Kentucky Permit Test 2026

Who Can Get a Learner's Permit

To apply for a learner's permit (officially called an “instruction permit”) in Kentucky, you must be at least 15 years old. This age was recently lowered from 16 in March 2025, giving Kentucky teens an earlier start on their driving journey.

If you're under 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign your application to give consent. This signature must be done in person at a Kentucky Driver Licensing Regional Office. The parent or guardian providing consent accepts financial responsibility for any negligence or misconduct by the minor driver.

School Compliance: Kentucky has a “No Pass/No Drive” law. If you're under 18 and enrolled in school, you must submit a School Compliance Verification form from your high school confirming you're enrolled and in good academic standing. If you drop out or are expelled, your permit can be revoked.

Important age note: While you can get your permit at 15, you must be at least 16 to get an intermediate license. This means if you get your permit at 15, you'll need to hold it for a full year before advancing to the intermediate phase.

How to Apply

Unlike some states, Kentucky does not have an online application for your initial permit. You must visit a Kentucky Driver Licensing Regional Office in person to complete the application process, submit your documents, take your vision screening, and complete your written knowledge test.

What to bring: You'll need to bring all required documents (detailed below), payment for the permit fee, and if you're under 18, your parent or guardian must accompany you to sign the application in person.

Where is the written test taken? The written knowledge test is administered by the Kentucky State Police (KSP) at their testing locations, not at the Driver Licensing offices. After your application is processed at a KYTC office, you'll need to go to a KSP testing location to take the written test.

Fees and What You Pay For

The instruction permit fee is $15 for a standard permit or $18 for a REAL ID compliant permit. There may also be a $12 testing fee for the written knowledge test.

REAL ID: If you want your permit to be REAL ID compliant (allowing you to use it for domestic air travel and entering federal buildings), you'll pay the slightly higher fee and need to bring additional documentation proving your identity and residency.

If you fail the test: You can retake the written test the next business day. There may be a retest fee each time you take the test.

How long is the permit valid? Your Kentucky instruction permit is valid for 3 years. If it expires before you get your license, you'll need to renew it and pay the permit fee again.

Documents You Need

What you bring depends on whether you're applying for a standard permit or a REAL ID permit. Here's what you'll need:

Applicants under 18: You'll also need:

Use the KYTC iDocument Guide to verify exactly which documents you need before your visit.

Where to Go

Kentucky's driver licensing process involves two different agencies:

Do you need an appointment? Appointments are generally not required, but wait times can vary. Check with your local office for current policies and hours.

What Happens at the Testing Center

Here's what to expect when you visit the Kentucky State Police testing location:

The Vision Screening

The vision screening is a quick test to check your visual acuity. You'll look into a testing machine and read letters or numbers. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, keep them on during the test.

If you pass the screening with corrective lenses, your permit and license will have a restriction noting that you must wear them while driving. If you cannot meet the vision standard, you may be asked to get an eye exam from an optometrist or ophthalmologist.

The Written Knowledge Test

The Kentucky written test covers traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving practices. All questions are based on the Kentucky Driver Manual. The test is multiple-choice with four answer options per question.

Test structure: The test has 40 questions total:

The test is available in English and Spanish. Kentucky does not offer the test online — it must be taken in person at a Kentucky State Police testing location.

There is no time limit on the test, so take your time and read each question carefully.

What the Test Looks Like

At the testing center, you'll take the test on a computer terminal. Each screen shows one question with four multiple-choice answers. You select your answer and move to the next question.

Can you skip questions? You typically cannot skip questions or go back to previous ones. Each question must be answered before you can proceed.

The testing environment is quiet and monitored. You cannot use your phone, notes, or any reference materials during the test.

Passing Score and Results

To pass the Kentucky written test, you need to score at least 80% overall — that means answering at least 32 out of 40 questions correctly.

But there's a catch: You must also meet minimum scores in both sections:

This means you could technically get 32 questions right overall but still fail if you miss too many in one section. Make sure to study both traffic rules and road signs thoroughly.

After You Pass

When you pass the written test, you'll receive documentation from the KSP testing center. Take this documentation back to a KYTC Driver Licensing Regional Office to receive your instruction permit.

Can you start driving immediately? Yes — but only with supervision. Your instruction permit allows you to drive when accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old and seated in the front passenger seat.

Your permit is valid for 3 years. During this time, you'll need to complete the requirements of Kentucky's Graduated Driver Licensing program before you can get your full license.

If You Don't Pass

If you fail the written test, you can retake it the next business day. There is no long waiting period like some other states require.

How many times can you retake it? There is no limit on the number of attempts, but you may need to pay a retest fee each time.

If you fail, review the areas where you missed questions. The test pulls from a large question bank, so you'll get different questions on each attempt. Study the Kentucky Driver Manual thoroughly and take practice tests until you're consistently scoring above 90%.

Learner's Permit Rules

While driving with a Kentucky instruction permit, you must follow these rules:

Carry your permit: You must have your instruction permit with you every time you drive.

Kentucky's Graduated Driver Licensing Program

Kentucky has a three-phase Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program for drivers under 18. This program gradually increases driving privileges as you gain experience:

Note: If you get any moving traffic violations during the intermediate phase, you'll have to restart the 180-day waiting period.

Getting Your Intermediate License

After holding your instruction permit for at least 180 days and reaching age 16, you can apply for an intermediate license. Before you can take the road test, you must complete:

Intermediate license restrictions:

Getting Your Full Unrestricted License

After holding your intermediate license for at least 180 days without any moving traffic violations, and reaching age 17, you can apply for a full unrestricted license.

Required course: Before getting your full license, you must complete the state-approved 4-hour Graduated Licensing Education Course. This course covers:

This course is available online through approved providers and must be completed within 1 year of your license issue date.

Out-of-State Transfers

If you have a valid driver license from another U.S. state, you can transfer it to Kentucky. You'll need to visit a KYTC Driver Licensing Regional Office with your out-of-state license and required documentation.

Will you need to take the written test? In most cases, yes — Kentucky requires the written knowledge test for out-of-state transfers. However, the driving test is typically waived if you have a valid license from another state.

The Driver Manual

The Kentucky Driver Manual is the official study guide for the written test. Every question on the exam is based on information in this manual. It covers Kentucky traffic laws, right-of-way rules, road signs and signals, safe driving practices, and alcohol/drug laws.

The manual is available for free in English and Spanish as a downloadable PDF from the Kentucky State Police website.

Pay special attention to sections on road signs, traffic signals, right-of-way rules, and speed limits — these are heavily tested topics.

Practice Tests

Taking practice tests is one of the most effective ways to prepare. They help you identify gaps in your knowledge and get comfortable with the question format.

DMV Question Bank practice tests: For thorough preparation, you can take Kentucky permit practice tests on DMV Question Bank. The question bank covers all topics from the Kentucky Driver Manual and simulates the real test experience with the same question format, scoring, and instant feedback.

A good study strategy: read through the handbook once, then take practice tests to see where you're weak. Go back and re-read the sections you missed questions on, then test again. Repeat until you're consistently scoring above 90%.

Quick Reference

Official Links