Kansas · CDL truck driver licensing · verified July 2026
Kansas CDL truck driver license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Kansas issues CDLs through the Department of Revenue's Division of Vehicles under the federal FMCSA framework. A new Class A/B/C CDL costs about $41 all-in ($18 license + $15 skills exam + $8 photo, endorsements $10 each) after a $13 commercial learner's permit, and the CDL renews on a 5-year cycle for $26. Kansas-specific add-ons include a restricted farm custom-harvesting CDL available at age 16 and farm CDL-exemption reciprocity agreements with Nebraska, Missouri and Oklahoma.
Do you need a license to work as a CDL truck driver in Kansas?
Kansas licenses CDL truck drivers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Fee breakdown from the official Kansas Credential Fee Chart (updated 5/2023): CDL learner's permit $5 + $8 photo = $13; new CDL with testing $18 issuance + $15 skills test fee + $8 photo = $41 total (age 21+); endorsements $10 each; knowledge test $3 first attempt, $1.50 retest; skills retest $10; CDL handbook $2. Reciprocity agreements with Nebraska, Missouri and Oklahoma are limited to exempting farmers from CDL requirements (farm use), not general license reciprocity, standard CDL transfers between states follow federal rules. Federal layer: ELDT for new Class A/B since Feb 2022, DOT medical certificate, endorsements H (TSA check), N, T, P, S.
What licenses does Kansas issue?
The Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles issues the credentials below for this trade. Boards often list further classes for specialties and business licenses; these are the ones this page covers.
Hours are what each class asks for on its own terms. Where a senior class shows fewer than a journeyman, the board is counting time served after the earlier license rather than from the start; the prerequisite column says which.
| License | On-the-job hours | Classroom hours | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Class B CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Class C CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Restricted farm custom-harvesting CDL (Class B/C) | not published | not published | Yes |
Source: Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles (ksrevisor.gov). Verified July 2026.
What exam does Kansas require?
CDL knowledge test(s). Administered by Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles driver licensing exam stations.
CDL skills test (pre-trip inspection, basic control, road test). Administered by KDOR Division of Vehicles CDL examiners or authorized third-party testers (employers, training facilities, community colleges) per K.S.A. 8-2,133.
How much does a Kansas CDL truck driver license cost?
Getting a journeyman CDL truck driver license in Kansas costs $69 in board fees, before any training. That is the application fee, the exam fee and the initial license fee charged once, with renewal charged separately below. No board publishes this total, so it is added up here from the schedule it does publish.
- Application fee$13
- Exam fee$15
- Initial license fee$41
- Renewal fee (recurring)$26
Source: fee schedule (ksrevenue.gov). Verified July 2026.
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: 5 years, CDLs expire on the fifth anniversary of the licensee's birthday nearest the application date (K.S.A. 8-247); renewal $18 + $8 photo = $26 plus $10 per endorsement
Continuing education: None required by the state. Drivers must keep a current DOT medical certificate; effective 6/2/2025 Kansas only accepts medical examiner's certificates transmitted electronically from the FMCSA National Registry. Hazmat (H) endorsement holders must repeat the TSA security threat assessment and hazmat knowledge test at renewal.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
No apprenticeship pathway to licensure. First-time Class A/B applicants must complete performance-based Entry-Level Driver Training from an FMCSA-registered provider (federal rule since Feb 2022); Kansas sets no minimum training hours.
Which states does Kansas have license reciprocity with?
Kansas appears in 3 published reciprocal licensing agreements for this trade, covering MO, NE, OK. Boards write these as agreements between two states rather than as a one-way list, and some publish the list while their counterpart does not, so this counts every agreement naming Kansas from either side. Recognition is never automatic: the board you apply to decides, and most require the original license to have been earned by examination and to be in good standing.
How does Kansas compare to neighboring states?
Requirements stop at the state line, which matters if you live near one or expect to move. Here is what the neighboring states ask of the same trade.
| State | Journeyman hours | Licensing model |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas | not published | Statewide |
| Colorado | not published | Statewide |
| Missouri | not published | Statewide |
| Nebraska | not published | Statewide |
| Oklahoma | not published | Statewide |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- KDOR Division of Vehicles - Commercial Driver's License
- Kansas Credential Fee Chart (Driver's License Fee Chart)
- K.S.A. 8-247 - license expiration; 5-year commercial cycle
- K.S.A. 8-2,133 - CDL issuance, knowledge and skills tests, third-party testing
- K.S.A. 8-2,147 - restricted CDL for farm custom harvesting
Last verified July 2026. Found an error? Report it and it will be corrected and logged on the corrections page.
Other states with published requirements for this trade: Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland.
Price the whole path with the license cost estimator, or weigh earning against paying for school with the apprenticeship comparison. Back to CDL truck drivers overview.
Licensing requirements change between our verification sweeps. This page is informational only, so confirm current requirements with Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles before making decisions. Not legal advice.