Kansas Instruction Permit at 14: Tests, Fee and Driving Rules
Can I get a Kansas instruction permit at 14?
Yes. Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-2,100) lets you apply for an instruction permit at 14, 15 or 16. At 14 and 15, a parent or guardian must sign the application. You pass a vision test and the written test, or a DE-99 driver's ed slip replaces the written test. The permit costs $10 (U.S. dollars), lasts one year and needs a licensed adult 21 or older beside you.
Where the Kansas permit facts come from
The Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles (people say "Kansas DMV") issues the permit. This guide uses Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-2,100 for ages 14 to 16, K.S.A. 8-239 for 17 and older, and K.S.A. 8-240 for tests and fees), the Division of Vehicles graduated driver licensing page, its teen driver and driver's license FAQs, its fee chart, 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.
Kansas instruction permit at 14 to 16 and at 17 and older
| What it covers | Age 14 to 16 | Age 17 and older |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas law | K.S.A. 8-2,100 | K.S.A. 8-239 |
| Parent or guardian | Written application at 14 and 15 | Not required |
| Tests | Vision and written test, or a driver's ed completion certificate | Vision and written test, or a driver's ed completion certificate |
| Adult beside you | 21 or older, valid license, at least one year of driving experience | 21 or older, valid license, at least one year of driving experience |
| Phone use while driving | Not allowed, except to report illegal activity or get emergency help | No extra permit rule; the phone laws for all drivers apply |
| Time to hold the permit | 1 year before a restricted license | No minimum; a permit is optional before the license |
| Permit valid for | One year | One year |
How to get a Kansas instruction permit at 14
- 1Study the Kansas Driving Handbook
The written test (also called the knowledge test) has 25 questions about traffic laws, and you also identify signs by their shape, color or symbol.
- 2Choose the office or the online test
Kansas residents 14 and older can take the written test online for $6.50 for each attempt. Under 18, a parent or guardian who is a Kansas resident and at least 18 registers with you. You need a desktop or laptop with a keyboard, mouse and webcam.
- 3Go to a driver's license office with your parent or guardian
Bring proof of age and proof of identity; the Kansas driver's license documents guide explains what counts. At 14 and 15, your parent or guardian gives written approval and signs an affidavit at the office.
- 4Pass the vision screening and the written test
You need at least 20/40 vision in one eye. Take the written test at the office if you did not pass it online. A DE-99 slip from an approved driver's ed course can replace the written test.
- 5Pay the fee and get your permit
The permit costs $2 under Kansas law plus an $8 photo fee, so $10 in total. If you passed the test online, you still pay these fees at the office. The permit is valid for one year from the day it is issued.
How the DE-99 driver's ed slip works for the permit
An approved driver's ed course gives you a DE-99 form. While you attend the course, the form lets you get an instruction permit at the office without the written test. After you complete the course, the office accepts the DE-99 completion certificate in place of the written test and issues your permit.
The blue DE-99 permit from the course is valid only during the course. Time on it does not count toward the one year with a permit that you need before a restricted license. To get a restricted license while you are 15, get your office-issued permit at 14.
Rules while you drive on a Kansas permit at 14 to 16
- A supervising driver sits beside you in the front seat whenever the car moves. That driver is an adult 21 or older with a valid class A, B or C (or commercial) license and at least one year of driving experience. A sibling who is 19 does not qualify. A free practice question on who must sit beside a permit holder checks this rule.
- Nobody else may sit in the front seat. If your parent supervises, nobody rides up front with you two.
- Carry the permit with you whenever you drive.
- Kansas law bars a permit holder from using a phone or other wireless communication device while driving. The only exceptions are to report illegal activity or to call for medical or other emergency help.
If you fail the Kansas written test or your permit expires
What comes after the Kansas instruction permit
You must hold the permit for one year to move to a restricted license. At 15, the restricted license needs a state-issued permit held for at least one year and an approved driver's ed course. At 16, the less-restricted license also needs the permit held for at least one year, plus the vision, written and driving tests or the driver's ed completion certificate.
Kansas instruction permit questions
Do I need driver's ed to get a Kansas permit at 14?
No. Driver's ed is not required for the Kansas instruction permit. You can pass the vision test and the written test instead, and you can take the written test online or at a driver's license office. Driver's ed becomes required later, for the restricted license at 15.
Can my friends ride in the back seat when I drive with a permit?
The Division of Vehicles lists no passenger restriction for the Kansas instruction permit at 14 to 16. The seat rule is about the front: only your supervising driver, an adult 21 or older with a valid license and at least one year of driving experience, may sit there.
Can I use my permit from another state after I move to Kansas?
No. A permit from another state does not transfer, and the instruction permit must be issued in Kansas. You take the Kansas tests (vision and written, or give a DE-99 driver's ed completion certificate) and then get a Kansas permit at a driver's license office.
Can I drive at night with a Kansas instruction permit?
Yes. Kansas law lets a permit holder under 17 drive at any time, day or night. The supervising adult must still sit beside you in the front seat, nobody else may sit up front, and you may not use a phone while you drive.
What happens if I break the rules of my Kansas permit?
Kansas law says that any violation of the permit restrictions leads to a suspension of the permit under K.S.A. 8-291. The restrictions include driving without a qualified adult beside you, another person in the front seat and phone use while you drive.
Key Takeaways
- You can apply for a Kansas instruction permit at 14, 15 or 16, and a parent or guardian must sign at 14 and 15.
- Pass the vision test and the written test (at the office or online), or use a DE-99 driver's ed slip in place of the written test.
- The permit costs $10 ($2 plus an $8 photo fee) and is valid for one year.
- An adult 21 or older with a valid license and one year of driving experience sits beside you, and you may not use a phone while you drive.
- Next step: practice on the free Kansas Class C written practice test.
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