New drivers are encouraged to enroll in Kansas drivers ed offered by any of a number of providers located across the state. However, some motorists are not required to do so. KS drivers can opt to sign up for drivers ed online, but web-based programs are not approved by the state due to course requirements that include participation from the student driver. In Kansas, the Department of Revenue oversees most vehicle services but the Department of Education (KSDE) handles the certification of approved driving school programs.

All applicants for a first-time driver’s license can benefit from enrolling in comprehensive drivers ed classes before getting behind the wheel for a number of reasons. Not only do student drivers learn about the basics of operating commonly used motor vehicles, but they also learn about defensive driving and the laws that govern KS roadways. Interested drivers can choose from a variety of course options available throughout the state from public schools and private education providers for a wide range of fees. Enrollees can read on to learn more about signing up for a state-approved education program for new drivers in Kansas.

Who needs to take drivers ed in Kansas?

Unlike in many states, completing a state-approved drivers education course is not a requirement to begin the state’s Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) program for most teen drivers. A drivers ed test and course must only be passed by KS drivers who are 15 years of age and applying for a restricted license.

Along with other requirements, drivers in this group must have held a learner’s permit for at least one year, logged the necessary practice hours and passed a state-approved course to qualify for a restricted license. First-time adult drivers are not required to pass an education program under any category requirements.

Types of Drivers Ed Classes in Kansas

While teen driving school is only required for a small number of new drivers, the large variety of course options available makes it easy for any level of driver to find a course that is beneficial to him or her. An approved driver education course must be taken in-person at a certified public or private education provider located in Kansas for the student driver to meet the state’s requirements. Courses taught completely or even partially online do not qualify.

Parent-taught drivers ed is not generally permitted in Kansas. Homeschooled students are asked to complete an approved education program at their nearest public school or through a nearby third-party education provider. To be approved, the instructor of the course must be certified and ready to carry out all necessary elements of the course. Questions about the approval status of a program can be directed to the KS Department of Education.

What will you learn in a Kansas drivers ed school?

Whether enrolling in adult drivers ed or a program dedicated specifically to new teen drivers, there are plenty of benefits associated with completing the program. Some information available in an online drivers ed course may be the same as the information covered in a Kansas-approved classroom-based course, but online courses miss the hands-on interaction that characterizes in-person lessons. All certified education courses for new drivers in Kansas include technical instruction on how to operate common motor vehicles regularly and during a variety of adverse driving conditions.

Kansas residents enrolled in a drivers ed course can also expect to learn about good driving habits and the effects of driving under the influence of any mind-altering substance. Instructors will also review the state and federal laws that govern KS roads, in addition to the common legal consequences associated with breaking the law. At the completion of this course, drivers should feel more confident getting behind the wheel.

Kansas Drivers Education Requirements

According to the Kansas Department of Education, drivers ed school must last at least seven days for the program to be eligible for state approval. To pass Kansas drivers education classes, student drivers must attend all course sessions and pass both the classroom-instruction portion of the class and the behind-the-wheel portion. Teens can enroll in an approved course beginning at 13 years of age, but will not be able to complete all sections of the course until they are at least 14 years of age.

Benefits of a Kansas Driver Education Course

Enrolling in a teen or adult drivers education program is required for all new drivers before applying for a restricted driver’s license. Some types of licenses and permits do not require the education courses, although a certificate of completion can be used to wave certain testing requirements.

Young drivers often prefer signing up for a teen drivers ed course so that they can be surrounded by their peers and look forward to learning how to drive from the very beginning, though many adult courses also accept teen driver students. All state-approved education programs are required to cover the same central topics and offer both classroom-based and behind-the-wheel training.

During a DMV drivers ed course in Kansas, new drivers can expect to learn the basics of safe vehicle operation and defensive driving strategies for when on the road. Once a student successfully completes an approved course, he or she will be issued a DE-99 form.

This form can be submitted with the driver’s application for an instruction permit to waive his or her obligation to pass the state’s written knowledge exam. Some drivers may also benefit from earning a discount on the cost of their auto insurance by presenting their insurance provider with their completion certificate.

How to Enroll in a Kansas Driver Ed School

Kansas drivers can sign up for drivers ed online classes if they are not interested in receiving a qualification from the KS Department of Revenue or their insurance provider. These programs generally have the simplest sign-up process.

An approved drivers education school is a better option for all drivers who hope to take advantage of any of the abovementioned benefits, like skipping the written exam. Because all education programs for drivers in Kansas are administered individually by public schools and private education providers, no standard enrollment procedure exists across programs.

Some drivers may be able to sign up for a teen or adult drivers ed online, but most state-approved programs require students to enroll in-person or by phone. Students will be expected to provide proof of their identification and birth date in order to register for the course.

Kansas DMV Drivers Ed Certificates

Once a student driver has successfully completed driver ed school in Kansas, he or she will be issued a DE-99 Certificate of Completion immediately or within days of finishing the course. In addition, the driver education program coordinator should submit the student’s information into the state’s electronic system to update the driver’s profile with his or her new qualification.

Because record of passing the course is registered in the state’s electronic system, the driver does not need to worry about providing additional proof of having passed the course.

Drivers Ed for New Kansas Residents

New drivers who took high school drivers ed or a similar program in another state may be able to receive credit for this course in Kansas if they can show that the course they passed covered adequate material. Kansas drivers who recently moved to the state and would like to transfer a drivers ed certificate issued in another state should contact the KSDE to learn more about equivalency ratings. Young drivers who already possess a restricted or non-restricted license from another state will not normally be required to take a KS education course when transferring the driver’s license to Kansas.

Kansas Drivers Ed vs. Traffic School

Drivers ed classes are not the same as traffic school courses, which are often prescribed to existing drivers by the state for breaking various road rules. Drivers education for teens and other new drivers is intended to teach the very basics of safely operating a motor vehicle and driving on the state’s roadways.

Traffic school is usually intended for drivers who already possess a driver’s license but who would like to learn more about defensive driving, roads laws, etc. Education programs for new drivers are often limited to students who don’t already possess a full driver’s license or who are under a certain age.

Both teen driving school and traffic school programs geared to adults generally discuss how to troubleshoot common problems on the road and adhere to all state and federal laws when on the state’s roadways. Both groups of students also learn about the consequences of breaking the law and driving under the influence of mind-altering substances, like alcohol. Students can expect more advanced discussions in traffic school than basic education courses.

Kansas Driver Education Fees

Drivers ed prices in Kansas vary significantly from program to program. Some driver education courses offered to students at public schools are completely subsidized by the school, while others charge different fees. Higher fees are generally asked from third-party education providers. One private school in Olathe, for example, charges $275 for the complete new driver education course.

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