Body
PRINT DISCLAIMER: Official version of this document is accessible in the online policy library at https://policyoffice.ku.edu/. Printed copies may not reflect the most recent updates.
DOCUMENT TYPE:
Procedure
PURPOSE:
Provide procedures for obtaining approval and purchasing motor vehicles for University of Kansas personnel.
APPLIES TO:
All Lawrence Departments and Offices
CAMPUS:
Lawrence
PROCEDURES STATEMENT:
General Guidelines
Campus units that need to purchase, trade in or sale a vehicle are required to work with Procurement and Financial Services Property Accounting.
Purchase Procedures
A. Vehicle Purchase Orders
Campus units are expected to work with Procurement for vehicle purchases with an estimated cost of >$10,000.00, Units will submit Procurement Request (Non-Tech) at the Finance Service Portal to initiate vehicle purchase request.
For replacement vehicles:
- New vehicle type should be similar to vehicle being replaced.
- When submitting a Procurement Request, please specify whether intent is to replace vehicle with a new or previously used vehicle.
State mileage requirements for any vehicle replacement are:
The following information is required for each vehicle that is proposed for replacement:
Complete Vehicle Purchase Request Form
- Vehicle Replacement Details
- Make, Model, Year, VIN#, Tag #, Style
- "Current Mileage" pertains to the mileage of the vehicle to be replaced.
- Requested Vehicle Details
- Make, Model, Year, Style
- Expected Purchase Price
- Potential Vendor
- "Funding" - Except under extraordinary circumstances, the University will not use monies from the State General Fund to purchase motor vehicles.
The request form should be submitted in electronic version as attachment to the Procurement Request.
If there are extenuating circumstances, a unit may request acquisition of a vehicle that would increase the number of vehicles in the university fleet. Extenuating circumstances would include aspects impacting the health and safety of the campus community, or where the unit’s productivity has been hampered because of a vehicle limitation. In such cases, the unit will be expected to document that funding is available to provide for the purchase and ongoing vehicle maintenance costs.
An assigned Procurement Officer will work with the unit to find a competitively priced vehicle consistent with unit’s requirements. Given challenges in getting dealerships to respond to formal solicitations, however, Procurement may determine within its discretion that a Single Source Justification is appropriate.
Unit will generate purchase requisition within FITC to generate a purchase order to the vendor.
B. Vehicle Delivery, Tags, Titles & Registration
When department takes physical delivery of the vehicle, the vendor is required to provide the department with a Certificate of Origin (for new vehicles) or Certificate of Title (for used vehicles).
Immediately after delivery, copies of the Certificate of Origin or Certificate of Title, vehicle approval, and copies of purchase documents (i.e., invoice, bill of sale, etc.) showing the vendor, date of purchase (not delivery), and purchase price must be sent to Jen Bedford or Tanya Childers at KU Vehicle Maintenance. KU Vehicle Maintenance is responsible for ordering tags from Topeka (turnaround time is usually 2-3 days). A temporary tag issued by the vendor may be used while waiting to receive the vehicle tag from Topeka.
Departments are responsible for titling all vehicles including trailers with a load capacity of 2,000 lbs or more. The State of Kansas also currently titles all terrain vehicles (ATVs)) such as the John Deere Gator, Kawasaki Mule, and similar type vehicles. However, the State does not require heavy equipment, mowers, skid loaders, tractors, and other non-tagged construction or agricultural equipment to be titled. The cost to title a vehicle is currently $10.00 (subject to change).
The following steps are required to title a vehicle.
I. Work with SSC/Finance Rep to initiate a FITC non-PO invoice payment in the amount of $10.00 (subject to change) payable to the Douglas County Treasurer (FITC supplier name “Douglas County”; FITC Supplier number “0000002423”; FITC Supplier Site “CKORRE01-ORDER”). The Delivery Channel on the FITC invoice must be “Pick Up Checks in Accounting.” Enter contact information for the person receiving the check in “Message 2” of the Remittance Message area. Do not allow the check to be mailed. This FITC invoice should be made immediately after delivery, as there is a 30-day deadline to get the vehicle titled. There is a penalty if the title is not paid within 30 days.
