Driving Tests

Kentucky No Pass No Drive Law: School Rules for Teen Drivers

informational·how to guide·Published September 1, 2026

Can you lose your permit or license in Kentucky for bad grades or absences?

Yes. Under Kentucky's No Pass/No Drive law (KRS 159.051), a student who is at least 15 and under 18 can lose a permit or license for 9 or more unexcused absences in a semester, or for passing grades in fewer than 4 courses in a semester. The state then revokes or denies the license. The family has 15 days after the notice to ask for a District Court hearing.

Where the No Pass/No Drive facts come from

The rules for reports, hearings and reinstatement come from KRS 159.051 on the Kentucky legislature site, as changed by 2025 House Bill 15. The School Compliance Verification Form, the school notices and the consent rule come from 601 KAR 13:070, KRS 186.440 and KRS 186.470. The license ages come from KRS 186.450, 186.452 and 186.454. The 180-day permit note and the out-of-state rule come from the Kentucky Driver Manual of the Kentucky State Police. The licensing offices come from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (drive.ky.gov) and the Kentucky State Police before you drive.

Who the Kentucky No Pass/No Drive law covers

The law covers a student who is at least 15 years old but less than 18. Before March 25, 2025, it covered only ages 16 and 17. The same 2025 law (House Bill 15) also lets a person apply for an instruction permit at age 15. The law applies to an instruction permit, an intermediate license and an operator's license (the full license). A student who is schooled at home counts as enrolled in school.

What counts as a dropout or as academically deficient

What counts as a dropout or as academically deficient
Label	What the law says
Dropout	9 or more unexcused absences in the preceding semester
Absences for a suspension	They count as unexcused absences
Academically deficient	Passing grades in fewer than 4 courses, or the equivalent of 4 courses, in the preceding semester
Alternative, special education or part-time programs	The local school board sets a similar standard for academic deficiency

What happens after a school reports a student

1
The school tells the superintendent
The school administrator or a designee tells the superintendent of the district where the student lives or is enrolled.
2
The superintendent tells the state
Within 10 days after the notice, the superintendent reports the student's name and Social Security number to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The report goes through the No Pass No Drive electronic system.
3
The cabinet sends a notice
As soon as possible after that, the cabinet tells the student that the operator's license, intermediate license, permit or privilege to drive is revoked or denied. The notice also explains the right to a hearing in District Court.
4
The family asks for a hearing
Within 15 days after the notice is sent, the student's custodial parent, legal guardian or next friend can ask for a hearing before the District Court (the law calls it an ex parte hearing). The 15 days start when the cabinet sends the notice, so act as soon as it arrives.

What the District Court must find to reinstate a license

The family needs the license for family obligations or money matters, and without it there would be an undue hardship

The court can tell the cabinet to reinstate the license at no cost.

The student is the only licensed driver in the household

The court can tell the cabinet to reinstate the license at no cost.

The student is not a dropout and is not academically deficient under the law

The court can tell the cabinet to reinstate the license at no cost.

The student disagrees with the court decision

The student can appeal within 30 days to the Circuit Court of appropriate venue.

The School Compliance Verification Form and how old it can be

A student under 18 who applies for a first instruction permit gives proof of high school graduation, a GED, or a completed "School Compliance Verification: KRS 159.051" form. The form comes from the student's school district of residence and must be signed within the preceding 60 days. It is one of the documents for a Kentucky permit in the Kentucky Driver Manual. Bring it when you apply for the permit. Kentucky permits and licenses are issued at Driver Licensing Regional Offices of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, which took over the licensing services of the old county offices.

How to get a revoked Kentucky license back

1
Choose a route
The first route is the District Court hearing described above. The second route is to reapply for a license after the student returns to school and meets the educational requirements.
2
Know the earliest date to reapply
A student can reapply as early as the end of the semester in which he or she enrolls in school and successfully completes the educational requirements.
3
Get proof from the school
The student must give proof issued by the school within the preceding 60 days that he or she is enrolled and is not academically deficient.
4
Check the school notice
After a full semester of compliance, the school sends a compliance notice to the cabinet through the No Pass No Drive electronic system. Ask the school office to confirm that it sent the notice.

How a suspension affects the permit clock and the full license

A Kentucky driver gets no credit toward the 180-day permit period while suspended under this law, says the Kentucky Driver Manual. Under 18, you must hold the permit for at least 180 days and be 16 to get an intermediate license, so a suspension can push that date back. A student under 18 with a permit must also show proof of compliance with KRS 159.051 to get an operator's license, which needs age 17.

Key takeaways

The law covers students who are at least 15 and under 18, and it applies to a permit, an intermediate license and an operator's license.
Dropout means 9 or more unexcused absences in a semester. Academically deficient means passing grades in fewer than 4 courses in a semester.
The school reports, the superintendent tells the cabinet within 10 days, and the family has 15 days after the notice to ask for a District Court hearing.
A school proof dated within the last 60 days is needed to reapply or to apply for a permit.
Next step: practice the permit rules on the free Kentucky Class D practice test (in English only).

Frequently asked questions about Kentucky No Pass/No Drive

Can the school report me before the semester ends?

Yes, for absences. Kentucky schools make the No Pass/No Drive reports at the end of each semester, but a school can report earlier in the semester for accumulated absences. Absences due to a suspension count as unexcused, so they add to the count of 9.

Do I need a lawyer or a court fee for the hearing?

No. The student is not charged District Court filing fees, and the cabinet's notice must tell the student that legal counsel is not required. A custodial parent, legal guardian or next friend asks for the hearing within 15 days after the notice is sent.

What if I pass summer school after losing my license?

A student can reapply at the end of a summer school semester if the student passed at least 4 courses, or the equivalent, across the spring and summer semesters, and the courses meet the graduation requirements. The student still needs school proof issued within the preceding 60 days.

Does my school share my attendance and grades with the state?

Yes, for this law. A Kentucky permit or license application of a minor includes the consent of a parent or of the minor to receive and release the No Pass/No Drive information. If a student does not comply, the superintendent reports the student's name and Social Security number to the Transportation Cabinet.

I am moving to Kentucky with a permit from another state. Do I need the form?

Yes, if you are under 18. Bring a School Compliance Verification Form signed by your out-of-state school. You must transfer your permit and get a Kentucky permit before you apply for a Kentucky driver's license.