Driving Tests

How to Get a Kansas Driver's License at 17 or Older

informational·how to guide·Published August 21, 2026

How do I get a driver's license in Kansas at 17 or older?

In Kansas, you can get a driver's license at 17 or older without an instruction permit or driver's education. You pass a vision test, plus a written test and a driving test or a DE-99 driver's ed completion slip. At 17, a parent or guardian signs an affidavit for 50 supervised hours, 10 at night. A first license with tests costs $31 under 21 and $29 at 21 to 64.

Where these Kansas license facts come from

The Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles (people say "Kansas DMV") sets these rules. The facts here come from Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-235d, K.S.A. 8-239 and K.S.A. 8-240 on tests and fees), the Division's graduated driver license table, its pages on required documents and under-21 licenses, its driver's license and teen FAQs, its fee chart (updated 5/2023), the KnowTo Drive online test FAQ and the Kansas Driving Handbook (Revised February 2022). This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles (ksrevenue.gov) before you drive.

Do you need an instruction permit first at 17 or older?

No. Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-239) says a person 17 or older "may apply" for an instruction permit, so the permit is your choice. The full (non-restricted) license also needs no driver's education.
If you want a permit, you get it after you pass all parts of the examination except the driving test. It lasts one year and covers a passenger car. You drive only with an adult who is at least 21, holds a valid license, has at least one year of driving experience and sits beside you. The free question on who may supervise a permit holder covers this rule.

Steps to a Kansas license at 17 or older

1
Check that you can apply
You must be at least 17 and not be canceled, suspended or revoked in any state.
2
Gather your documents
Bring original proof of lawful presence, of your Social Security number and of your Kansas address. The list below gives examples.
3
If you are 17, get the affidavit signed
A parent or guardian signs a statement of 50 hours of adult supervised driving, at least 10 at night. At 18 or older you skip this step.
4
Make an appointment
Appointments at the driver's license office are recommended, and they get priority.
5
Pass the vision test and the written test
Take the vision test at the office. Take the written test at the office, or online before your visit.
6
Pass the driving test
You drive a designated route in a vehicle that you provide.
7
Pay the fees
You pay a license fee, an exam fee and a photo fee. The table below gives the amounts.

Kansas license fees for a first license with testing

Kansas license fees for a first license with testing
Your age	Fees	What they add up to
17 to 20	$20 license fee, $3 exam fee, $8 photo fee	$31 in total
21 to 64	$18 license fee, $3 exam fee, $8 photo fee	$29 in total
65 or older	$12 license fee, $3 exam fee, $8 photo fee	$23 in total
Retake of the written or driving test	$1.50 for each retake	Added to the fees above

The 50-hour affidavit if you are 17

Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-235d) asks a first-time applicant who is 17 for an affidavit signed by a parent or guardian. It states that you completed at least 50 hours of adult supervised driving, with at least 10 of those hours at night. The adult who supervises must be at least 21 and hold a valid license. At 18 or older, you need no affidavit. The free question on supervised hours under 18 covers the same rule.

Kansas license issued under 21: expiry, fee and renewal

Every Kansas license issued to an applicant under 21 expires on the 21st birthday, however near or far that birthday is. The license fee for a first license is $20 per class, whatever its length. If you apply at 19, for example, the license runs about two years, and the license fee is still $20.
You can renew no earlier than your 21st birthday. A license that expires on that birthday gets an automatic 45-day extension of driving privileges, so you have time to visit the office.

Documents for a first Kansas license

One lawful presence document. Examples are a certified birth certificate from your birth state or an unexpired passport.
One proof of your Social Security number. Examples are your card, a W-2 or 1099, or a pay stub that shows the full number.
Two recent proofs of your Kansas address, such as a utility bill, a bank statement or a lease. Each must show your name and your physical address, not only a PO box.
A legal name change document, if your name now differs from the name on your lawful presence document.
If you hold a valid Kansas permit or ID card, you need only that card and one recent piece of mail with your name and address. The Kansas documents and REAL ID guide has the full list.

What the vision, written and driving tests check

Kansas law lists four parts of a first examination: an eyesight test, a road sign test, a traffic law test and a driving demonstration. Vision must be at least 20/40 in one eye. If you need glasses to reach that, your license gets a corrective-lens restriction. If you fail the vision test, you can correct your vision and test again at no extra fee.
On the written test, you answer 25 questions about traffic laws and identify signs by their shape, color or symbol. The Kansas driving test guide explains the road test.

Which path fits you at 17 or older?

You finished an approved driver's education course and have the gold DE-99 slip

Bring the DE-99. With it, you may not need to take the written and driving tests in the office.

You never took driver's education

This is fine at 17 or older. Driver's education is not required, so you pass the vision, written and driving tests.

You took an online-only driver's education course

Its certificate is not accepted. Only an approved course counts: a school district program or a state-approved private school with 8 hours of classroom and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction.

You fail the written or driving test

Retake it from the next working day for $1.50. After four failed written or driving tests in six months, you wait six months from the last failed test.

Key takeaways

At 17 or older you can get a Kansas license without an instruction permit or driver's education.
At 17, a parent or guardian signs a 50-hour affidavit (10 hours at night). At 18 or older you do not need it.
A first license with tests costs $31 under 21, $29 at 21 to 64 and $23 at 65 or older. A license issued under 21 expires on your 21st birthday.
Bring original documents, and a DE-99 slip less than 2 years old if you have one.
Next step: practice on the free Kansas Class C written practice test. Its questions are in English only.

Kansas license at 17 or older: common questions

Is getting a Kansas license different at 18 than at 17?

The main change is the affidavit. At 17, a parent or guardian must sign the 50-hour affidavit. At 18 or older, you do not need it. The other steps stay the same: original documents, the vision test, the written and driving tests (or a DE-99 slip) and the fees. A license issued before 21 still expires on your 21st birthday.

Do I have to keep a log of the 50 supervised hours?

No. The driver's license office does not require a log, but it encourages parents and guardians to keep one. The office needs only the affidavit, signed by a parent or guardian, that states at least 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of them at night, with a licensed adult who is 21 or older.

I took driver's ed at 15. Can I still use my DE-99 at 18?

Only if it is recent. A Kansas driver's education completion expires after 2 years. If yours is still valid, bring the gold DE-99 slip, because it may remove the need for the written and driving tests in the office. If it has expired, take the written and driving tests.

Can I take the Kansas written test online?

Yes. You can take the non-commercial knowledge exam online on a laptop or desktop computer, then bring the passing result to the driver's license office. Each online attempt costs $6.50. If you are 17, a parent or guardian must register with you. You can also take the written test at the office.

Can I use a photocopy or a hospital copy of my birth certificate?

No. Documents cannot be photocopied or laminated, so bring the originals. A birth certificate must be certified and issued by vital statistics or a similar agency of your birth state, a U.S. territory or the District of Columbia. A hospital certificate does not count. An unexpired passport also proves lawful presence.

How long does a new Kansas license take to arrive?

Most cards arrive by mail in 14 to 20 days, but it can take up to 45 days. If your card has not arrived after 45 days, visit the driver's license office with your temporary license and a proof of your current address. The office then issues a replacement.