Kansas speed limits

Key points

1. Unless posted otherwise, the limit is 30 mph in any urban district.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “Thirty (30) miles per hour in any urban district”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 16

2. Designated and posted separated multilane highways allow up to 75 mph.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “Seventy-five (75) miles per hour on any separated, multilane highway as designated and posted by the Secretary of Transportation”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 16

3. The limit on any state or federal highway is 65 mph unless posted otherwise.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “Sixty-five (65) miles per hour on any State or Federal Highway”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 16

4. County and township roads have a 55 mph limit unless posted otherwise.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “Fifty-five (55) miles per hour on any County or Township road”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 16

5. A properly marked school zone or business district has a 20 mph limit.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “20 mph -School Zone (when properly marked) -Business District (when properly marked)”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 16

6. A School Speed Limit When Flashing sign applies only while it flashes; otherwise obey the road's normal limit.

   Source: Handbook p. 40

   “The speed limit is required only when flashing; otherwise obey the roadway's speed limit.”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 40

7. The maximum limit should be driven only in ideal conditions; slow down for rain, snow, ice, fog or poor visibility.

   Source: Handbook p. 39

   “The maximum limit should be driven only in ideal driving conditions, and you must reduce your speed when weather or traffic conditions require it.”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 39

8. Driving 55 mph in a snowstorm is not an acceptable speed even where the posted limit is 55 mph.

   Source: Handbook p. 62

   “Driving 55 mph in a snowstorm is not recognized as an acceptable speed for a snowy roadway, even if the posted speed limit allows for 55 mph.”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 62

9. Some high speed roads have minimum speed limits, and you must go at least that fast.

   Source: Handbook p. 39

   “Some high-speed roads have minimum speed limits, and you are legally required to travel at least this fast so as not to be a hazard to other drivers.”
   Kansas Driving Handbook, Handbook p. 39

Numbers to know

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the Kansas practice test

1. 1. Unless posted otherwise, what is the Kansas maximum speed on a state or federal highway?

   1. 65 mph
   2. 55 mph
   3. 45 mph
   4. 75 mph
   Show answer

   65 mph. Kansas sets the default maximum at 65 miles per hour on any state or federal highway, unless another limit is posted. The 55 mph choice belongs to county or township roads. The 75 mph figure applies to a separated, multilane highway designated and posted by the Secretary of Transportation, not every state or federal highway. Forty-five mph is not one of the handbook's listed defaults. First identify the road category, then check for a posted change. A state route alone does not turn into the 75 mph category without the separated, multilane designation and posting.

2. 2. Unless a sign sets a different limit, what is the Kansas maximum speed on a county or township road?

   1. 35 mph
   2. 45 mph
   3. 65 mph
   4. 55 mph
   Show answer

   55 mph. The handbook lists 55 miles per hour as the default maximum on any county or township road, unless otherwise posted. The 65 mph choice belongs to state or federal highways. The 35 and 45 mph choices are not the listed default for this road type. Road classification matters more than a driver's preferred pace, and a posted limit can change the baseline. A good recall cue is the ascending pair in the rural list: 55 for county or township roads, 65 for state or federal highways, and 75 only for a specially designated separated multilane highway that is posted.

3. 3. Unless posted otherwise, what is the maximum speed in a Kansas urban district?

   1. 20 mph
   2. 40 mph
   3. 30 mph
   4. 55 mph
   Show answer

   30 mph. Kansas sets the default maximum at 30 miles per hour in any urban district, unless a different limit is posted. The 20 mph figure is associated with properly marked school zones or business districts, not every urban district. Forty and 55 mph are not the handbook's default answer for this category. Identify the district before selecting a speed, then look for a posted exception. A useful comparison is 30 mph for an urban district and 20 mph for a properly marked school zone or business district. Conditions can still require driving slower under the basic speed law.

Source: the Kansas Driving Handbook, Section 2: State Laws and Rules of the Road. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.