Kansas CDL Requirements
To obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or commercial instruction permit (CIP) in Kansas, drivers must be at least 18 years of age, show the required identification (listed below), have a current Kansas driver’s license, show proof of residency (listed below), pass a background check, and show proof of a passing DOT physical by a licensed medical examiner, stating that the driver is healthy enough to operate a commercial vehicle.
Acceptable forms of identification include:
- State-certified birth certificate
- Valid and current U.S. passport
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad
- Certificate of citizenship
- Certificate of naturalization
- Valid permanent resident cards
- Valid employment authorization document
- Valid foreign passport and U.S. visa
Acceptable proof of residency includes two documents containing your name and current physical address that are no more than 45 days old.
To be eligible to apply for a CDL in Kansas, you must first apply for a CIP, pass the written knowledge test, and drive with a CDL holder, who is physically present in the front seat of the vehicle and is licensed to drive the same type of commercial vehicle you are applying to drive, for at least 14 days. CIP holders are not eligible to take the CDL skills test until the 14-day period is complete.
Once you have taken and passed the CIP exam and have held your CIP for at least 14 days, you are eligible to take the CDL exam. The Kansas CDL exam covers three areas: pre-trip inspection, basic control skills, and a driving test. The driving test includes general knowledge, endorsement knowledge, and skills test portions, which must all be taken in successive order. Applicants must bring the type of vehicle they are planning to drive with them to the exam for the driving test.