Kansas DMV Exam FAQ 2026
How do I get my first driver's license in Kansas?
Kansas licenses drivers through the Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles, which most people call the Kansas DMV. Teens move through a graduated system: a Class C instruction permit at 14, a restricted license at 15, less restrictive privileges at 16, and an unrestricted license at 17. At each step you must pass a vision screening, the written knowledge exam, and a driving test, or present the gold DE-99 completion slip from an approved driver education course. Applicants under 18 also need a parent or guardian to sign an affidavit at the driver licensing office.
What is the minimum age for a learner's permit in Kansas?
You may apply for a Class C or M instruction permit in Kansas at age 14. Applicants under 16 need a written application from a parent or guardian, and the parent or guardian must sign an affidavit at the driver licensing office when you apply. You must pass the vision and written examinations, or bring in the DE-99 form authorizing an instruction permit from an approved driver education course you are attending. The permit is valid for one year and can be renewed by retaking and passing the written exam.
What can I do with a Kansas instruction permit?
An instruction permit lets you practice driving only when a licensed adult is in the front seat next to you. That adult must be at least 21 years old and have at least one year of driving experience. No one other than the supervising adult may sit in the front seat. Permit holders also may not use wireless communication devices while driving, except to report illegal activity or summon emergency help.
What documents do I need to bring to a Kansas driver licensing office?
You need to prove your name, date of birth, Social Security number, lawful presence in the United States, and Kansas residency. Bring original or certified documents rather than photocopies, and surrender any driver's license or identification card you already hold from Kansas or another state. Applicants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who will sign the required affidavit. The Division of Vehicles publishes a current Required Documents List at ksrevenue.gov, so check it before your visit because acceptable documents change from time to time.
How many questions are on the Kansas written knowledge test and what score do I need?
The Kansas knowledge test consists of 25 questions on Kansas traffic laws and road signs, and you are also asked to identify certain signs by their shape, color, or symbol. You need to answer at least 20 of the 25 correctly, which is the standard 80 percent passing score, so you can miss no more than five. All of the material comes from the official Kansas Driving Handbook published by the Division of Vehicles. You can take the exam at a driver's license office or online through the state's official KnowTo Drive platform if you qualify.
Can I take the Kansas knowledge exam online?
Yes. The Kansas Department of Revenue lets qualifying applicants complete the non-commercial knowledge exam online through KnowTo Drive, then bring the passing result into the office, which eliminates the in-office knowledge exam. The online test is available to Kansas residents 14 and older, and applicants under 18 must be registered by a parent or guardian who is a Kansas resident 18 or older. There is a time limit to finish the test and a fee charged per attempt by the testing vendor, in addition to the Division of Vehicles fees you pay at the office. Details and eligibility are at ks.knowtodrive.com.
What happens if I fail the Kansas written or driving test?
If you fail either the written test or the driving test you may take it again the next working day after paying a re-examination fee, though you may wait longer if you want more time to study or practice. You get four chances to pass the written test and four chances to pass the driving test. After a fourth failure of either test you must wait a minimum of six months from the most recent failed exam before you can test again. Use that time to work through the handbook and practice tests rather than retesting immediately.
How much does a Kansas driver's license cost?
Fees depend on the credential and your age. According to the Division of Vehicles credential fee chart, a regular learner's permit costs a small issuance fee plus a photo fee, and a new Class C license for an applicant aged 21 to 64 costs an issuance fee, a testing fee, and a photo fee. Drivers 65 and older pay a reduced issuance fee, and a late fee is added if you renew after your license has expired. Fees change from time to time, so confirm current amounts on the fee chart at ksrevenue.gov before your visit.
Does Kansas issue REAL ID compliant driver's licenses?
Yes. Kansas issues REAL ID compliant driver's licenses and identification cards, which are marked with a star and are accepted for federal purposes such as boarding domestic flights and entering secure federal facilities. To get one you must present proof of identity and date of birth, proof of your Social Security number, and documents proving Kansas residency. Because a REAL ID requires documents to be presented in person, you cannot obtain your first REAL ID entirely online. Kansas also offers non-compliant credentials, but those cannot be used as federal identification.
What restrictions apply to a Kansas restricted driver's license at 15?
A 15-year-old with a restricted license may drive only to and from, or in connection with, a job, employment, or farm-related work; directly to and from home and school over the most direct route on days school is in session; directly to and from religious activities held by a religious organization; or any time a licensed adult is in the front seat. Non-sibling minor passengers are not allowed. Wireless communication devices may not be used while driving, except to report illegal activity or summon emergency help. To qualify you must have held an instruction permit for at least one year, completed an approved driver education course, and completed 25 hours of supervised driving.
What can a 16-year-old driver in Kansas do?
