Frequently Asked Questions About Teen Driving

Question

Answer

Where can I find information about the Graduated Driver's License Law and the restrictions for teen drivers?

Find graduated driver's license information here.

What are the requirements to obtain an unrestricted driver's license at age 16 in Kansas?

Applicants under 17 years of age must hold their instructional permit for 1 year from the date it was issued or until their 17th birthday whichever occurs first. A licensee will need to provide an affidavit to the driver licensing office stating that they have completed at least 50 hours of practice driving, with at least 10 practice hours at night, supervised by a licensed adult 21 years of age or older and signed by their parent or guardian. When a 50 hour affidavit is not provided or completed, the license restrictions will continue until age 17. If a licensee has been convicted of two or more moving violations on separate occasions before age 16, the license will remain restricted until age 17. Effective July 1st, 1999, a moving violation for transporting non-sibling passengers will be a moving violation.

A driver with an Instruction Permit, a Farm Permit or Restricted License may drive at any time when accompanied by an adult who is the holder of a valid commercial driver's license, class A, B or C driver's license and who is actually occupying the seat beside the driver." Must the accompanying adult be 21 years of age or older?

Yes, the adult accompanying the holder of an instruction permit, farm permit or restricted license must be 21 years of age or older.

Will the driver licensing office require documentation such as a log showing the total number of hours of supervised driving completed?

No, the office will not require a log, however we encourage parents or guardians to use a log to keep track of supervised driving time.

Can a license or instruction permit issued by another state be accepted in lieu of a Kansas instruction permit, if it has been held for six months or more?

No, the law states that the instruction permit be issued in Kansas (pursuant to K.S. 8-239).

Is it necessary to return to a driver licensing office to have the age restriction removed from a farm permit or a restricted license when the licensee turns 16 or when the 50 hour requirement is met?

All Kansas driver's licenses issued to persons under 21 years of age and all farm permits are valid until the licensee's 21st birthday at the time of application. So, it is not necessary to return to a driver license office to have the restriction removed. The computer record of all licensees will be updated to remove the age restriction when all criteria to remove the restriction have been met. If the licensee wishes to have a new license issued without the restriction, he or she may return to a driver's license office and have a new license made. There is an $8 photo fee.

Will the Division of Vehicles require an affidavit to verify the first 25 hours of supervised driving?

Yes.

Will the affidavit required be retained by the driver licensing office?

Yes.

Will the hours of driving completed by a driver's education student count toward the 50 hours of required supervised driving?

Actual time spent behind the wheel will be counted toward the requirement if the instructor is 21 years of age or older. Time spent observing or spent doing range driving, when not actually accompanied by an adult 21 years of age or older, will not be counted.

May a student who has completed a driver's education course continue to use the blue DE-99 permit until they have completed the one year instruction permit requirement?

No, the blue DE-99 instruction permit is only valid during the driver's education course. All applicants for a restricted license, must have held an instruction permit (or a farm permit) issued by the driver licensing office for at least one year.

Will the time that a restricted instruction permit (the blue form) issued with the DE-99 count toward the one year instruction permit requirement?

No, all applicants for a restricted driver's license, must have held an instruction permit for at least one year issued by the driver licensing office, (or a farm permit as discussed above).

Will the driver licensing office accept a DE-99 driver's education completion certificate in lieu of written testing for an instruction permit?

Yes, if the applicant has completed driver's education and can provide proof of name and date of birth as required, the driver licensing office will accept the completion certificate and issue an instruction permit.

In the above scenario, will the driver's license bureau know that the person has completed driver's education, so when they have held the instruction permit for one year they may return for a restricted license?

Yes, a notation will be made on the permit holder's computer record to show completion of driver's education.

Can a student re-enroll in driver's education multiple times to document the necessary hours of driving time?

This would be up to the driver's education instructor and the student's parent or guardian.

Will an applicant for an instruction permit, farm permit or restricted license be required to take a vision test each time he visits the driver licening office?

Any time a change is made to the license type held, the driver licensing office will require a vision test.

We live in another state and will be traveling through Kansas by car. Can my child drive with his or her restricted license or learners permit?

These types of questions should be directed to the Kansas Highway Patrol.