Driving Tests

Kansas Teen Driver Penalties: Breaking GDL Rules, Tickets and Suspensions

informational·how to guide·Published August 9, 2026

What happens if a Kansas teen breaks permit or restricted license rules?

Breaking a restriction of an instruction permit, restricted license or farm permit is a misdemeanor under Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-291). The court must suspend the privilege to drive for 30 days after a first conviction, 90 days after a second and one year after a third or later. A passenger violation also counts as a moving violation, and two moving violations keep the restrictions until age 17 or 18.

Where the Kansas teen driver penalty facts come from

The suspension steps come from Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-291). The rules that a teen can break come from K.S.A. 8-2,100 (instruction permit), K.S.A. 8-2,101 (restricted license) and K.S.A. 8-296 (farm permit). The moving violation rules come from K.S.A. 8-255, the text messaging ban from K.S.A. 8-15,111 and the school and work zone phone ban from the 2026 law, House Substitute for Senate Bill 366. The Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles lists the graduated driver licensing steps. This guide is general information, not legal advice, and is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles (ksrevenue.gov) before you drive.

Court suspensions for breaking a Kansas permit or license restriction

Court suspensions for breaking a Kansas permit or license restriction
Conviction for breaking a restriction	Suspension of the privilege to drive
First	30 days
Second	90 days
Third or later	One year

Kansas teen restrictions that bring a suspension when you break them

Instruction permit: the front seat. A supervising driver sits beside you: an adult 21 or older with a valid class A, B or C license and at least one year of driving experience. No one else may sit in the front seat.
Restricted license or farm permit under 16: allowed trips. Drive to and from work (farm work only, for a farm permit), to school by the most direct route on school days, or at any time with a licensed adult beside you. A restricted license also allows trips to and from religious activity from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Division of Vehicles says the adult must be 21 or older.
Restricted license or farm permit at 16: hours for six months. Drive from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Outside those hours, drive only to and from work (farm work for a farm permit), school activities or religious activity (a religious worship service, for a farm permit), or with a licensed adult beside you.
Passengers. Under 16, no nonsibling minor passengers. At 16, for the first six months, no more than one passenger under 18 who is not immediate family.
Phones (permit, restricted license and farm permit). No wireless communication device while driving, except to report illegal activity or to get medical or other emergency help.

A passenger violation is also a moving violation

For a restricted license and for a farm permit, Kansas law says that a conviction for breaking the passenger rule counts as a moving traffic violation for K.S.A. 8-255. So a ride with too many friends can bring the suspension steps above and also a moving violation. Practice the passenger limit in the first six months at 16, and read the post on the Kansas license at 16 for the full limits.

Two moving violations: how long the restrictions last

You are under 16 and get convictions for two or more moving violations on separate occasions

A restricted license or farm permit holder cannot get a license without the under-16 restrictions until age 17.

You are 16 but not yet 17 and get two or more moving violation convictions on separate occasions

A restricted license or farm permit holder stays restricted until age 18. The same applies to a restricted license first issued at 16.

You do not give the 50-hour affidavit (at least 10 hours at night) before age 16

A restricted license or farm permit holder keeps the under-16 restrictions until the affidavit is given or age 17, whichever comes first.

Chargeable accidents and a one-year suspension

A restricted license or a farm permit has its own crash rule. The Division of Vehicles must suspend it when it receives satisfactory evidence that the holder was in two or more accidents chargeable to the holder. The suspended license is not reinstated for one year. Kansas law puts this rule in K.S.A. 8-2,101 for the restricted license and in K.S.A. 8-296 for the farm permit. The restricted license at 15 post lists how a 15-year-old gets that license.

Three moving violations in 12 months

Any Kansas driver, teen or adult, can lose driving privileges after repeated tickets. Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-255) lets the Division of Vehicles restrict, suspend or revoke the privileges of a person with convictions for three or more moving violations committed on separate occasions within 12 months. The same law covers a moving violation committed while privileges were already restricted, suspended or revoked.

What to do when the Division of Vehicles acts on your tickets

1
Read the written notice
The Division must notify you in writing when it restricts, suspends or revokes your driving privileges.
2
Ask for administrative review within 30 days
Send a written request and evidence that you were not convicted of the offense. The 30 days start when the notice is mailed, and the request does not stop the action.
3
Ask about a driver improvement clinic
When the suspension is for three moving violations in 12 months, the Division may review your record and let you keep your privileges if you attend a driver improvement clinic.
4
Take court questions to the court or a lawyer
The 30-day, 90-day and one-year suspensions for breaking a restriction come from the court, and the court can add other penalties from the same event. Ask the court or a lawyer about your own case.

Phone rules for Kansas teen drivers

A teen with an instruction permit, restricted license or farm permit may not use a wireless communication device while driving, except to report illegal activity or get emergency help. A violation breaks a restriction, so the suspension steps apply. With few exceptions, no Kansas driver may type, send or read texts or emails while driving on a public road; the fine is $60. A 2026 law also bans hand-held phone use in a school zone with a reduced speed limit and in a work zone with workers present and signs posted. The fine is $60, but officers give only warnings until July 1, 2027. Try the instruction permit phone question.

Key takeaways

Breaking a permit, restricted license or farm permit restriction is a misdemeanor in Kansas.
The court must suspend the privilege to drive: 30 days for a first conviction, 90 days for a second, one year for a third or later.
Passenger violations count as moving violations. Two moving violations keep a teen restricted until 17 or 18.
Two chargeable accidents suspend a restricted license or farm permit for one year. Three moving violations in 12 months let the Division of Vehicles act on any driver.
Next step: practice on the free Kansas Class C written practice test. Its questions are in English only.

Kansas teen driver penalties: common questions

Can a Kansas teen lose a license for texting?

Yes. A teen with an instruction permit, restricted license or farm permit may not use a phone while driving, except to report illegal activity or get emergency help. Breaking that restriction brings a court suspension under K.S.A. 8-291: 30 days, then 90 days, then one year. The uniform fine schedule also lists $60 for unlawful text messaging by any driver.

Is breaking a teen license restriction a crime in Kansas?

Yes. Kansas law makes it a misdemeanor to drive in violation of the restrictions on any driver's license or permit. For an instruction permit, restricted license or farm permit, the court must also suspend the privilege to drive for 30 days, 90 days or one year, and it can add other penalties from the same event.

Can one crash suspend a Kansas restricted license?

Not under the crash rule. The Division of Vehicles must suspend a restricted license or farm permit when it receives satisfactory evidence of two or more accidents chargeable to the holder. The suspended license is not reinstated for one year.

Can I fight a Kansas license suspension for three tickets?

Within 30 days after the notice is mailed, you can send the Division of Vehicles a written request for administrative review, with evidence that you were not convicted of the offense. The request does not stop the action while the Division reviews it. For questions about the conviction itself, ask the court or a lawyer.

Can a driver improvement clinic keep my Kansas license?

It can. When the Division of Vehicles may suspend your privileges for three moving violations in 12 months, it can review your driving record and let you keep your privileges if you attend a driver improvement clinic. You apply to the Division and pay the clinic fee.

When do Kansas teen driving restrictions end?

A restricted license or farm permit at 16 keeps the hour, trip and passenger limits for six months. After that, if you followed the law, the limits end. You do not need to go back to a driver's license office; the Division of Vehicles updates your record. A new card without the restriction is optional and costs an $8 photo fee.