by suppliers, and Kansas courts have treated collection agencies as suppliers. Kansas also caps wage garnishment at 25 percent of disposable earnings under K.S.A. 60-2310 and exempts a homestead and listed personal property under K.S.A. 60-2301 and 60-2304. Complaints go to the Kansas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
What is the statute of limitations on debt in Kansas?
In Kansas the limitations period is generally five years on a written contract under K.S.A. 60-511 and three years on an oral contract or open account under K.S.A. 60-512. Once it runs, a collector can still ask you to pay but generally cannot win a lawsuit if you raise the defense in court.
Can a debt collector garnish my wages in Kansas for a credit card debt?
Yes, but only after suing and getting a judgment. Kansas caps garnishment under K.S.A. 60-2310 at the lesser of 25 percent of your disposable earnings or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage. Support orders, bankruptcy orders, and tax debts follow different rules.
How do I stop a debt collector from contacting me in Kansas?
Send a written cease-communication letter under 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c). Once the collector receives it, it must stop contacting you except to confirm it is stopping or to say it may pursue a specific remedy such as a lawsuit. Keep proof of mailing. The letter stops contact but does not erase the debt.
What can a debt collector not do in Kansas?
Beyond the federal FDCPA bars on harassment and false statements, the Kansas Consumer Protection Act (K.S.A. 50-623) prohibits deceptive and unconscionable acts by suppliers, which Kansas courts have applied to collection agencies. A collector cannot misrepresent a debt, threaten action it cannot legally take, or use abusive tactics.
How Kansas law adds to your federal debt-collection rights
Kansas layers state protections on top of the federal FDCPA. The Kansas Consumer Protection Act, K.S.A. 50-623 and following, bars deceptive and unconscionable acts and practices by suppliers in consumer transactions, and Kansas courts have treated debt collection agencies as suppliers, so a collector that lies about a debt or threatens action it cannot take can violate state law as well as federal law. The Act is enforced by the Kansas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, which investigates and can seek civil penalties and restitution, and consumers may also sue in Kansas district court. On collection remedies, Kansas caps wage garnishment at 25 percent of disposable earnings under K.S.A. 60-2310 and protects a homestead of up to 160 acres of farmland or one acre in a town or city under K.S.A. 60-2301, plus listed personal property under K.S.A. 60-2304, so a judgment creditor cannot reach everything you own. Whether a particular debt collector must hold a Kansas license is not settled here; confirm Kansas debt-collector licensing or registration and the responsible agency.
Relevant Laws
Kansas Statute of Limitations, K.S.A. 60-511 and 60-512
Sets the time to sue on a debt in Kansas: generally five years on any agreement, contract, or promise in writing (60-511) and three years on a contract, obligation, or liability not in writing, including open accounts (60-512). K.S.A. 60-520 can restart the period on a written, signed acknowledgment or promise to pay.
Kansas Consumer Protection Act, K.S.A. 50-623 et seq.
Kansas's own consumer-protection statute, which bars deceptive and unconscionable acts and practices by suppliers in consumer transactions. Kansas courts have treated debt collection agencies as suppliers, so a collector's misrepresentations can violate this Act in addition to the federal FDCPA. Enforced by the Kansas Attorney General.
Kansas Exemptions, K.S.A. 60-2310, 60-2301, and 60-2304
Caps wage garnishment at the lesser of 25 percent of disposable earnings or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage (60-2310), protects a homestead of up to 160 acres of farmland or one acre in a town or city (60-2301), and exempts listed personal property from seizure and sale (60-2304).
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), 15 U.S.C. 1692
The federal statute governing third-party debt collectors. It bars harassment (1692d), false or misleading representations (1692e), and unfair practices (1692f), restricts contact (1692c), creates the 30-day validation right (1692g), and allows suit within one year (1692k). It applies in Kansas alongside state law.
Regional Variances
Kansas statute of limitations on debt by type
Written contract (K.S.A. 60-511)
Five years. Actions on any agreement, contract, or promise in writing must be brought within five years, typically running from default or the last payment.
Oral contract (K.S.A. 60-512)
Three years. Actions on a contract, obligation, or liability expressed or implied but not in writing must be brought within three years.
Open account / credit card (K.S.A. 60-512 or 60-511)
Commonly three years as an open account or account stated under K.S.A. 60-512, though some accounts are treated as five-year written contracts under K.S.A. 60-511. The result depends on how the account is characterized in your case.
