Kansas Permit Test: Questions, Online Option and Retakes
What is on the Kansas permit test and how do I take it?
The Kansas Driving Handbook says the written test has 25 questions about traffic laws, and you identify certain signs by shape, color or symbol. Take it at a driver's license office, or online with KnowTo Drive from age 14 for $6.50 (U.S. dollars) per attempt. If you fail at the office, you can retest the next working day for $1.50. You get four chances.
Where the Kansas permit test facts come from
The Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles sets these rules. The facts in this guide come from the Kansas Driving Handbook (revised February 2022), the KnowTo Drive online test FAQ that the Division of Vehicles links, and Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-240). The Division of Vehicles driver's license FAQ, teen driver FAQ, graduated driver licensing page and fee chart (updated May 2023) add details. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles (ksrevenue.gov) before you drive.
What is on the Kansas written test?
Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-240) names three tests for a driver's license: vision, written and driving. An instruction permit at ages 14, 15 and 16 needs two: a vision test, and the written test or a driver's education completion certificate.
The written test covers Kansas traffic laws and road signs. You answer 25 questions about traffic laws, and you identify certain signs by their shape, their color or the symbol on them. The Kansas Driving Handbook says you must score 80% to pass. Online, the same exam is called the Class C Knowledge Test.
Driver's license office or online: which one?
| Question | At a driver's license office | Online with KnowTo Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Who can take it | Permit applicants 14 and older. Ages 14 and 15 need a parent's approval. | Kansas residents 14 and older. Under 18, a parent or guardian (a Kansas resident, 18 or older) registers with you. |
| What you need | Acceptable proof of identity. | A desktop or laptop with internet, a keyboard, a mouse and a webcam. |
| Cost | $10 for the instruction permit ($2 permit fee plus $8 photo fee). | $6.50 per attempt. Other Division of Vehicles fees are paid at the office. |
| Retake after a fail | The next working day, for $1.50. | The next day, for $6.50. |
| After four fails | Wait six months from the last failed test. | Wait six months from the last failed test. |
Online test rules: who can take it and what you need
KnowTo Drive is the only official online knowledge test of the Kansas Department of Revenue.
Identity check. KnowTo Drive uses your Social Security number to check your identity. If you are under 18, the parent or guardian who registers with you verifies your identity. If the check fails, take the test at a driver's license office instead.
Test session. The test does not work in Internet Explorer. Choose English or Spanish, with audio playback if you want it. You have 60 minutes, and you get your result right after the test.
After you pass. Bring your passing results to the driver's license office, and you skip the in-office knowledge exam.
What can get you disqualified online
- Your mouse cursor leaves the red border of the test session.
- Photos taken during the test do not match the first photo you submitted.
- A photo shows other people. Be alone in the room: the webcam watches you and your surroundings for the whole test.
What to do if you fail the Kansas written test
Skip the written test with the DE-99
If you complete driver's education, the driver's license office accepts the DE-99 completion certificate instead of the written test and issues your instruction permit. Bring proof of your name and date of birth. The completion expires after 2 years, and a certificate from an online driver's education course is not accepted.
Driver's education is not required for an instruction permit. Without it, you take the vision and written tests. For the permit rules, see our guide to the Kansas instruction permit.
How to study for the Kansas written test
- Read the Kansas Driving Handbook. It is the study guide that KnowTo Drive also points to for the online test.
- Learn the signs. The test asks you to identify certain signs by shape, color or symbol, so study the sign pages in the handbook.
- Use the retest wait. After a fail, you do not have to retest the next day. You may wait longer to study the handbook.
- Test yourself on permit rules. Our free practice questions cover Kansas rules, for example who must sit beside a permit holder.
Key takeaways
- The written test has 25 questions about traffic laws, and you also identify certain signs by shape, color or symbol.
- Take it at a driver's license office, or online with KnowTo Drive for $6.50 per attempt. Online, a parent or guardian registers with you if you are under 18.
- At the office, you can retest the next working day for $1.50. After four failures, you wait six months from the last failed test.
- If you complete driver's education, the DE-99 completion certificate replaces the written test for an instruction permit.
- Next step: practice on the free Kansas Class C written practice test. Its questions are in English only.
Kansas permit test: common questions
How much does the Kansas permit test cost?
At a driver's license office, the instruction permit costs $10: a $2 permit fee plus an $8 photo fee. Online, each KnowTo Drive attempt costs $6.50, and you pay the other Division of Vehicles fees at the office. A retest at the office costs $1.50.
Can I take the Kansas permit test in Spanish?
Yes, online. KnowTo Drive offers the Class C Knowledge Test in English and Spanish, and you can turn on audio playback. You need a desktop or laptop with a webcam, and you have 60 minutes to finish.
Can I take the Kansas permit test online at 14?
Yes, if you are a Kansas resident. You must be at least 14 years old. Because you are under 18, a parent or guardian who is a Kansas resident and at least 18 must register with you and verify your identity.
How many times can I take the Kansas written test?
You have four chances to pass. At the office, you can retest the next working day for $1.50; online, you can retest the next day for $6.50. After four fails in six months, you wait six months from the date of your last failed test.
Is the Kansas Driving Handbook free?
Yes. You can view or print the handbook PDF for free on the Kansas Department of Revenue website. A printed copy costs $2.00 at a driver's license office. The current handbook was revised in February 2022.
Can I skip the written test if I finish driver's education?
For an instruction permit, yes. The driver's license office accepts the DE-99 completion certificate instead of the written test, with proof of your name and date of birth. The completion expires after 2 years, and online-only courses do not count.
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