How licensing works in Kentucky
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet issues licenses, and the Kentucky State Police give the written and vision tests. Teens go through the Graduated Driver Licensing Program.
| Phase | Minimum age | Main rules |
|---|---|---|
| Permit | 15 | Pass the written and vision tests. Licensed driver 21 or older in the front seat at all times. Hold 180 days. Log 60 hours (10 at night). |
| Intermediate license | 16 | Pass the road test. Under 18: no driving midnight to 6 a.m. without good cause, and one unrelated passenger under 20. |
| Full license | 17 | Hold the intermediate license 180 days and finish the 4-hour driver education course. |
New drivers are most likely to crash in their first months of driving alone, and night driving and carrying friends make that risk higher. Graduated licensing rules give you time to build skill in safer conditions, so you gain experience before the limits come off.
Parent responsibilities
A parent or legal guardian listed on the teen's birth certificate signs the application and comes to the testing appointment. The parent also signs the Practice Driving Log for the 60 hours. A parent can withdraw responsibility at any time, and then the teen's permit or license is canceled.
Driver education
Drivers under 18 must finish an approved 4-hour course before a full license. Options include Alive at 25, RightLane Online, and a high school course.
The Kentucky written test
You schedule the written and vision tests online with the Kentucky State Police, then collect your permit at a Regional Office. You need 80% to pass.
- The manual lists 26 languages. Several, such as Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, French, Japanese, Somali and Spanish, are available electronically with audio.
- If you fail, you may return the next available day.
- For the road test, a licensed driver 21 or older must come with you. If you fail it, wait seven full days.
Rules specific to Kentucky
Alcohol
Kentucky has a zero-tolerance limit of 0.02 for drivers under 21. Adults are over the limit at 0.08, and can be charged below that if their driving is impaired. Refusing a lawful test can lead to a court-ordered suspension, and for repeat DUI offenders it makes the minimum jail time twice as long.
Points
| Driver | Points that can lead to a hearing and suspension |
|---|---|
| Under 18 | 7 points |
| 18 and older | 12 points within two years |
Points expire two years after the conviction.
Seat belts
The driver and all passengers must wear properly adjusted seat belts in vehicles made after 1981.
Headlights
High beams must light the road enough to show a person 350 feet ahead, and low beams 100 feet ahead. Do not shine your high beams into the eyes of oncoming drivers.
Switch to low beams for oncoming traffic so you do not blind other drivers.
- Your car.
- The oncoming car.
- Dim your lights before you meet.
Key numbers to remember
Many test questions ask for an exact age, time or number. Use this table as a quick review before you practice.
| Rule | Number |
|---|---|
| Permit age | 15 |
| Pass mark | 80% |
| Permit holding period | 180 days |
| Practice hours | 60, including 10 at night |
| Night limit (under 18) | Midnight to 6 a.m. |
| Passengers (under 18) | 1 unrelated person under 20 |
| Driver education course | 4 hours |
| Points that can lead to suspension | 7 (under 18), 12 (adults) |
Test tips
- Read the Kentucky Driver Manual all the way through.
- Learn the numbers: 15, 16, 17, 21, 180 days, 60 and 10 hours, midnight to 6 a.m., under 20.
- Do these practice tests until you score at least 90%.
- Schedule your test online and bring your parent.
On test day
Give yourself plenty of time on the day of your test. Get a good night's sleep, eat something before you go, and arrive early so you do not feel rushed.
- Bring every document on the official checklist, plus your glasses or contact lenses if you need them to see.
- Turn off your phone and put it away before the test starts.
- Read each question all the way through, then read every answer before you choose.
- If you are not sure, first rule out the answers you know are wrong.
- Change an answer only if you are sure you misread the question.
If you do not pass, do not give up. Look at the topics you missed, study those parts of the handbook again, and take more practice tests before you try again.
Keep studying
This guide covers rules that are special to Kentucky. The general rules of the road, such as right-of-way, turns, lane markings, parking and sharing the road, are in the national US driving study guide. Study both before your test.