At 16, once a parent or guardian signs an affidavit attesting to at least 50 hours of supervised driving with at least 10 of those hours at night, a driver may operate under the less restrictive privileges. Those allow driving from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.; to and from school and authorized school activities; to and from religious activities; to and from or in connection with a job, employment, or farm work; and at any time when a licensed adult is in the front seat. Only one non-sibling minor passenger is allowed in the vehicle, and wireless devices remain off limits while driving. After turning 16 and holding the restricted license or farm permit for six months, all age-related driving restrictions are removed.
What is a Kansas farm permit and who can get one?
A farm permit is a Kansas credential for young people who live or work on a farm. You must be at least 14 but less than 17, and you must either reside on a farm or be employed for compensation on one, where a farm is defined as at least 20 acres used in agricultural operations. If you are employed on a farm, your employer must sign an affidavit attesting to that employment, and a parent or guardian must sign as well. Farm permit holders aged 14 and 15 may drive only for farm work or directly to and from school for attendance, may carry no non-sibling minor passengers, and may not use wireless devices while driving.
What driver education is accepted in Kansas?
Kansas accepts driver education only from programs offered through local accredited school districts approved by the Department of Education, or from approved private driver education schools that provide 8 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction. Internet-only driver education courses do not meet Kansas requirements, and a certificate of completion from an online course will not be accepted for licensure. Completing an approved course lets you present the DE-99 completion slip in place of taking the written and driving examinations at the office. Driver education is required for 15-year-old applicants and is not required if you apply at 16.
What happens during the Kansas driving test?
The driving test asks you to drive a designated route designed to show your basic skills operating a motor vehicle in traffic. Before the road test you may be asked to complete a pre-trip vehicle safety inspection and demonstrate basic vehicle control skills such as backing, parallel parking, and two-point and three-point turnabouts. You must supply a safe, legally registered and insured vehicle for the test. Examiners look for smooth speed control, correct signaling, proper lane position, complete stops, and consistent searching at intersections.
I just moved to Kansas. How long do I have to get a Kansas license?
You are required to have a Kansas driver's license within 90 days of moving to Kansas. Bring your out-of-state license to surrender along with proof of name, date of birth, Social Security number, lawful presence, and Kansas residency. Some applicants transferring a valid out-of-state license are not required to repeat the full testing sequence, but you will have your vision screened and the examiner may require a written or driving test. Certain groups, including active duty military members and their families and out-of-state students, may continue to drive on a valid license from their home state.
How often do I renew my Kansas driver's license?
Kansas licenses expire on your birthday. Drivers who are at least 21 but under 65 renew on a six-year cycle, while drivers 65 and older renew every four years. The Division of Vehicles sends a renewal notice at least 30 days before expiration to your last mailing address on file, or by email if you signed up for electronic notifications. An examiner screens your eyesight at renewal, a late fee is charged if you renew after expiration, and if your license has been expired more than one year you must complete full testing again, including vision, written, and driving exams.
Are there special rules for older drivers in Kansas?
Kansas drivers 65 and older renew their license every four years instead of every six, and they pay a reduced issuance fee. A vision screening is performed at each renewal, and you must have at least 20/40 vision in one eye with or without corrective lenses. There is no automatic road test based on age, but a driver's license examiner may require any applicant to pass a written or driving skills test if there is reason to believe the applicant cannot exercise ordinary and reasonable control of a vehicle. If corrective lenses are needed to reach the vision standard, a restriction is placed on the license and you must wear them whenever you drive.
What car insurance do I need in Kansas?
Kansas requires liability coverage of at least $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in one accident, $50,000 for two or more people in one accident, and $25,000 for damage to the property of others, commonly written as 25/50/25. Kansas is also a no-fault state, so policies must include personal injury protection benefits. Failing to maintain continuous liability insurance on your vehicle results in a mandatory indefinite suspension of your driving privileges. Keep your proof of insurance in the vehicle, since an officer may ask for it at a traffic stop.
Does Kansas use a point system, and what can suspend my license?
Kansas does not assign demerit points the way some states do. Instead, your driving privileges may be suspended for conviction of three moving violations within a twelve-month period, for refusing a chemical test, for failing to appear in court or respond to a traffic citation, for failing to maintain liability insurance, for transporting an open container, or for failing to report a traffic accident. More serious offenses lead to revocation, including vehicular homicide, reckless driving, fleeing a police officer, vehicular battery, failing to stop and render aid, and any felony committed using a motor vehicle. Suspensions and revocations are handled by Driver Services at the Division of Vehicles.
What are the DUI laws and penalties in Kansas?
It is illegal in Kansas to drive with a blood or breath alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, and drivers under 21 can be charged at .02 or greater under the state's zero tolerance law. Kansas implied consent means that by holding a driver's license you have already consented to a lawfully requested chemical test, and a first refusal carries a mandatory one-year suspension. Under Kansas statute a first DUI conviction is punishable by a fine of not less than $750 nor more than $1,000, plus a minimum of 48 consecutive hours of imprisonment or 100 hours of public service, license suspension, and an ignition interlock requirement. Penalties increase sharply for second and later convictions.
