For toilets made after January 1, 2020, Kohler covers the vitreous china for life in a home. Mechanical parts get 10 years, or 5 on Wellworth, Highline, Kingston, Kelston and wall-hung models. Touchless, tankless and seats get 1 year. Kohler repairs or replaces but doesn't pay removal or installation labor.
How long does Kohler cover a toilet?
For a residential install, Kohler's sheet sets these periods for toilets manufactured after January 1, 2020:
| Part | Residential warranty |
|---|---|
| Vitreous china material (the bowl and tank) | Lifetime limited |
| Mechanical components, most models | 10-year limited |
| Mechanical components on Wellworth, Highline, Kingston, Kelston and wall-hung models | 5-year limited |
| Mechanical components on touchless and Continuous Clean models | 1-year limited |
| Tankless toilets and seats | 1-year limited |
Mechanical components are the working parts in the tank, such as the flush valve and fill valve. The sheet doesn't list them part by part, so ask Kohler if you're unsure whether a specific part counts. Kohler warrants that the toilet is free of defects in material and workmanship during normal use.
Two limits are easy to miss. The warranty covers toilets purchased and installed in the Americas, which Kohler defines as North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, excluding Brazil. And it excludes Intelligent Toilets and cleansing seats, which have their own terms.
### What if the toilet was made before 2020?
Kohler's sheet says toilets manufactured before January 1, 2020 and not otherwise separately warranted have a one-year limited warranty. An older Kohler may be covered by an earlier warranty document, so check the paperwork that came with it.
### What are the commercial terms?
Shorter. A commercial install gets 10 years on the vitreous china for most models, and 5 years on Wellworth, Highline, Kingston, Kelston and wall-hung models. Mechanical components get 3 years. Touchless and Continuous Clean mechanical components, tankless toilets and seats get 1 year.
The sheet doesn't define residential versus commercial, so if your toilet is in a rental or a business, ask Kohler which column applies.
What will Kohler do, and what does it leave to you?
Kohler says it will, at its election, repair, replace or make an appropriate adjustment where its inspection finds a defect that occurred in normal usage. That means Kohler decides the remedy and inspects first. Its liability is capped at the toilet's purchase price.
The costs Kohler doesn't pay are the ones people forget. Kohler says it isn't responsible for removal, installation, labor charges or other incidental or consequential costs. Water damage from a leak falls in that last group. Compare that with our page on how long the InSinkErator warranty lasts, where in-home labor is part of the deal.
What does "lifetime" mean for the china?
It means defects, not damage. Kohler warrants the toilet to be free of defects in material and workmanship during normal use, and says damage caused by accident, misuse or abuse isn't covered. A bowl that arrives with a flaw in the glaze or a tank that develops a crack from a manufacturing defect is what the lifetime term is aimed at. A chip from dropping a tank lid isn't. Kohler's inspection decides which it is, and the sheet gives it that call.
Notice also that Kohler's lifetime wording is attached to the vitreous china material, not to the whole toilet. The flush valve, fill valve and handle are mechanical components on a shorter clock, and a toilet that runs because of a worn flapper is usually a parts question, not a china question. Our page on how to pick the right toilet flapper explains why those parts wear out on any brand.
### How does it compare with faucet warranties?
The wording differs from the faucet makers we've covered.
| Brand and product | Residential term | Labor |
|---|---|---|
| Kohler toilet china | Lifetime limited, made after Jan 1, 2020 | Not covered |
| Kohler toilet mechanical parts | 10 years, 5 on some models | Not covered |
| Delta faucet | As long as the original buyer owns the home | Not covered |
| Moen faucet | As long as the original buyer owns the home | Not covered |
Kohler's sheet doesn't tie the toilet warranty to owning the home the way the faucet sheets do. Our page on whether Delta has a lifetime faucet warranty has the Delta side.
### What voids the Kohler toilet warranty?
Kohler lists three things:
- 1Accident, misuse or abuse. Damage from those isn't a defect.
- 2Improper care and cleaning. Kohler says this voids the warranty.
- 3In-tank toilet cleaners. Kohler says they void the warranty unless used properly with a Continuous Clean unit. A drop-in tablet in the tank is exactly what this line describes, so don't use one on a Kohler.
The third one matters for mechanical parts. Chemicals that sit in the tank can attack flappers and seals, and our page on how to fix a running toilet covers the usual failures. If a flapper or fill valve fails, how to replace a toilet flapper or fill valve shows what a replacement involves.
How do you file a Kohler toilet warranty claim?
Kohler's sheet says to contact it through your dealer, plumbing contractor, home center or e-tailer, or by writing to the Kohler Co. Customer Care Center at 444 Highland Drive, Kohler, WI 53044. You can also call 1-800-4-KOHLER (1-800-456-4537) or use the Kohler website for your region.
Give Kohler all the pertinent information:
- A complete description of the problem
- The product and model number
- The color and finish
- The date the toilet was purchased and from whom
- Your proof of purchase, meaning the original sales receipt
The sheet says the original sales receipt must go with every claim. The FTC gives the same advice for any warranty: keep the receipt with the warranty paperwork, since it proves the purchase date and that you're the original owner. It also says that if a part isn't listed, you should assume it isn't covered.
### Is the Kohler toilet warranty transferable?
The sheet doesn't say either way, and it doesn't say the warranty is limited to the original owner. It does require the original sales receipt, so a second owner would have trouble proving purchase. Contact Kohler before you count on it. Moen's faucet sheet is much more explicit about who is covered. See whether Moen has a lifetime faucet warranty.
### What about implied warranties?
Kohler limits implied warranties, including merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, to the duration of the written warranty, and disclaims special, incidental or consequential damages. It adds that some jurisdictions don't allow those limits, so they may not apply to you. Whether one applies to you is a legal question for your state's consumer protection office.
### What should you do before you call Kohler?
A short checklist saves a round trip. Find the original sales receipt and note the purchase date and the seller. Write down the model number and the color or finish code. Photograph the defect, since Kohler's claim asks for a complete description of the problem. Then shut the supply valve if anything is leaking, because the sheet excludes consequential costs and a small leak left running becomes your expense.
Should you use the warranty or call a plumber?
Use both. A defect claim gets you the part or the toilet, but you still need someone to remove and install it, and Kohler doesn't pay that. A cracked bowl or a failed flush valve is a job where a licensed plumber can pull the toilet, check the flange and set the new one. HQ Plumbing & Air is licensed and insured, gives free estimates and quotes an upfront price before starting. If the toilet is leaking now, we offer 24/7 service.
For another major brand, see the American Standard toilet warranty.
Comparing brands? See how TOTO and American Standard toilets differ.