Wear your correction before you step up to the vision machine so the reading reflects your driving vision.

If you only meet the 20/40 standard while wearing them, your permit will be marked with a corrective lenses restriction.

Contacts count as corrective lenses; you do not need a separate restriction.

At the Counter: Bring a backup pair of glasses to your DMV appointment to avoid being turned away if your primary pair breaks, which can cause a months-long delay for some teens in rural areas.
If your vision is worse than 20/40 in both eyes at the station, you will not get your permit that day. The examiner will give you a Kansas Vision Form (DV-124V) to take to an eye doctor.
Example from Wichita: A 15-year-old at the Sedgwick County exam station scored 20/50 on the machine. He was given the DV-124V form, scheduled a next-day appointment with a local optometrist for $85, and returned the following week with his report to continue his application.
Yes. Wearing glasses or contacts is common and the vision rules are designed to work with standard corrective lenses.
If you need correction to pass, your permit will show Restriction B for 'Corrective Lenses.'
Example from Overland Park: A student wore her new contact lenses to the Johnson County office and passed the eyesight test for her permit. Her permit was issued with the corrective lenses restriction, which also applied when she later upgraded to her full license.
Failing the initial screening moves your application into a medical/vision review path.
Example from Topeka: An applicant at the Shawnee County office failed the peripheral vision check on the machine. He obtained a full eye exam, which confirmed a sufficient field of vision. He returned with the form, passed a required road test, and received a permit with a daylight-only restriction.
Worth Noting: Download and print the DV-124V form from the Kansas DOV website before your eye doctor visit to ensure they use the correct state form, preventing rejection and a second appointment.

Can you retake the vision test the same day after getting glasses or contacts? If the correction is available and the office can retest you, ask the examiner whether you can be screened again that day. A case sent for formal outside vision review follows the DV-124V process instead.

Fees and Where Testing Occurs

The vision screening is included in your permit visit at any Kansas Driver License Exam Station or participating county office. There is no separate fee for the in-office test.

Fee Type	Details
Instruction Permit Fee	Application fee is $2, plus potential photo/issuance fees.
Knowledge Test Fee	Additional charges may apply if using an online testing vendor.
Eye Doctor Exam	You pay the clinic's standard fee if you need an outside vision exam.

Before You Go: Check the online appointment system for smaller county offices like in Coffeyville or Hays for earlier slots, as metro-area offices in Kansas City or Wichita often have weeks-long wait times for walk-in vision screenings.

Can a Recent Eye Exam Replace the Kansas DOV Vision Screening?

Kansas can accept a vision examination from a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist when it meets the state timing and form requirements. Depending on the results, the Division may still require additional review or testing.

What Happens After Kansas Refers You to an Eye Doctor?

Have the vision professional complete the Kansas DV-124V form using a recent examination. The form is reviewed by the Medical/Vision Unit, and Kansas may clear the application, add a

Real experiences from the Shoro.ai community

Real experiences from the Shoro.ai community