II. When the department receives the check, an employee will need to hand deliver it to the Douglas County Treasurer's Office. They will need to take the following:
III. When department receives the title in mail, they should keep a copy and have the original hand delivered to:
Wendy Reese, Property Accounting
Strong Hall, Room 225
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence, KS 66045
All original titles are maintained centrally Financial Services.
Official state vehicles are NOT registered in Douglas County. Registration fees for State vehicles are assessed by the Central Motor Pool, once per year, based on the December 31st inventory. For every state vehicle owned by KU on December 31st of a given year, the required registration fee will be billed to the KU Vehicle Maintenance Office. On approximately April 1st, KU Vehicle Maintenance Office will rebill fees to the department that owned the vehicle on December 31st. Registration fees are not collected at any other time for officially licensed state vehicles.
Departments are encouraged to have blue or white KU decals applied to University of Kansas vehicles.
Installation can be arranged, free of charge, by calling the Facilities Services Garage at 785-864-3628. Current state policy prohibits any other decals or stickers from being applied to University of Kansas vehicles without the advance, written approval of the Secretary of Administration.
C. Disposal Procedures
Vehicles made be traded-in or sold via surplus equipment process depending upon greatest return.
Units are expected to work with the Property Accounting Office regarding options for disposal of their replaced vehicles. Unit must submit a “Disposition of Property (DA-110)” form to Property Accounting Office for vehicles they are replacing. NOTE - Approval of the DA-110 must be received before the vehicle is advertised as surplus. Additionally, if the unit decides to negotiate a trade-in as part of their vehicle purchase, the unit is responsible for Wendy Reese, Property Accounting, in Financial Services as soon as possible as there are additional procedures that must be completed.
Prior to disposal, be sure to remove any KU decals, identifiers and other personal property.
When vehicles are retired, remove both the front and rear official plates and send both plates to Jen Bedford or Tanya Childers at the KU Vehicle Maintenance, 1505 Westbrooke, Lawrence, KS 66049. KU Vehicle Maintenance will send the plates to Topeka and get the vehicle removed from the annual registration list.
The old plates need to be surrendered as soon as possible after the new vehicle is placed in service.
To avoid paying next year’s registration fees on retired vehicles, the plates need to be delivered to KU Vehicle Maintenance no later than December 15th as fees are assessed each year based on the December 31st inventory.
NOTE - If either or both plates are missing, a policy report must be filed on the missing plate(s) in order to get the vehicle removed from the registration list.
D. Vehicle Insurance
Vehicles acquired throughout the year are automatically covered. Units are required to submit all yearly changes during the University's annual insurance renewal process. The proof of insurance, provided above to the Douglas County Treasurer's Office to obtain a certificate of title, should be placed in the vehicle in a location that is secure and easy to locate.
E. Resource Contacts
CONTACT:
Financial Services - Property Accounting
accounting-svcs@ku.edu
785-864-2700
RESPONSIBLE UNIT:
Financial Services
APPROVED BY:
Controller
APPROVED ON:
2006-06-14
EFFECTIVE ON:
2006-06-14
REVIEW CYCLE:
1 year
RELATED FORMS:
DA-110 Form
RELATED RESOURCES:
Accounting Services: Vehicles Purchase & Use
CHANGE HISTORY:
03/25/2026: Updated procedure title.
03/24/2026: Updated to reflect current practices. Updated links.
10/21/2025: Updated formatting.
03/31/2025: Migration to TeamDynamix from Drupal.
11/8/2024: Updated contact section.
02/17/2023: Updated contact section.
04/15/2021: Updated processes, contact information, formatting, and department names; updated policy owner to Finance.
01/10/2017: Updated Proof of Insurance form link.
09/26/2016: Removed statewide contract for new vehicles & updated broken link for DA-110 form.
09/20/2016: Removed Expenditure Limit phrase, no longer applicable.
07/21/2016: Replaced Janet Mears with Robin Nelson.
07/01/2016: Updated to remove gendered pronouns.
05/12/2015: Added link to updated Proof of Insurance form, updated links to DA-110 form and instructions, technical edits to formatting.
11/01/2010: Reviewed policy.
TITLE:
University Vehicle Procedures