Kansas Permit Practice Test

How to use this KS practice test

1. Take the 25 question exam-length practice test above once, untimed, to find your weak topics.
2. Work through the numbered 20 question sets below. Each one is fixed, so a second attempt is a fair comparison.
3. Read the explanation on every miss. The wording comes from the Kansas Driving Handbook, which is what the examiners use.
4. Come back on a later day and retake the questions you missed. A score on questions you have not seen before tells you more than a repeat.

KS practice tests, 20 questions each

Fixed sets in a fixed order so you can retake one and compare your score.

1. Test 1
2. Test 2
3. Test 3
4. Test 4
5. Test 5
6. Test 6
7. Test 7
8. Test 8
9. Test 9
10. Test 10
11. Test 11
12. Test 12
13. Test 13
14. Test 14
15. Test 15
16. Test 16
17. Test 17
18. Test 18
19. Test 19
20. Test 20
21. Test 21
22. Test 22
23. Test 23
24. Test 24
25. Test 25

Printable KS practice test with answer key

25 sample practice questions from the KS bank

Every question below comes from the Kansas question bank on this page. Open a question to see the correct answer and the explanation. Nothing here is hidden behind a signup.

1. 1. How far before slowing, turning, or changing lanes must a driver give a required signal?

   1. At least 25 feet before the move
   2. At least 100 feet before the move
   3. At least 50 feet before the move
   4. Only after beginning the move
   Show answer

   At least 100 feet before the move. Kansas requires the signal to begin at least 100 feet before the actual slowdown, turn, or lane change. Full explanation in Test 1

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals, U turns and passing

2. 2. At a Kansas four-way stop, which vehicle normally receives priority from the other drivers?

   
   1. The vehicle with the loudest horn
   2. The largest vehicle
   3. The vehicle that reached the intersection first
   4. The vehicle signaling a turn
   Show answer

   The vehicle that reached the intersection first. At a 4-way stop, Kansas says the driver who reaches the intersection first should be given the right-of-way by the other drivers approaching Full explanation in Test 2

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections

3. 3. When must Kansas drivers turn on headlights because of weather?

   1. After complete darkness begins
   2. Whenever the vehicle wipers are being used
   3. During snowfall at highway speed
   4. Only when another driver flashes headlights
   Show answer

   Whenever the vehicle wipers are being used. Kansas is among the states identified in the handbook as requiring headlights whenever the vehicle wipers are used. Full explanation in Test 3

   Study this in the handbook: Night driving, fog and floods

4. 4. A Kansas driver's license expired 14 months ago. What testing does renewal require?

   1. Only a vision screening
   2. Full testing: the vision, written, and driving examinations
   3. Only the written examination
   4. No testing, just a late penalty
   Show answer

   Full testing: the vision, written, and driving examinations. Once a Kansas license has been expired for more than one year, full testing is required, and full testing means the vision, written, and dri Full explanation in Test 4

   Study this in the handbook: License tests, renewal and losing your license

5. 5. At night, about what is the fastest speed that still lets you stop within the distance your low beam headlights show clearly?

   1. About 30 mph
   2. About 55 mph
   3. About 65 mph
   4. About 45 mph
   Show answer

   About 45 mph. At night you must be able to stop within the distance your headlights show you. Full explanation in Test 5

   Study this in the handbook: Night driving, fog and floods

6. 6. What does this yellow diamond warning sign announce?

   
   1. Lane ends ahead
   2. Merging traffic ahead
   3. Added lane ahead
   4. Divided highway begins
   Show answer

   Merging traffic ahead. The Kansas handbook labels this yellow diamond as the Merging Traffic warning sign. Full explanation in Test 6

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

7. 7. Before emerging from an alley or driveway in a business or residential district, where must a driver stop?

   1. After crossing the sidewalk
   2. Immediately before driving onto the sidewalk or sidewalk area
   3. Only at the edge of the roadway
   4. Only when a pedestrian is visible
   Show answer

   Immediately before driving onto the sidewalk or sidewalk area. Kansas requires a driver emerging from an alley, driveway, or building in a business or residential district to stop immediately before driv Full explanation in Test 7

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections

8. 8. What does the pedestrian crossing warning sign tell a driver to expect?

