Can I drive with an expired license in Kansas? How the state’s renewal grace period works
Standing in line at the driver’s license office can be a whole day affair, but while renewing your license can be a hassle, driving with an expired one can lead to consequences.
In Kansas, the expiration date of your license will fall on your birthday, but how often you are required to renew it varies depending on your age.
Drivers between the ages of 21 and 64 have to renew their license once every six years. Drivers younger than 21 need to renew their license on their 21st birthday, regardless of when it was issued. While there are no laws in place for a maximum driving age, drivers older than 64 must renew their licenses in person every four years.
If you didn’t make it into a driver’s licensing office before it expired, does the state offer a grace period? Can you bit hit with a fee for late renewal or driving with an expired license? Here’s what to know.
My Kansas license is expired. Will I have to pay extra to renew it?
For drivers who are renewing their license on their 21st birthday, they have 45 days after the expiration date to renew, according to a Kansas statute.
“Such license shall continue to be valid for such 45 days or until such license is renewed, whichever occurs sooner,” Kansas statute 8-247 reads.
Active duty military members who are out of the state don’t have to worry about expired licenses until the sixth month following discharge or within 90 days where the military member’s residence within that state is reestablished. Those rules also apply for the spouses of active duty military members.
For everyone else who is driving with an expired license, there is a chance you can be ticketed no matter how recently your license was expired.
There are no additional charges for renewing your license after the expiration date. However, if a license has expired for one year or longer, drivers have to retake the vision, written and driving exam, according to the Kansas Department of Revenue.
You can be ticketed for driving with an expired license. According to The Wichita Eagle’s ticket database, 134 people were ticketed in the city in 2022 for having no valid driver’s license in possession while behind the wheel. This number could include people who are driving without a license altogether.
According to Wichita’s municipal court, the fine for driving with an expired license can be up to $1,000 and/or a jail sentence for up to six months, depending on the case and the judge’s ruling.
What do I need to renew my Kansas license?
To renew your license, drivers have to provide a proof of identity, Social Security number, proof of residency and proof of address.
There are three driver’s license office locations in Sedgwick County. They are:
Derby: 620 North Rock Road, Suite 300, Derby
Twin Lakes: 1873 W. 21st N.
West Wichita: 610 S. Tyler Road
It’s especially important to make sure your license is up to date this year with the deadline to get a REAL ID in Kansas quickly creeping up.
Starting Saturday, May 17, anyone flying domestically in the U.S. must have a REAL ID-compliant form of ID. The REAL ID can be identified by the gold star in the top right corner of the license. It will also be required to enter some federal facilities.
To get a REAL ID, you must have two proofs of address, proof of Social Security number and proof of lawful presence, which could be a birth certificate, a U.S. passport or a permanent resident card.
This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