Promissory note (K.S.A. 60-511)
Five years, as a written agreement or promise to pay. Note that under K.S.A. 60-520 a later written, signed acknowledgment or promise to pay can restart the limitations period.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Read the validation notice and diary the 30-day deadline
Within 5 days of first contact days after startingConfirm the collector sent the Regulation F validation notice identifying the creditor, amount, and your dispute rights. Note the date received and calendar the 30-day window to dispute under 15 U.S.C. 1692g.
Check the Kansas statute of limitations on the debt
Before paying, settling, or signing anything days after startingDetermine whether the debt is a written contract (five years, K.S.A. 60-511) or an oral contract or open account (three years, K.S.A. 60-512), and confirm the deadline has not passed. Avoid any written acknowledgment or payment that could restart the clock under K.S.A. 60-520.
Send a written debt validation letter
Within 30 days of receiving the validation notice days after startingIf you do not recognize the debt or the amount looks wrong, mail a written dispute and request for verification within the 30-day window. This forces the collector to stop collecting until it mails you proof of the debt.
Send a cease-and-desist letter if you want contact to stop
As soon as you decide to stop contact days after startingUnder 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c), a written cease-communication letter requires the collector to stop contacting you once received, except to confirm it is stopping or to state it may pursue a specific remedy. Keep proof of mailing.
File a complaint with the Kansas AG and the CFPB
Within 1 year of any FDCPA violation days after startingReport the collector to the Kansas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at InYourCornerKansas.org or (800) 432-2310, and to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Because 15 U.S.C. 1692k generally requires suit within one year, consult a Kansas consumer attorney promptly about FDCPA and Kansas Consumer Protection Act remedies.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read the validation notice and diary the 30-day deadline | Confirm the collector sent the Regulation F validation notice identifying the creditor, amount, and your dispute rights. Note the date received and calendar the 30-day window to dispute under 15 U.S.C. 1692g. | - | Within 5 days of first contact |
| Check the Kansas statute of limitations on the debt | Determine whether the debt is a written contract (five years, K.S.A. 60-511) or an oral contract or open account (three years, K.S.A. 60-512), and confirm the deadline has not passed. Avoid any written acknowledgment or payment that could restart the clock under K.S.A. 60-520. | - | Before paying, settling, or signing anything |
| Send a written debt validation letter | If you do not recognize the debt or the amount looks wrong, mail a written dispute and request for verification within the 30-day window. This forces the collector to stop collecting until it mails you proof of the debt. | debt-validation-letter | Within 30 days of receiving the validation notice |
| Send a cease-and-desist letter if you want contact to stop | Under 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c), a written cease-communication letter requires the collector to stop contacting you once received, except to confirm it is stopping or to state it may pursue a specific remedy. Keep proof of mailing. | cease-and-desist-letter | As soon as you decide to stop contact |
| File a complaint with the Kansas AG and the CFPB | Report the collector to the Kansas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at InYourCornerKansas.org or (800) 432-2310, and to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Because 15 U.S.C. 1692k generally requires suit within one year, consult a Kansas consumer attorney promptly about FDCPA and Kansas Consumer Protection Act remedies. | - | Within 1 year of any FDCPA violation |
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on how the debt is characterized. If the account is treated as a written contract, the limit is five years under K.S.A. 60-511; if it is treated as an open account or account stated, the limit is three years under K.S.A. 60-512. Because Kansas courts can go either way, an attorney can assess which period applies to your account.
Only with a court judgment, and even then Kansas exemptions apply. A collector cannot garnish wages beyond the 25 percent cap in K.S.A. 60-2310, and exempt funds such as certain wages and listed personal property under K.S.A. 60-2304 are protected. If exempt funds are frozen, you can file a claim of exemption in the Kansas court handling the garnishment.
It can. Under K.S.A. 60-520, an acknowledgment of an existing debt or a promise to pay restarts the limitations period, but the acknowledgment or promise must be in writing and signed by the person to be charged. Be cautious about signing anything or making a payment on an old Kansas debt before you confirm whether it is already time-barred.
Usually no. The federal FDCPA (15 U.S.C. 1692) applies to third-party collectors like agencies and debt buyers, not a creditor collecting its own debt. In Kansas, however, the Kansas Consumer Protection Act (K.S.A. 50-623) reaches deceptive and unconscionable practices by suppliers in consumer transactions, which can capture conduct the FDCPA does not.
Yes. Under 15 U.S.C. 1692k you can sue for FDCPA violations, generally within one year, and recover actual damages, statutory damages up to $1,000, and attorney's fees. You may also have a claim under the Kansas Consumer Protection Act. A Kansas consumer attorney can evaluate both routes.
Other Kansas guides
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