Starting mid-October, Sedgwick County to consolidate two tag offices into one

Sedgwick County will now have only one tag office after approval from Sedgwick County commissioners at their Wednesday meeting.

County Treasurer Brandi Baily announced her intent to consolidate the county’s two tag offices into one last week.

“Moving our operations to one singular site at the Douglas location is a strategy that will allow us to push for reform in Sedgwick County and throughout this state,” Baily told commissioners Wednesday.

Commissioners approved terminating its lease at the Kellogg tag office by the end of this year. The lease was set to expire in 2028.

Operations at the Kellogg office will move to the Douglas tag office, at 2525 W. Douglas, with its last day of operation on Oct. 9 with full consolidation beginning Oct. 14.

Baily said the move was necessary as it pressures the state of Kansas to make several changes for the state-mandated offices, including higher fees to cover the county’s cost to operate them.

The county is also asking the Kansas Department of Revenue to update its outdated software system. The state hasn’t updated the system since 2007, when it was implemented, and stores data from all 105 Kansas counties. The system has almost weekly crashes, Baily said.

Commissioners applauded Baily’s efforts to force the state’s hand in addressing issues at the tag office.

“I think everyone, by and large, can say that what’s happening right now at tag offices across the state of Kansas, in every county, is not acceptable,” Commissioner Chair Ryan Baty said.

Baily and the commissioners stressed that while the county is experiencing longer wait times than normal, the consolidation won’t lead to even longer lines.

Baily said this is because staff at the Kellogg office will move to the Douglas location.

“You should see [staff] out there all the time, which, in hopes, is to now keep those lines moving,” Baily said.

Last week, Baily said the move could save the county about a million dollars by 2028 by ending its lease early.

But the termination agreement outlines several costs to terminate the lease early: $410,000 as a termination fee to the building’s owner, and continuing to pay rent and property taxes until the end of this year.

Other plans

While Sedgwick County is experiencing longer-than-normal wait times at its tag offices, Baily said she has several plans to address the issue.

That includes adding three satellite tag office locations, bringing the total to six by the fall.

The county currently has satellite offices in Derby, Park City and west Wichita. Baily said the three additional locations will be in the Ruffin Building downtown, the Sedgwick County Extension Office, and Haysville.

The satellite locations offer several of the same services the county’s larger tag offices do, including title work and renewals, but are by appointment only.

Baily said it’s also possible for two more locations to be added. She’s also looking at extending hours of operation at some of those locations.

“I would not support a plan, financially, if I didn’t believe in the strategy,” Baty said. “I think it’s very important that we understand that there’s several different things that we’re working through right now in support of what you’re doing in the tag office.”

Baily also said she’s working with area car dealerships to offer title work services when residents buy vehicles from them.

The county is also encouraging residents to renew their tags online, if they’re able to, to avoid lines at the tag office. It also says paperwork can be mailed in or use the county’s dropbox.

This story was originally published October 1, 2025 at 12:52 PM.