Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 24, 2026 and October 2, 2026.
Hays, Kansas, in Ellis County, has about 21,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). The title to a parcel in Hays is in the deed records of the Register of Deeds and its taxable value is set by the County Appraiser; what is built on it is a matter for the city. This guide says who keeps each record and where the page for each office is.
This guide covers deeds, assessed values, city permits and records, evictions and court cases, records requests and common questions.
Related guides: Hays public records, Ellis County property records, Hays arrest records, Hays warrants, Hays inmate search, Hays criminal records, Kansas arrest records and Kansas inmate search.
Deeds, Mortgages and Liens in Hays
Who owns a parcel in Hays and what it sold for are in the deed records of the Register of Deeds, with every lien or mortgage against the land.
SearchSystems opened and checked the Register of Deeds' page at ellisco.net/160/Document-Recording-Process (page title: Document Recording Process | Ellis County, KS), phone (785) 628-9450, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Assessed Values and the Tax Roll in Hays
What a parcel in Hays is taxed on is the business of the County Appraiser, which also keeps the parcel maps.
SearchSystems opened and checked the County Appraiser's page at ellisco.net/445/Appraisal (page title: Appraisal | Ellis County, KS), phone 785-628-9400, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Permits and City Records in Hays
Building permits, zoning and code cases are the city's own. For Hays, SearchSystems opened and checked the city hall page at haysusa.com/facilities/facility/details/City-Commission-Chambers-Ci... (page title: Facilities, City Commission Chambers | City Hall), 1507 Main St. Hays, KS 67601-6760, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 27, 2026.
The city clerk's page SearchSystems verified is at haysusa.com/FormCenter/City-Clerk-16/OpenPublic-Records-Request-227 (page title: Form Center, Open/Public Records Request), phone 785-625-1024, Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 27, 2026.
Evictions and Court Cases About Land in Hays
Court cases about land from Hays, evictions among them, are filed in the Ellis County District Court.
Asking a County Office for a Record
Under the Kansas Open Records Act a county office must answer a request within 3 business days, and it may charge staff time and copying. The county records request page SearchSystems verified is at ellisco.net/637/Kansas-Open-Records-Act (page title: Kansas Open Records Act | Ellis County, KS).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who records deeds in Hays?
The Register of Deeds, at ellisco.net/160/Document-Recording-Process, phone (785) 628-9450. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in Hays are filed there, and the County Appraiser (ellisco.net/445/Appraisal) has the assessment records.
Who sets the assessed value of a property in Hays?
The County Appraiser, whose page SearchSystems verified is at ellisco.net/445/Appraisal.
Where are evictions from Hays filed?
In the Ellis County District Court. The file is public unless the court seals it.
Is this the official Hays website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.