Kansas New Resident Guide
Welcome to Kansas! As a new driver to this state you will need to be aware of our unique traffic laws and regulations. Here's what you need to keep in mind while driving in Kansas. Some of these rules may be the same as what you're already used to, but others will be drastically different!
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Licensing and Residency Requirements Graduated Licensing Program Violation Point Counts Insurance Requirements Headlight Laws Implied Consent Laws DUI Penalties Open Container Law Red Light Violation Fines Construction Zone Penalties Turn Signal Information Hazard Light Information Funeral Procession Right-of-Way Laws School Bus Laws Bicyclist Passing Distance Motorcycle Laws Using the Shoulder to Pass Passing Laws Speed Limits Safety Belt and Child Safety Seat Laws Emergency Vehicle Laws
Licensing and Residency Requirements
- You have 90 days after establishing residency to trade your out of state license for a Kansas driver's license.
- When a vehicle has been located in Kansas for up to 90 days or more, including frequent absences (leaving for weekends with the intent of returning) application for Kansas title and registration is required.
- Kansas law requires you to let the Kansas Department of Revenue know of a change of address within 10 days.
Graduated Licensing Program
Learner's Permit
Requirements
- Must be at least 14 years of age;
- Must pass vision and written tests.
Privileges and Restrictions
- May drive at any time when accompanied by licensed driver 21 years of age or older;
- No use of wireless communication devices except to report illegal activity or to summons medical or emergency help.
Restricted License
Requirements
- Must have held learner's permit for at least 12 months;
- Must be at least 15 years of age but less than 16;
- Must have completed driver education;
- Must have at least 25 hours driving practice.
Privileges and Restrictions
- May drive to and from school, employment, religious service, or farm-related work, or at any time when accompanied by a licensed adult driver in the front seat;
- May not have any non-sibling minor passengers;
- No use of wireless communication devices except to report illegal activity or to summons medical or emergency help.
Less Restricted Privileges
Requirements
- Must be at least 16 years old but less than 17;
- Must pass drive test;
- Must have at least 50 hours driving practice.
Privileges and Restrictions
- May drive anywhere from 5 AM - 9 PM;
- May drive anytime going to or from work, authorized school activities, religious service, or with a licensed adult;
- No use of wireless communication devices except to report illegal activity or to summons medical or emergency help;
- No more than one non-sibling passenger under the age of 18.
Non-Restricted Drivers License
Requirements
- Must have held restricted license for 6 months or be age 17, whichever occurs first.
Privileges and Restrictions
- No restrictions - is a full privilege license.
Violation Point Counts
The amount of points that go against your driver's license for specific types of violations.
Kansas does not have a point system, but traffic violations are still recorded on your driving record.
Insurance Requirements
Liability coverage
- $25,000/person for bodily injury.
- $50,000/accident for bodily injury.
- $10,000/accident for property damage.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP or No Fault)
Minimum amount required by law:
- Minimum amount required by law:
- $4,500/person for medical expenses.
- $900/month for one year for disability/loss of income.
- $25/day for in-home services.
- $2,000 for funeral, burial or cremation expense.
- $4,500 for rehabilitation expense.
- Survivor Benefits: Disability/loss of income up to $900/month for one year.
- In-home services up to $25/day for one year.
Uninsured/Underinsured
- $25,000/person.
- $50,000/accident.
Headlight Laws
You must dim your headlights from high to low beam when you are within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle or within 300 feet of a vehicle traveling ahead of you.
You must use your headlights:
- When traveling on the highways from sunset to sunrise;
- At any other time when persons and vehicles cannot be seen clearly from a distance of 1,000 feet.
There is no specific law allowing or prohibiting headlight flashing.
Implied Consent Laws
- First Occurrence - Suspension - 1 year.
- Second Occurrence - Suspension - 2 years.
- Third Occurrence - Suspension - 3 years.
- Fourth Occurrence - Suspension - 10 years.
- Fifth or Subsequent Occurrence - Permanent Revocation.
DUI Penalties
First Conviction (Class B misdemeanor)
- 48 hours - 6 months imprisonment.
- $500 - $1,000 fine.
- 100 hours community service in lieu of imprisonment.
- If BAC greater than .08 but
- If BAC .15 or greater - 1 year license suspension, 1 year restricted driving privileges.
- Alcohol education or treatment may be required as condition of probation or parole, or as condition for restricted license.
Second Conviction (Class A misdemeanor)
- 90 days - 1 year imprisonment.
- $1,000 - $1,500 fine.
- Community service may be ordered in lieu of fine ($5 credit for every hour of community service).
- If BAC greater than .08 but
- If BAC .15 or greater - 1 year license suspension, 2 year restricted driving privileges.
- Alcohol education or treatment program required as condition of probation, suspended sentence, or parole.
Third Conviction (felony)
- 90 days - 1 year imprisonment.
- $2,500 fine.
- Community service may be ordered in lieu of fine ($5 credit for every hour of community service).
- If BAC greater than .08 but
- If BAC .15 or greater - 1 year license suspension, 3 year restricted driving privileges.
- Alcohol education or treatment program required as condition of probation, suspended sentence, or parole.
Fourth or Subsequent Conviction (felony)
- 180 days - 1 year imprisonment.
- $2,500 fine.
- Community service may be ordered in lieu of fine ($5 credit for every hour of community service).
- If BAC greater than .08 but
- If BAC .15 or greater - 1 year license suspension, 4 year restricted driving privileges.
- Alcohol education or treatment required for 1 year after release from prison.
Fifth or Subsequent Conviction (felony)
- 180 days - 1 year imprisonment.
