Behind the Wheel in Kansas: Lessons and Supervised Practice

Before practice starts: who teaches in the car

Kansas recognizes in-car teaching from only two kinds of programs. One is an accredited school district course with approval from the Kansas State Department of Education. The other is a private school that KDOR has approved. The handbook sets a minimum for private schools of 8 classroom hours and 6 hours driving with the instructor.

KDOR keeps the private school list as a PDF showing owners, addresses and phone numbers. School district programs set their own driving hours and calendars, so ask how many in-car hours are included and whether the course runs in summer.

During the permit year: hitting 25, then 50

K.S.A. 8-2,101 splits the practice into two pieces. For the restricted license at 15, your teen needs 25 or more hours with a supervising adult. Then, before turning 16, you file a second affidavit covering another 25, bringing the total to 50, with at least 10 after dark.

If your teen first applies at 16, all 50 hours come before the license. A 17 year old seeking a license without restrictions still needs the 50 hour affidavit. At 18 and older, it does not apply.

A worked example: your teen gets a permit at 14 in May and you drive together for about an hour and a half a week. By the next May you have roughly 75 hours, comfortably past both the 25 for the age 15 license and the 50 for the next stage.

Who can sit in the passenger seat

The supervisor has to be 21 or older and carry a valid Class A, B or C license or a commercial license. For permit driving, the law also asks for at least a year of driving experience and for the supervisor to sit right beside the teen.

You do not have to do every drive yourself. A grandparent, an older sibling past 21 or a trusted family friend can take a turn. When it is time to certify the hours, though, the parent or guardian signs.

Which hours you can count

The KDOR teen FAQ says driving time in a driver ed car counts toward the 50 if the instructor is at least 21. Sitting in the back watching another student does not count, and neither does range driving with no adult 21 or older present.

The office never asks to see your log, but it does keep your signed affidavit. A log backs you up if questions arise and shows you whether your teen has enough night driving, highway miles and bad weather practice.

Before the road test: what to drill

The handbook driving exam has three parts: a pre-trip safety check, a vehicle control skills test and a road test. The control section can include two-point turnabouts going forward and in reverse, a three-point turnabout and parallel parking. Practice these on quiet streets and in empty lots.

The handbook recommends starting in light residential traffic and moving to busier city streets and expressways once your teen is steady. Gravel roads are common in rural Kansas, so add some, along with night driving and rain.

• Signal, look, and slow smoothly before each turn
• Come to a complete stop before the line or crosswalk
• Turn your head to check blind spots before changing lanes or pulling out
• Leave at least two seconds of space behind the car ahead

If your family farms

A teen applying for a farm permit at 14 or 15 does not need an instruction permit or driver ed first. They do pass the vision, written and driving exams, or present a driver ed form. You still file the 50 hour certification before 16 to reach the less restricted farm stage.

Farm errands can count as logged practice. Mix in town streets and highway driving too, so your teen is ready for the broader privileges that arrive at 16.