Driving Tests

Kansas Driver's License at 16: Curfew, Passengers and the 50-Hour Affidavit

informational·how to guide·Published August 25, 2026

What are the rules for a Kansas driver's license at 16?

For six months, a 16-year-old Kansas driver may drive from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. At other hours, you may drive only for work, school activities or religious activity, or with a licensed adult beside you. You may carry only one passenger under 18 who is not immediate family. You need a Kansas permit held one year and a signed 50-hour affidavit (10 hours at night).

Where the Kansas 16-year-old license facts come from

The facts in this guide come from Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-2,101), the graduated driver license page and the teen driver FAQ of the Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles. The Kansas Driving Handbook (Revised February 2022) agrees with them. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles (ksrevenue.gov) before you drive.

Who gets the less-restricted license at 16

Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-2,101) calls this stage a restricted class C license for a driver who is 16 but under 17. Driver's license offices list it as "less restricted privileges." To get it, you need:
- a Kansas instruction permit that you held for at least one year (time on the blue DE-99 driver's education permit does not count);
- a vision test, plus the written and driving tests or the driver's education completion slip (DE-99);
- a 50-hour affidavit signed by a parent or guardian.
If you got a restricted license at 15 instead, read the guide to the Kansas restricted license at 15.

When can a 16-year-old drive in Kansas?

When can a 16-year-old drive in Kansas?
Situation	Can you drive?
From 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.	Yes, for any trip.
After 9 p.m. or before 5 a.m., going to, from or in connection with a job, employment or farm-related work	Yes.
After 9 p.m. or before 5 a.m., going to or from authorized school activities	Yes.
After 9 p.m. or before 5 a.m., going directly to or from a religious activity held by a religious organization	Yes.
After 9 p.m. or before 5 a.m., in a passenger car with a licensed adult in the seat beside you (the Division of Vehicles says the adult must be 21 or older)	Yes.
After 9 p.m. or before 5 a.m., for any other trip, such as a night out with friends	No.

How many passengers can a 16-year-old have?

For six months after your license is issued, you may not drive with more than one passenger who is under 18 and not a member of your immediate family. Your brothers, sisters and other immediate family do not count toward that limit. Passengers 18 or older do not count either. A conviction for breaking this rule counts as a moving traffic violation. Practice the rule with the free question on passengers during the first six months at 16.

Can a 16-year-old use a phone while driving in Kansas?

No. A restricted license holder may not use a phone or other wireless communication device while driving. There are only two exceptions: to report illegal activity, and to call for medical or other emergency help. A call or a text to a friend is not one of them.

The 50-hour affidavit: what you must turn in

50 hours of practice driving, with at least 10 hours at night. By law, the supervising adult is at least 21 and holds a valid class A, B or C license.
A parent or guardian signs the affidavit. You give it to the driver's license office when you apply.
No affidavit, no license at 16. The law lists the signed affidavit as a condition of the license.
No log is required. The office does not ask for a log of your hours, but it encourages parents and guardians to keep one.
Driver's education time can count. Actual behind-the-wheel time counts toward the 50 hours if the instructor is 21 or older.

Which tests do you take at 16?

Driver's education is not required at 16. Without it, you pass the vision test, the written test and the driving test at the driver's license office. If you did finish driver's education, the DE-99 completion slip takes the place of the written and driving tests. You still take a vision test, because the office gives one each time your license type changes. For the written test, study the Kansas Driving Handbook. Our practice tests are free and in English only.

When do the 16-year-old limits end in Kansas?

You follow the law for six months

The restrictions end, and you may drive at any time. The Division of Vehicles also ends them at age 17 if that comes first.

You are convicted of two or more moving violations, on separate occasions, before you turn 17

You cannot get an unrestricted license until you are 18. If you started with a restricted license at 15, two violations before age 16 keep the restrictions until 17.

You break the restrictions

Your license is suspended under K.S.A. 8-291. Two or more accidents chargeable to you also lead to a suspension, and the license is not reinstated for one year. See the guide to Kansas teen driver penalties.

Key takeaways

At 16, you may drive from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. At other hours, drive only for work, school activities, religious activity or with a licensed adult beside you.
For six months, carry no more than one passenger under 18 who is not immediate family. Do not use a phone, except to report illegal activity or call for help.
A parent or guardian signs the 50-hour affidavit (10 hours at night). The office does not require a log.
The limits end after six months if you follow the law. Two moving violations before 17 keep them until 18.
Next step: practice on the free Kansas Class C written practice test.

Kansas license at 16: common questions

I got my permit at 15 and a half. When can I get my license?

You can apply for the license at 16 and a half, when you have held your Kansas instruction permit for one full year. Bring the 50-hour affidavit signed by your parent or guardian. Time on the blue DE-99 driver's education permit does not count toward the year.

Does a learner's permit from another state count toward the one year?

No. The one year must be on an instruction permit issued in Kansas. If you move to Kansas with a permit from another state, you get a Kansas instruction permit and hold it for one year before you can get the license at 16.

Can I drive my friends home from a football game at night?

You may drive to or from an authorized school activity at any hour. But for the first six months, you may carry only one passenger under 18 who is not immediate family. One friend is legal. Two or more friends under 18 break the passenger rule.

Do I need to take a vision test again at 16?

Yes. The driver's license office gives a vision test each time your license type changes, so you take one when you move from the instruction permit to the license. You take it even if you bring a DE-99 driver's education completion slip.

Do I have to go back to the DMV when my limits end?

No. A Kansas license issued before age 21 is valid until your 21st birthday. The Division of Vehicles updates your record when you meet all the conditions. If you want a new card without the restriction, you can get one at a driver's license office for an $8 photo fee.