Driving Tests

Kentucky Permit and License Fees in 2026, Plus Test Retake Rules

informational·how to guide·Published September 8, 2026

How much is a Kentucky permit and license, and when can you retake a failed test?

A Kentucky instruction permit costs $15, or $18 with a travel ID (REAL ID). An 8-year operator's license costs $43, or $48 with a travel ID, and a license for a driver under 21 costs $15 ($18). These fees are in KRS 186.531 as of 2026. After a failed written test, you can book a new appointment. After a failed road test, wait at least one week.

Where the Kentucky fee and retest facts come from

The fees come from KRS 186.531, the Kentucky law on license and permit fees. The permit term and the permit fee rule come from KRS 186.450. KRS 186.4121, KRS 186.480 and KRS 186.540 give the rules for some non-citizen applicants, for reinstatement and for corrected licenses. The test and retest rules come from the Kentucky State Police driver testing page, a Kentucky State Police (KSP) news release of July 17, 2025, and the Kentucky Driver Manual (updated July 23, 2026). 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.

Kentucky permit and license fees in 2026 (U.S. dollars)

Kentucky permit and license fees in 2026 (U.S. dollars)
Card	Standard fee	Travel ID (REAL ID) fee
Motor vehicle instruction permit	$15	$18
Operator's license, new or renewal, 8 years	$43	$48
Operator's license for a driver under 21, up to 4 years	$15	$18
Duplicate or corrected operator's license	$15	$15

Standard card or travel ID: what changes in the fee?

KRS 186.531 has two fee lists. One is for the voluntary travel ID (REAL ID), and one is for standard cards. In both lists, a fee is for 8 years unless the table gives a different term. A permit costs $3 more with a travel ID, and an 8-year license costs $5 more. A duplicate costs $15 in both lists.
A 4-year original or renewal license costs 50% of the 8-year fee in the law: $21.50 for a standard license. A license of a driver under 21 expires 90 days after the 21st birthday.

Is there a fee for the Kentucky written test?

The fee table in KRS 186.531 lists fees for cards: the permit, the licenses, duplicates and ID cards. KSP gives the vision and written tests. After you pass, you go back to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Driver Licensing Regional Office. There you pay the permit fee, and KYTC issues the permit. You get a paper temporary permit to use until the card arrives in the mail.

Who pays the extra $30 application fee?

You are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and you apply under KRS 186.4121 or 186.4123

You pay $30 in addition to the other fees, for an initial or renewal license, permit or ID card. KRS 186.4121 covers some applicants who are not U.S. citizens and have no permanent resident status. An applicant under that section can get only a standard permit or license, not a travel ID.

You apply for a permit, license or ID card without a photo

The same extra $30 fee applies.

You are a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident and you apply with a photo

The extra $30 fee does not apply to you. You pay only the fees in the table.

What if you fail the Kentucky written or road test?

You fail the written (knowledge) test

You can book another appointment with the KSP online portal. You need at least 80% to pass. Study again first: our guide to the Kentucky permit test shows what the test covers.

You fail the road skills test

The Kentucky Driver Manual says that you must wait at least one week from the date of the failure before you try again. Use that week to practice, then follow the steps to book a KSP driver testing appointment.

You break a traffic law at the test site, or you drive to the road test without a licensed driver age 21 or older in the front passenger seat

KSP reschedules the road test.

How long is a Kentucky permit valid, and when must you retest?

A Kentucky instruction permit is valid for 4 years and can be renewed (KRS 186.450). Our free question about how long a Kentucky permit is valid uses this rule.
In its sections for applicants age 18 to 20 and age 21 and over, the Kentucky Driver Manual says that you must take the written and vision tests again if you do not renew the permit within one year of the expiration date. Renew the permit before it expires. If you are under 18, ask a Driver Licensing Regional Office how to renew.

Getting a Kentucky license back after a suspension

When a license is suspended, revoked or denied for cause, you take the examination again at the end of that period to get the license back (KRS 186.480). You also pay a $40 reinstatement fee, with some exceptions in KRS 186.531. For example, a student whose license was revoked under the No Pass/No Drive law (KRS 159.051) does not pay this fee.

Key takeaways

A standard Kentucky permit costs $15 and a standard 8-year license costs $43. With a travel ID, the fees are $18 and $48.
A license for a driver under 21 costs $15 ($18 with a travel ID). A duplicate costs $15. A 4-year license costs 50% of the 8-year fee.
Some non-citizen applicants, and applicants without a photo, pay an extra $30.
After a failed written test, book another appointment. After a failed road test, wait at least one week.
Next step: practice on the free Kentucky Class D practice test.

Kentucky permit and license fees: common questions

Can I pay the Kentucky permit fee in cash?

Yes. Under KRS 186.531, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet must accept cash and personal checks for license, permit and ID card fees. The law lets the cabinet accept other payment methods too, so ask your Driver Licensing Regional Office which other methods it takes before you go.

How much is a replacement Kentucky license if I lose mine?

A duplicate operator's license costs $15, for a standard card and for a travel ID. You can ask for the replacement by mail, or you can go to any Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Driver Licensing Regional Office. You can replace a lost permit or ID card the same way.

Do I need a new license when I move to a new address in Kentucky?

Yes. Within 10 days after you move or change your name, apply for a corrected license. It costs $15. It is free if the card has an error, or if only the street name or postal address changed and you did not move. See our free question on the address change deadline.

Do I have to take the test again to renew my Kentucky license?

Not in most cases. The Kentucky Driver Manual says that no test is required when your license expired less than 5 years ago. If it expired more than 5 years ago, you start again as a new driver. From age 21, you can renew up to six months before the license expires.