Straight answers to the most common questions about passing the DOV motorcycle knowledge exam.
The Kansas Department of Revenue does not publish an official question count for the motorcycle knowledge test. Practice tests use the widely cited 25-question format, and every question is drawn from the Kansas Motorcycle Handbook. Confirm the exact format at your Kansas driver licensing office.
The common standard is 80% — 20 of 25 correct. Kansas does not publish the official passing score for the motorcycle test on its website, so confirm the current requirement with the Division of Vehicles.
You need a Class M license. To earn one you must read the Kansas Motorcycle Handbook and pass the motorcycle knowledge test and an on-cycle skills test, in addition to meeting Kansas's general driver licensing requirements.
No. The motorcycle knowledge test is separate and is based on the Kansas Motorcycle Handbook. The standard Kansas car knowledge test is a different 25-question test on general traffic laws and road signs.
Kansas issues a combined "Class C or M" instructional permit under K.S.A. 8-239. The minimum age is 14, the permit expires one year after it is issued, and it is renewed by retaking and passing the written examination.
The Class C or M instructional permit is available beginning at age 14. Applicants under 16 must have a parent or guardian submit the written application and sign an affidavit at the driver licensing office.
You must pass a vision screening and a written knowledge examination. Alternatively, you may present a DE-99 form authorizing an instruction permit from an approved Kansas driver education course you are currently attending.
The Class C or M instructional permit expires one year from the date it is issued. It may be renewed, but renewal requires retaking and passing the written examination.
Yes. To earn a Class M license you must pass both a knowledge test and an on-cycle skill test. The skill test is conducted either in an actual traffic environment or in a controlled, off-street area.
Yes. Under K.S.A. 8-240, the motorcycle driving examination may be administered by the Division of Vehicles, by the Department of Defense, or as part of a curriculum recognized by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation — so completing an MSF-recognized rider course can satisfy the on-cycle skills exam.
Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-1598) requires an approved helmet only for operators and passengers under the age of 18. Riders 18 and older are not required by law to wear one, although the Kansas Motorcycle Handbook strongly recommends it for every rider.
Yes, and the eye-protection rule is broader than the helmet rule. Every operator must wear shatterproof, impact-resistant glasses, goggles, or a transparent face shield, unless the motorcycle has a windscreen at least 10 inches high measured from the center of the handlebars. Passengers under 18 must also wear approved eye protection.
In Kansas, a person with a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or above is considered intoxicated. The handbook warns that judgment and riding skills are impaired well below that legal limit.
If you fail the written or driving test you may retake it the next working day after paying a $1.50 re-exam fee. You have four chances to pass each test; after a fourth failure you must wait at least six months before retesting.
A moped — a "motorized bicycle" — has no more than 3.5 brake horsepower, an engine of 130cc or less, an automatic transmission, and a top design speed of no more than 30 mph. A moped requires a moped license, not a Class M motorcycle license.
No. An autocycle — a three-wheeled motorcycle with a steering wheel and seating that does not require you to straddle it — does not require a motorcycle license in Kansas.
If you pass the on-cycle examination on a three-wheeled motorcycle that is not an autocycle, your license carries a restriction limiting you to operating a registered three-wheeled motorcycle. Passing on a two-wheeled motorcycle lets you operate any two- or three-wheeled motorcycle.
You apply in person at a Kansas driver licensing office. Appointments are recommended — you can schedule one through the Division of Vehicles at ksrevenue.org/DOVAppointmentInfo.
The Kansas Motorcycle Handbook (Rev. 2020) is free to read or download from the Kansas Department of Revenue at ksrevenue.gov/pdf/mchdbk.pdf. Every motorcycle knowledge-test question is based on it.
Source: Test details reflect the consensus of major rider-education sources — confirm with the state agency before your visit. Kansas does not publish an official motorcycle knowledge-test count; 25 questions / 80% is a strong multi-site consensus. Every operator must wear approved eye protection unless the motorcycle has a windscreen at least 10 inches above the handlebar center.