   
   1. People may be crossing the roadway ahead
   2. Pedestrians are forbidden from entering the road
   3. A sidewalk repair crew controls the next lane
   4. Only bicycles may cross at the marked location
   Show answer

   People may be crossing the roadway ahead. The walking person identifies a pedestrian crossing warning, so drivers should expect people near or crossing the roadway ahead. Full explanation in Test 8

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

9. 9. A Kansas driver misses a court date on a traffic ticket. What license action does the handbook list?

   1. A 30 day suspension
   2. A warning letter only
   3. No action unless the ticket was for speeding
   4. A mandatory indefinite suspension
   Show answer

   A mandatory indefinite suspension. Failing to appear for a court date is listed as a mandatory indefinite suspension, and failing to respond to a traffic citation from Kansas Full explanation in Test 9

   Study this in the handbook: License tests, renewal and losing your license

10. 10. 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. Full explanation in Test 10

    Study this in the handbook: Kansas speed limits

11. 11. What does the Kansas handbook say studies show about people who use marijuana and drive?

    1. They drive more cautiously than other drivers overall
    2. Marijuana affects driving only when mixed with alcohol
    3. More mistakes, more glare trouble, and more traffic arrests
    4. No measurable driving effects have been shown
    Show answer

    More mistakes, more glare trouble, and more traffic arrests. Illegal drugs can impair reflexes, judgment, vision, and alertness in ways similar to or worse than alcohol. Full explanation in Test 11

    Study this in the handbook: How alcohol and drugs affect driving

12. 12. On the same side of the street as a Kansas fire station, how far from its driveway entrance must you keep a parked car?

    1. At least 15 feet from the driveway entrance
    2. At least 50 feet from the driveway entrance
    3. At least 75 feet from the driveway entrance
    4. At least 20 feet from the driveway entrance
    Show answer

    At least 20 feet from the driveway entrance. Fire apparatus need a clear swing out of the station. Full explanation in Test 12

    Study this in the handbook: Where not to park and parking on hills

13. 13. You approach a Kansas hill where the road beyond the top is hidden. What should you do with your speed?

    1. Hold your speed so the traffic behind you is not slowed
    2. Reduce speed early so you can still change position
    3. Speed up to climb the hill before traffic closes in
    4. Brake hard only when you reach the very top of the hill
    Show answer

    Reduce speed early so you can still change position. You may not know what is on the other side of a hill or just around a curve, even if you have driven the road many times. Full explanation in Test 13

    Study this in the handbook: Night driving, fog and floods

14. 14. You sit on a two-way Kansas street facing red, wanting to turn left onto a one-way street. When is that ever allowed?

    1. After stopping, onto a one-way street where allowed
    2. Never; left turns on red are banned in every Kansas case
    3. From any lane as long as the one-way street runs either way
    4. Without stopping, whenever the one-way street looks empty
    Show answer

    After stopping, onto a one-way street where allowed. Kansas permits narrow left on red exceptions: after a full stop and a check for traffic and pedestrians, turning from a one-way street onto Full explanation in Test 14

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

15. 15. Why leave extra space when stopped behind another vehicle on a Kansas hill?

    1. The vehicle ahead may roll back before moving forward
    2. The vehicle ahead may need to make a U-turn before moving forward
    3. Headlights on a hill aim too high and may blind the driver ahead
    4. Space on hills is only for trucks with trailers
    Show answer

    The vehicle ahead may roll back before moving forward. Manual transmissions and hesitant starts let vehicles drift backward on grades before forward motion takes hold. Full explanation in Test 15

    Study this in the handbook: Following distance, scanning and space

16. 16. Highway traffic ahead of you in Kansas slows as this sign appears. What is joining your road?

    
    1. Merging traffic ahead that may enter your lane
    2. A second train track joining the highway corridor
    3. Your lane ends and disappears at the next milepost
    4. An added lane that separates traffic permanently
    Show answer

    Merging traffic ahead that may enter your lane. The merge warning means vehicles will enter your stream from a ramp or side road ahead. Full explanation in Test 16

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

17. 17. When should Kansas drivers switch to high beams at night on an open road?

