For most Johnson County homeowners, the house is what drags an estate into probate. A transfer-on-death deed or a living trust keeps it out—here is how to set up either one and record it locally.
For a Johnson County property owner, the biggest probate risk is the home itself. Real estate is what forces most families into the District Court. The two tools that keep a Johnson County home out of probate are a transfer-on-death deed recorded with the Register of Deeds (Treasury, Taxation and Vehicles Department), and a revocable living trust that holds title to the property.
Skipping this planning step means the District Court decides who receives the property: a simple Kansas probate takes 6+ months and opens with $133 in court filing fees. Kansas also lets owners name a transfer-on-death beneficiary on vehicle titles, which keeps cars out of the same process.
A transfer on death deed names a beneficiary who receives Johnson County property automatically at the owner's death, without probate. It is recorded with the Register of Deeds (Treasury, Taxation and Vehicles Department) during the owner's lifetime and can be revoked at any time.
Before recording, a Kansas transfer on death deed is signed with notary acknowledgmentK.S.A. 59-3501 to 59-3507Verified Aug 24, 2026View source. The deed takes effect only if it is recorded before the owner's deathK.S.A. 59-3501 to 59-3507Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Deeds and other real property documents for Johnson County are recorded with the Register of Deeds (Treasury, Taxation and Vehicles Department) at 111 S. Cherry St., Ste. 1200, Olathe, KS 66061. Phone: 913-715-0775.
The Register of Deeds (Treasury, Taxation and Vehicles Department) charges $21 for the first page plus $17 for each additional page. A 2-page transfer on death deed costs $38 to record in Johnson County. A transfer on death deed is exempt from transfer tax.
Johnson County accepts electronic recording through CSC, Mobilis Technologies/iCounty, Simplifile, eRecording Partners Network.
Recording Office Record
Johnson County
Address
Phone
E-recording
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $21 |
| Each additional page | $17 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | Exempt |
K.S.A. 28-115(a)(5), (b), (i)
Verified September 4, 2026 · Source
FirmKansas City, KS
Provides probate and estate planning services in Wyandotte County and the Kansas City, Kansas area. Services include will drafting, trust creation, Medicaid planning, and assistance in transferring businesses and complex assets to heirs and beneficiaries.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationMedicaid PlanningProbate AdministrationWills Trusts
FirmOverland Park, KS
Gates Shields Ferguson Swall Hammond works out of Overland Park, serving Johnson County and the wider Kansas City metro, with a second office in Liberty, Missouri. Attorneys draft wills and living trusts, administer probate estates and trusts, handle guardianships and conservatorships, and litigate will contests for families of every financial level. The initial consultation is free.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbate LitigationConservatorshipGuardianshipand 2 more
FirmOverland Park, KS
Gaughan & Connealy is an Overland Park estate planning and elder law firm serving Johnson County and the Kansas City metro across Kansas and Missouri. It builds revocable and special needs trusts to keep families out of probate, handles trust administration and probate after a death, and plans for Medicaid eligibility and business succession. The firm hosts free asset-protection workshops.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationElder LawTax Planningand 5 more
Solo PracticeOverland Park, KS
Kyle E. Krull's Overland Park practice serves families across Johnson County and the Kansas City metro, with Krull also licensed in Missouri. Handles wills, revocable living trusts, irrevocable and special-needs trusts, powers of attorney, charitable planning, and business succession. Krull has been published in Trusts & Estates and Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
PracticesEstate PlanningAsset ProtectionBusiness SuccessionCharitable Planningand 2 more
FirmOverland Park, KS
A small boutique firm focused on helping clients with estate planning issues. Provides comprehensive probate services to clients throughout Overland Park, Kansas, and the Kansas City Metro Area. Most services offered on a flat fee basis.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate LitigationTrust Litigationand 6 more
FirmOverland Park, KS
Jones, McCoy & Covington (Joco Legal) represents executors, beneficiaries, and other interested parties through probate in Johnson County and the Kansas City metro, licensed in both Kansas and Missouri. The practice covers estate administration, beneficiary disputes, guardianships and conservatorships, and probate and trust litigation. A free consultation is available.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate LitigationTrust Litigationand 3 more
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Data sourced from Kansas statutes and official state code. How we research.
Estate planning articles for Kansas.
Forms and tools for property owners in Johnson County.
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
Create a free, state-specific will with witness and notarization requirements included.
Transfer assets to your existing trust. State execution requirements included.
Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate.
Designate someone to make medical decisions on your behalf.
Designate someone to manage your financial affairs.
Answer questions about your estate size, real estate ownership, marital status, and family situation to see how a revocable trust compares to a will alone. Includes estimated probate costs for your state.
Answer questions about your property type, ownership structure, and estate plan to see if a TOD deed is the right approach. Includes state-specific availability, signing requirements, and recording fees.
Compare trusts vs wills for your specific situation. See probate costs, trust administration expenses, and whether your estate qualifies for simplified procedures based on your state and estate value.
Find out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will. Based on your state's intestate succession laws.
Compare the cost of creating a revocable living trust. See how SimplyTrust, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, and attorneys compare over 5 years including life events.
Estate planning articles for Kansas.
