How Old Do You Have to Be to Get a Permit in Kansas?

In Kansas, you have to be at least 14 years old to get a learner’s permit, which the state calls an instruction permit. Fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds need a parent or legal guardian to sign the application; sixteen-year-olds can apply on their own; and anyone 17 or older follows a separate, simpler track. The permit is valid for one year from the date it’s issued.¹

Applying at 14 or 15

This is the earliest entry point into driving in Kansas, and it’s one of the youngest permit ages in the country. The permit falls under the state’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program, which phases in driving privileges rather than handing them over all at once.

A parent or legal guardian must sign the application before the Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) will issue the permit to anyone under 16.¹ That signature is what unlocks the GDL process for younger teens, and it’s the practical reason most 14-year-olds show up at the office with a parent in tow.

Applying at 16

Sixteen-year-olds can file the application without a parental signature on the permit itself. They still go through the GDL program, but the overall path is shorter because they aren’t waiting as long between stages. Driver’s education, which is required to move up to a restricted license at 15, isn’t required when the permit is first obtained at 16.²

Applying at 17 or Older

Applicants who are 17 or older skip the teen GDL track entirely and apply under a different statute. They still need an instruction permit before taking the driving skills test, and that permit is also good for one year, but the GDL restrictions on passengers, nighttime driving, and wireless devices don’t apply to them.³

Documents to Bring

Regardless of age, you’ll need to bring the following to a KDOR driver’s license office:

Proof of identity: a state-issued birth certificate or unexpired U.S. passport. Hospital-issued birth records are not accepted.
Two documents showing your current Kansas address, such as a utility bill no more than two months old or a lease agreement.
One document showing your full Social Security number, such as a Social Security card, W-2, or tax return.

Most 14- and 15-year-olds don’t have utilities or a lease in their own name. A parent, step-parent, or legal guardian can fill that gap by completing a Certification of Address, providing two of their own qualifying residency documents along with identification.⁴

Tests You’ll Take

At the office, every permit applicant takes a vision screening and a written knowledge test.

The vision standard is 20/40 acuity in at least one eye. If you fall between 20/40 and 20/60, you’ll be referred to an eye doctor and can still qualify with corrective lenses.⁵

The written test is 25 questions covering road signs, traffic laws, and safe driving practices. You need 20 correct (80%) to pass.⁶ The Kansas Driver’s Handbook from KDOR is free and is the test’s source material. If you’ve already completed an approved driver’s education course, you can present the certificate of completion and skip the written test.²

What It Costs

The fees are small. The issuance fee is $2 and the photo fee is $8. First-time test-takers pay an additional $3 exam fee, for a total of $13. Applicants who present a driver’s education certificate and skip the written test pay $10.⁷

What the Permit Lets You Do

An instruction permit doesn’t let a teen drive alone. Any time the car is moving, a supervising driver must be in the front passenger seat. That person has to be at least 21, hold a valid driver’s license, and have at least one year of driving experience. No one else is allowed in the front seat while the permit holder is driving.¹

Wireless devices are off-limits behind the wheel, including hands-free setups. The only exceptions are calls to report an emergency or illegal activity.¹ The supervising driver doesn’t have to be a parent, but a parent or guardian will later need to certify your supervised practice hours when it’s time to move up to a license.

Farm Permits for Teens Who Live or Work on a Farm

Kansas also offers a farm permit for teens between 14 and 16 who live or work on a farm. It allows driving standard passenger vehicles, but only for farm-related purposes. The farm must be at least 20 acres, and the applicant has to pass the same vision and knowledge exams. A parent or guardian signs an affidavit confirming the farming connection, and if the teen works on someone else’s farm rather than living on one, the employer signs as well.⁸

1
Justia. Kansas Code 8-2,100 – Instruction Permits; Conditions, Restrictions and Requirements; Under 17 Years of Age
2
Kansas Department of Revenue. Graduated Driver License Requirements for Teen Drivers
3
Justia. Kansas Code 8-239 – Instruction Permits for Persons 17 Years of Age and Older; Conditions and Requirements
4
Kansas Department of Revenue. Driver’s License Proof of Identity
5
Justia. Kansas Code 8-295 – Vision Standards for Drivers Licenses
6
Kansas Department of Revenue. Kansas Driving Handbook
7
Kansas Department of Revenue. Driver’s License Fee Chart
8
Kansas State Legislature. Kansas Code 8-296 – Farm Permit; Requirements; Procedure