Supervised practice and driver education in Kansas

By the end of this topic you can

• You can state how many supervised hours Kansas requires and how many must be at night.
• You can explain when the affidavit is due for each license route.
• You can say who is allowed to supervise your practice.
• You can plan practice sessions that cover the skills tested on the road test.

What you need to know and understand

• The total is at least 50 hours of adult-supervised driving, with at least 10 at night.
• The supervising adult for the affidavit hours must be at least 21 and hold a valid class A, B, C or commercial license.
• For permit driving, the supervisor also needs at least one year of driving experience and must sit beside you.
• Restricted license at 15: 25 hours before the license, then an affidavit for the full 50 before you turn 16.
• Restricted license at 16: the 50-hour affidavit is required with the application.
• A first-time applicant aged 17 but under 18 must also submit the 50-hour affidavit.
• Driver education is required for the restricted license at 15. Internet-only courses are not accepted.

When the 50 hours are due

• Restricted license at 15: show 25 supervised hours to get the license. Before you turn 16, a parent signs a second affidavit for 25 more hours, making 50 with at least 10 at night.
• Skip that second affidavit and you stay on the under-16 restrictions until you file it or turn 17, whichever comes first.
• Restricted license at 16: 50 hours, including 10 at night, signed off at application.
• Farm permit: the 50-hour affidavit is due before you turn 16.
• First license at 17 (under 18): 50 hours, including 10 at night.

Turning hours into skills

Kansas does not require you to hand in a driving log, but keeping one helps your parent sign honestly and shows you what you still need. Spread practice across these areas:

1. Quiet parking lots: starting, stopping, steering and backing.
2. Residential streets: intersections, four-way stops and checking for pedestrians.
3. Busy urban roads: lane changes, turn lanes and traffic signals.
4. Highways and rural roads: merging, higher speeds, passing and farm vehicles.
5. Night and bad weather: at least 10 hours after dark, plus rain or wind when you are ready.
6. Road test skills: two-point and three-point turnabouts and parallel parking.

Driver education in Kansas

KDOR says the only approved driver education programs are those run by local accredited school districts and approved by the Kansas State Department of Education; internet courses do not count. Completing it is required for the restricted license at 15, and a completion form can stand in for some license tests. Our deeper guides on the 50-hour affidavit and the driver's ed waiver explain the paperwork.

Common mistakes

• Leaving night driving until the last week. Ten hours after dark takes several sessions.
• Practicing with a 19-year-old sibling. Supervisors must be at least 21.
• Forgetting the second affidavit after starting at 15. Without it, the under-16 limits stay in place.
• Only driving familiar routes. The road test can include expressways, curves and lane changes.

Test yourself: Supervised practice and driver education in Kansas

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Kansas 50 Hour Supervised Driving Affidavit
• Kansas Permit Practice Test
• Kansas Driving Test and the Driver’s Ed Waiver