The Kansas knowledge (permit) test

By the end of this topic you can

• You can describe the format and pass mark of the Kansas knowledge test.
• You can name the main topics the test covers.
• You can explain what happens if you fail, including the six-month wait.
• You can plan a study routine based on the handbook.

What you need to know and understand

• The test has 25 multiple-choice questions.
• You need a score of 80 percent to pass, which is 20 correct out of 25.
• It covers traffic signs, pavement markings, Kansas laws and safe driving practices.
• The test is not timed but usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
• If you fail, you may retest as soon as the next working day after paying a $1.50 re-exam fee.
• After four failures within six months, you must wait six months from the last failure before testing again.
• Not every driver's license office gives the knowledge test, so check before you go.

What the questions cover

The handbook says the test samples what you know rather than everything in the book. Expect questions on:

• Sign shapes and colors, such as the eight-sided stop sign and the pennant-shaped no passing zone sign.
• Traffic signals, including flashing lights and turn arrows.
• Yellow and white pavement markings and when you may pass.
• Right of way at intersections, four-way stops and roundabouts.
• Speed limits, school buses, emergency vehicles and parking rules.
• Alcohol, drugs, distraction and seat belt laws.

A two-week study plan

1. Read the handbook once from start to finish, without trying to memorize.
2. Re-read the rules of the road and sign sections and make flash cards for every number: speed limits, parking distances and signal distances.
3. Quiz yourself on sign shapes and colors until you can name each one from its shape alone.
4. Take practice tests and look up every wrong answer in the handbook.
5. The day before, review only your flash cards and get a good night's sleep.

Online and alternative options

KDOR has offered an online version of the written test for applicants who qualify. Eligibility and fees can change, so check the current details with KDOR before you rely on it. A teen enrolled in an approved driver education course may be able to present a DE-99 form instead of taking the written test for a permit. Our deeper guides on the Kansas written test and the Kansas permit practice test go into more detail.

Common mistakes

• Studying only road signs. The 25 questions also cover pavement markings, Kansas laws and safe driving practices.
• Guessing at numbers. Learn the exact figures, such as signaling at least 100 feet before a turn.
• Rushing because you think the test is timed. It is not, so read every option.
• Retaking straight away without studying. Four failures in six months means a six-month wait.

Test yourself: The Kansas knowledge (permit) test

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

Go deeper

• Kansas Permit Practice Test
• Kansas Farm Permit for Teen Drivers
• Kansas Permit Test