Photo: >Author Calstanhope, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Kentucky permit test is a written knowledge test plus a vision screening, both given by the Kentucky State Police (KSP) by appointment. You need at least 80% to pass, and the test covers driving rules, regulations, procedures and highway signs from the Kentucky Driver Manual. This guide is for anyone 15 or older taking it for a first Kentucky permit.
Key facts (checked November 2026)
- Minimum age: 15.
- Pass mark: 80%.
- Vision: 20/40 or better, with or without glasses or contacts, before you can take the written test.
- Booking: appointment only, through the KSP online scheduler.
- Failed? You can retake it the next available day.
- Permit fee after you pass: $15 ($18 for REAL ID), as of November 2026.
How many questions are on the Kentucky permit test?
Neither the Kentucky Driver Manual nor the KSP Driver Testing page states the number of questions. What is official: you need 80% or more, and the questions cover rules, regulations, procedures and highway signs. Ignore unofficial counts and aim to know the whole manual. For how other states compare, see US permit test by state.
What is on the test
KSP says the Kentucky Driver Manual is the only approved study material. Focus on:
- Signs: shapes, colors and meanings. You must answer the signs section from your own knowledge, even if the rest of the test is read aloud to you.
- Right of way: four-way stops, pedestrians, emergency vehicles, school and church buses.
- Pavement markings: what yellow and white lines allow.
- Kentucky numbers: 65/55/35/15 mph default speed limits, signal 100 feet before a turn, 4-second following distance, 0.08 and 0.02 alcohol limits, 3 feet when passing a bicycle, 500 feet behind emergency vehicles.
- Teen rules: supervisor 21 or older, midnight to 6 a.m. limit, 1 unrelated passenger under 20. See Kentucky permit and intermediate license rules.
Sample questions from the manual
Section 12 of the manual has 11 practice questions with answers. Three examples of the style:
- A yellow dashed line on your side of the road only means passing is permitted on your side.
- At a four-way stop, if you arrive at the same time as another driver, yield to the driver on your right.
- Regulatory signs are white.
Refreshers: US road signs by shape and color and US pavement markings.
Can I take the Kentucky written test in another language?
Yes. The 2026 manual lists the written test in these languages: Albanian, Arabic, Bosnian, Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese, Croatian, Dari, Farsi, French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Laotian, Pashto, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Thai, Turkish and Vietnamese. It marks Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, French, Japanese, Somali and Spanish as available on the testing software and in audio.
The KSP Driver Testing page gives a shorter list for the standard operator test: Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Dari, English, French, Kinyarwanda, Japanese, Pashto, Somali, Spanish and Swahili. If you need a language not on the KSP list, contact the testing site before booking.
- Testing offices have tablets that read the test aloud in English and several other languages. No special appointment is needed for this.
- You need a special appointment for an oral test given by staff, or for an interpreter.
- Deaf or hard of hearing? Contact the testing site to request a sign language interpreter.
How to book the Kentucky permit test
- Use the KSP online scheduler. You can choose any testing location in Kentucky.
- Check at 8 a.m. on a weekday. New appointments are released Monday to Friday at 8 a.m., and the schedule runs about three weeks out.
- Want to test on your 15th birthday? Check the scheduler three weeks before.
- If you see “No Availability”, check again the next morning at 8 a.m.
What to bring on test day (under 18)
- Original birth certificate or certified copy
- Social Security card
- 1 proof of Kentucky residency (2 for REAL ID)
- TC 94-200 School Compliance Verification Form (see No Pass No Drive)
- A parent or legal guardian, who signs the application
Photocopies are not accepted. On test day, you visit the Regional Office first with your documents, test with KSP, then return to the Regional Office to get your permit.
Common questions
What score do I need to pass the Kentucky permit test?
At least 80%.
What if I fail?
KYTC says you can return the next available day to retake it. You still need an appointment.
Can I take the Kentucky permit test online?
Testing is at KSP locations by appointment, so ask KSP before you look for an online option.
What if my eyesight is below 20/40?
You are referred to a vision specialist. After that, 20/60 or better makes you eligible to test, with a corrective lens restriction if lenses are prescribed. Below that, the Kentucky Bioptic Driving Program may be an option.
Do I need to study anything besides the manual?
No. KSP says the manual is the only approved source, and it is free to view and download.
I have trouble reading. Can the test be given orally?
Yes. Some locations have audio versions, and staff can give the test orally where they do not. Book a special appointment for an oral test.
Next steps: learning to drive in Kentucky and the 60 hour practice driving log.
Sources
- Kentucky State Police, “Kentucky Driver Manual” (updated July 2026), Section One and Section Twelve (kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov)
- Kentucky State Police, “Driver Testing” (kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov)
- Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, “Graduated Driver Licensing Program” (drive.ky.gov)