    1. Only on roads without street lights or signs
    2. Whenever no oncoming vehicles are present
    3. Never, because low beams are always safer
    4. When following another vehicle closely in fog
    Show answer

    Whenever no oncoming vehicles are present. High beams roughly double your seeing distance, exposing animals, debris, and curves far earlier. Full explanation in Test 17

    Study this in the handbook: Slippery roads and hydroplaning

18. 18. You see this sign on a Kansas road. What should you expect ahead?

    
    1. A person controlling traffic, whose directions you follow
    2. A school crossing guard helping children cross the road
    3. A checkpoint where every driver must show a license
    4. A railroad worker warning drivers about a nearby train
    Show answer

    A person controlling traffic, whose directions you follow. Work zone signs are orange with black symbols and warn you that people are working on or near the roadway. Full explanation in Test 18

    Study this in the handbook: Kansas speed limits

19. 19. A regulatory sign shows a bicycle symbol under a red circle and slash in Kansas. What does the slash mean?

    
    1. Bicycles receive priority over cars at that location
    2. The pictured action or use is prohibited at that place
    3. The slash marks the end of a bicycle route in town
    4. Red slashes warn of danger but allow the action slowly
    Show answer

    The pictured action or use is prohibited at that place. On regulatory signs, a red circle with a slash through a symbol always delivers the same sentence: the action represented is prohibited. Full explanation in Test 19

    Study this in the handbook: Kansas speed limits

20. 20. Why should you avoid swinging wide to the left before a Kansas right turn?

    1. Wide swings are required before every right turn at intersections
    2. Swinging wide protects cyclists on your left side
    3. It only matters for large trucks making turns
    4. A driver behind may misread it and try passing you on the right
    Show answer

    A driver behind may misread it and try passing you on the right. A right turn should start from the right-most lane and stay tight. Full explanation in Test 20

21. 21. How long is a Kansas non-commercial Class C instruction permit valid, and how is it renewed?

    1. One year; it is renewed by passing the written exam again
    2. Six months; it is renewed by mail
    3. Two years; it renews automatically
    4. Until age 18; no renewal is needed
    Show answer

    One year; it is renewed by passing the written exam again. A Class C instruction permit is valid for one year from the date it is issued, and every instruction permit is renewed by retaking and passi Full explanation in Test 21

    Study this in the handbook: License tests, renewal and losing your license

22. 22. A Kansas pedestrian crossing with a guide dog starts across the street. What must you do?

    1. Slow down gradually but keep rolling slowly through the crosswalk area
    2. Come to a complete stop and give the pedestrian the right-of-way
    3. Tap the horn so the pedestrian knows you are there
    4. Proceed if your light is green and traffic is waiting
    Show answer

    Come to a complete stop and give the pedestrian the right-of-way. A person guided by a dog or carrying a white cane receives the right-of-way always, and drivers must come to a complete stop. Full explanation in Test 22

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles and trucks

23. 23. You approach a railroad crossing marked with this sign while traffic beyond the tracks is backed up. What should you do?

    
    1. Stop on the tracks and keep watching for a train
    2. Cross at once so the traffic keeps moving behind you
    3. Wait on the tracks until the gate begins to lower
    4. Stay back until you can clear the tracks completely
    Show answer

    Stay back until you can clear the tracks completely. A train cannot stop quickly because of its huge weight and size, so you must never let traffic trap you on the tracks. Full explanation in Test 23

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossing signs and safety

24. 24. Why should a Kansas driver avoid sunglasses or colored glasses at night?

    1. Tinted lenses are only a problem for brand new night drivers in Kansas
    2. They make headlights look brighter and clearer
    3. Tinted lenses cut the light you need and slow eye adjustment
    4. Night driving requires no eye adjustment at all
    Show answer

    Tinted lenses cut the light you need and slow eye adjustment. Night driving already starves your eyes of light. Full explanation in Test 24

    Study this in the handbook: Night driving, fog and floods

25. 25. A Kansas driver wants to lower the risk of injury from the steering wheel air bag. Where should the hands rest on the wheel?

    1. Across the steering wheel, over the center pad
    2. On the outside of the steering wheel
    3. Both hands on the horn pad at the center
    4. One hand on the wheel and one on the dashboard
    Show answer

    On the outside of the steering wheel. Kansas drivers are told to place their hands on the outside of the steering wheel and never across it, because that is exactly where the air Full explanation in Test 25

    Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and air bags