The Kansas permit test is the written knowledge exam from the Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles, and the Kansas Driving Handbook says it has 25 questions on traffic laws and road signs. You can take the Kansas permit test online at home or at a driver's license office, and you get four chances to pass before a six-month wait.
Kansas permit test at a glance
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Agency | Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR), Division of Vehicles |
| Questions | 25 on traffic laws, plus road sign identification |
| Pass mark | Not stated in the handbook. Practice sites say 80% (20 of 25), which is unofficial |
| Minimum age | 14 for a Class C instruction permit |
| Where | Online at ks.knowtodrive.com or at a driver's license office |
| Online fee | $10 for the first test and $8.50 for a retest (KDOR, 2021) |
| Office retest | The next working day, after a $1.50 re-exam fee |
| Attempts | Four. After a fourth failure, wait at least 6 months |
| Appointments | Booked through the KDOR system at getinline.kdor.ks.gov |
How many questions are on the Kansas permit test?
The Kansas Driving Handbook says you will answer 25 questions about traffic laws, and the exam also asks you to identify signs. The Division of Vehicles does not publish a passing score in the handbook. Practice-test sites say 80%, or 20 of 25, which would let you miss 5, but treat that as unofficial.
Because the official pass mark is not published, aim to get every practice question right before test day.
What's on the Kansas permit test
Everything comes from the Kansas Driving Handbook at ksrevenue.gov. A few rules worth memorizing:
- Parking: not within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, or within 30 feet of a traffic signal, stop sign or flashing beacon.
- Following distance: at least two seconds in good conditions and four seconds in bad conditions.
- Alcohol: drivers under 21 can be arrested for alcohol impairment at .02.
- School buses: stop when meeting or overtaking a stopped school bus, and stay stopped until the stop signal is pulled in and the red lights go off. Traffic on the other side of a divided highway does not have to stop.
- Move over: on a multi-lane road, move to a lane that is not next to a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing lights.
- Road signs: shapes, colors and meanings.
Kansas Division of Vehicles, not "Kansas DMV"
People search for the Kansas DMV written test, but Kansas does not have a DMV. Driver licensing belongs to the Division of Vehicles inside the Kansas Department of Revenue. Its pages live on ksrevenue.gov, and that is where to find the handbook, the document list and the online test link.
How to study for the Kansas permit test
- Download the free Kansas Driving Handbook from ksrevenue.gov. A printed copy costs $2.00 at a driver's license office.
- Read one section at a time and highlight every number.
- Learn road signs by shape and color, then by meaning.
- Take practice tests, write down each miss and reread that part of the handbook.
- Take the real test only when you score 24 or 25 out of 25 on practice runs.
What to bring and how to book
Gather your documents first, then book through the KDOR appointment system at getinline.kdor.ks.gov. Bring originals (no photocopies or laminated documents):
- Proof of lawful presence, such as a state-issued birth certificate or an unexpired passport.
- Proof of your Social Security number, such as your card or a W-2.
- Two recent proofs of your Kansas residential address.
- If you are under 16: a parent or guardian to sign the application and affidavit at the office.
- A driver's education completion certificate (DE-99) if you have one, which may replace in-office testing.
You will also take a vision exam. Fees are on the Kansas Credential Fee Chart at ksrevenue.gov.
Can you take the Kansas permit test online?
Yes. Since April 2021 the Division of Vehicles has offered the written exam online at ks.knowtodrive.com, available around the clock. You need a laptop or desktop computer. KDOR announced a $10 fee for the first test and $8.50 for a retest. You still visit a driver's license office with your documents to get the permit.
What happens if you fail the Kansas permit test?
The handbook gives you four chances to pass. At an office, you can retest the next working day after paying a $1.50 re-exam fee. If you fail a fourth time, you must wait at least six months from the last failed exam before testing again, so do not rush your retakes.
Kansas permit test FAQ
How many questions on Kansas permit test?
25 questions on traffic laws, according to the Kansas Driving Handbook, plus sign identification.
How many times can you take the permit test in Kansas?
Four times. After the fourth failure you must wait at least six months from the last failed exam.
What score do you need on the Kansas permit test?
The handbook does not publish one. Practice sites say 80%, or 20 of 25, which is unofficial.
How old do you have to be for a Kansas permit?
14 for a Class C instruction permit. Under 16, a parent or guardian must sign the application.