- $2,500 fine.
- Community service may be ordered in lieu of fine ($5 credit for every hour of community service).
- Permanent license revocation.
- Alcohol education or treatment required for 1 year after release from prison.
Child Endangerment (passenger 14 or younger)
- 1 month additional mandatory imprisonmen.
Open Container Law
The Open Container Law prohibits possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in the passenger area of any motor vehicle, by any occupant of the vehicle, on any public highway or right of way, whether or not the vehicle is in motion.
Red Light Violation Fines
- Kansas does not have a state law governing the use of traffic cameras for red light enforcement.
- Fine for "Violating traffic control signal" 8-1508 is $75
Construction Zone Penalties
All moving vehicle violations are subject to two times the original fine, whether or not workers are present.
Turn Signal Information
Signal your intention to turn or change lanes at least 100 feet in advance.
Hazard Light Information
Hazard light use is permitted for the purpose of warning other drivers of the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of unusual care in approaching, overtaking or passing.
Funeral Procession Right-of-Way Laws
Motor vehicles being driven upon any roadway outside of a business or residence district in a caravan or motorcade, whether or not towing other vehicles, shall be so operated as to allow sufficient space between each such vehicle or combination of vehicles so as to enable any other vehicle to enter and occupy such space without danger. This provision shall not apply to funeral processions.
School Bus Laws
Requirements
- Vehicles are required to stop unless the bus is on the far side of a divided highway.
Penalties
- Failure to stop and remain stopped when required will result in a $315 fine
Motorcycle Laws
Licensing
- Operators of motorcycles must obtain a Class M license.
- Applicants for a motorcycle license must fulfill the same requirements as applicants for motor vehicles, except that applicants for class M licenses who have completed prior approved motorcycle safety training are not required to complete further written and driving testing.
Protective Gear
- All persons operating or riding on a motorcycle or motorized bicycle under the age of 18 shall wear a helmet.
- No person shall operate a motorcycle unless that person is either wearing protective glasses, goggles, or transparent windshields, or whose motorcycle is equipped with a windscreen with a 10-inch minimum height. Passengers under age 18 must wear an eye-protective device which shall consist of protective glasses, goggles or transparent face shields that are shatter proof and impact resistant.
Headlights
- Motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, and motorized bicycles manufactured after January 1, 1978, shall display lighted head- and taillights at all times that such vehicles are operated on roadways.
Sharing the Road
- Lane splitting is not authorized.
- Two motorcycles may travel side-by-side in a single lane.
Passing Laws
Do Not Pass:
- When approaching or upon a hill or curve;
- When approaching within 100 feet of or traversing any intersection or railroad grade crossing;
- When approaching within 100 feet of any bridge, viaduct, or tunnel.
When Being Passed:
- Give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle;
- The overtaking vehicle may signal by honking its horn;
- Do not increase the speed of your vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.
Speed Limits
- 75 mph on multi-lane highways as designated by the State Secretary of Transportation;
- 65 mph on all other highways except a county or township highway;
- 55 mph on a county or township highway;
- 30 mph in an urban district.
Safety Belt and Child Safety Seat Laws
Safety Belts
- Occupants 14 years and older must wear safety belts.
- Police may not stop vehicles solely for a belt law violation if the occupant not wearing a safety belt is in the rear seat and older than 18. Police may stop vehicles for all other belt law violations.
- If the occupant not wearing a seatbelt is age 14 - 17, the fine for a first offense is $60. If the occupant not wearing a seatbelt is age 18 or older, the fine for a first offense is $10.
Child Seats
- Children 3 and younger must be in a child restraint.
- Children 4 - 7 who weigh less than 80 pounds or who are less than 57 inches tall must be in a child restraint or booster seat.
- Children 8 - 13 years, children 4 - 7 years who weigh more than 80 pounds, and children 4 - 7 inches who are taller than 57 inches must be restrained, and may use an adult safety belt.
- Police may stop vehicles solely for child seat law violations.
- The fine for a first offense is $60.
Emergency Vehicle Laws
Move Over
- When you see any of these vehicles displaying flashing lights while stopped on or adjacent to the roadway:
- Emergency vehicle;
- Highway construction or maintenance vehicles;
- Authorized vehicles engaged in work upon a highway.
- You must do the following:
- If traveling on a highway that consists of at least two lanes that carry traffic in the same direction of travel as that of the driver's motor vehicle, and it is safe to do so, make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the vehicle.
- If traveling on a different type of highway, or changing lanes would be impossible or unsafe, reduce the speed of the vehicle and maintain a safe speed for the road, weather, and traffic conditions.
Following
- Do not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than 500 feet, or stop within 500 feet of any fire apparatus stopped in answer to a fire alarm.
Collision Procedures
- Stop at the scene or as close as possible without obstructing traffic more than necessary, and remain at the scene until all requirements are fulfilled.
- If the accident has resulted in injury, death, or property damage of $1,000 or more, or the other party is not present or in condition to receive the information you are required to provide, and no police officer is present, the driver or any other occupant of the vehicle 18 or older must notify the nearest police department immediately if:
- You must provide the following information to any other person involved in the accident, or any police officer at the scene of the crash:
- Driver's name and address;
- Vehicle registration number;
- Show driver's license upon request;
- Name of insurer and policy number.
- Provide assistance to any injured person, including transporting them or making arrangements for transportation to a hospital or doctor, if necessary or requested.
- If you have collided with an unattended vehicle or other property that is unattended, locate and notify the operator or owner of the driver's name and address, and the vehicle registration number. If you are unable to do so, leave a written notice providing this information and a statement of the circumstances.
