What Is a Class C License in Kansas: Tests, Costs, and Renewal

A Kansas Class C license is the standard driver’s license most residents carry, and it covers everyday passenger vehicles like sedans, SUVs, pickups, minivans, and similar personal vehicles. Specifically, it authorizes you to drive any single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating under 26,001 pounds, and to tow a trailer or another vehicle as long as the towed unit’s GVWR is 10,000 pounds or less. Unless you drive commercially, carry 16 or more passengers, or haul placarded hazardous materials, a Class C is the license you need.¹

Who Can Apply

You must be at least 17 to hold an unrestricted Class C license in Kansas.² Younger drivers can get on the road sooner through the state’s graduated program:

At 14, you can get an instruction permit and drive with a licensed adult 21 or older in the front passenger seat.
At 15, a restricted license lets you drive without supervision, but only by the most direct route to and from work, school, and religious activities, and without non-sibling minor passengers.
At 16, you can drive anywhere between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. (and anytime to work, school, or religious services), and carry one non-sibling passenger under 18.
At 17, restrictions lift and you hold a full Class C license.

Separate farm permits are available for 14- and 15-year-olds who need to drive for agricultural work.³

Documents to Bring

Kansas requires original documents at the driver’s license office. Photocopies, printouts, and electronic images are not accepted. You’ll need:

One proof of identity and lawful presence: a state-issued birth certificate from vital statistics, an unexpired U.S. passport, a permanent resident card, or a naturalization certificate. Hospital-issued birth records don’t count.
One proof of your Social Security number: the card itself, a current W-2, or a current pay stub showing the full number.
Two proofs of Kansas residency: a utility bill no more than two months old, a bank statement, a lease, vehicle registration, or a mortgage document. Each must show your name and current Kansas street address. P.O. boxes aren’t accepted.

If your current name differs from the name on your identity document, bring proof of the change, such as a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.⁴

The Three Tests

Vision Screening

Every applicant takes a vision test at the station. You need 20/40 or better in at least one eye, with or without glasses or contacts. If you don’t pass there, you can take a form to an ophthalmologist or optometrist, who can certify you with 20/60 or better in at least one eye. Applicants at the 20/60 level must take the road test even if they would otherwise be exempt. Below that threshold, you may still qualify by demonstrating safe driving ability and a clean three-year record, though the state may add restrictions to your license.⁵

Written Knowledge Test

The written test covers Kansas traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving practices. The official Kansas Driver’s Handbook is the study material and is free on the Kansas Department of Revenue website. Retakes cost $1.50 each. Fail four times within six months, and you’ll wait another six months before trying again.⁶

Driving Skills Test

The road test checks whether you can safely operate a vehicle in real conditions, including maneuvers like three-point turns, parallel parking, and controlled stops. You have to supply the vehicle, and it must be registered, insured, and in good working order (lights, signals, brakes). Retake rules match the written test: $1.50 per attempt, same four-failure waiting period.⁶

What It Costs

Every first-time applicant pays a $3 examination fee at filing.⁶ A separate license fee is set by K.S.A. 8-247a and varies by age; plan on roughly $20 to $35 depending on your age bracket and the license term. Each test retake is another $1.50. The Kansas Department of Revenue posts the current fee schedule on its website.

How the Visit Works

First-time applicants have to go to a Kansas Department of Revenue driver’s license office in person. You present your original documents, do the vision screening, take the written test, and then the road test. Budget a few hours. After passing, your photo and signature are captured, you leave with a temporary paper license, and the permanent card arrives by mail at your Kansas address.

How Long It Lasts and How to Renew

The expiration date depends on your age when the license is issued:

Ages 21 through 64: expires on the sixth anniversary of your birthday nearest the application date.
Age 65 and older: expires on the fourth anniversary of your birthday nearest the application date.
Under 21: expires on your 21st birthday, with a 45-day grace period after expiration during which the license remains valid.

The state mails a renewal notice at least 30 days before expiration. You can renew up to a year early unless you’re under 21. Eligible drivers can renew online through the state’s iKan portal; otherwise, visit a full-service driver’s license office or a participating county treasurer’s office for a vision screening and the renewal fee.⁷⁸

Moving to Kansas With an Out-of-State License

If your current license from another state is still valid and you have no suspensions, cancellations, or revocations anywhere, you can skip the written and road tests. You still need the same identity and residency documents, a vision screening, and the applicable fees.⁹

If the out-of-state license has expired, you take all three tests like any first-time applicant and bring your own vehicle for the road test.⁹

A Note on REAL ID

A standard Kansas Class C license is enough for driving, but since May 7, 2025, boarding a domestic flight or entering certain federal facilities requires a REAL ID-compliant credential or another federally accepted ID like a passport.¹⁰ Kansas has issued REAL ID licenses (marked with a gold star) since August 2017. If yours doesn’t have the star, you can upgrade at a driver’s license office using the same documents listed above: one proof of lawful presence, your Social Security number, and two proofs of Kansas residency.¹¹

1
Kansas Department of Revenue. Commercial Driver’s License Manual
2
FindLaw. Kansas Code 8-237 – Persons Not to Be Licensed
3
Kansas Department of Revenue. Graduated Driver License Requirements for Teen Drivers
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Kansas Department of Revenue. Kansas Department of Revenue Division of Vehicles – Drivers License Proof of Identity
5
FindLaw. Kansas Code 8-295 – Vision Standards for Drivers
6
Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Code 8-240 – Drivers Licenses and Instruction Permits
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Kansas State Legislature. Kansas Code 8-247 – Expiration of Licenses
8
Kansas Department of Revenue. Renewing Your Kansas Drivers License
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Kansas Department of Revenue. Getting a Drivers License
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Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
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Kansas Department of Revenue. Kansas Department of Revenue Division of Vehicles – Real ID