Vision Requirements:
Kentucky Vision Test for Learner's Permit: 20/40 Standard, TC 94-202 Form, and Bioptic Rules (2026)
You must pass a vision screening to get a Kentucky learner's permit. The standard requires 20/40 visual acuity in your better eye and a specific field of vision.
What Are Kentucky's Exact Vision Standards for a Learner's Permit?
Kentucky requires at least 20/40 visual acuity in your better eye, plus a horizontal field of at least 60 degrees total (30 degrees each side) and 25 degrees vertical above and below fixation in the better eye.
Visual Acuity and Peripheral Vision
- Visual Acuity: At least 20/40 in your better eye. This means you must see at 20 feet what a person with normal vision sees at 40 feet.
- Field of Vision: A horizontal field of at least 30 degrees left and 30 degrees right (60 degrees total) and a vertical field of 25 degrees above and below fixation in the better eye.
Wear glasses or contacts during the test to meet these standards. ? Pass with correction and a 'Restriction B' (Corrective Lenses) will be added to your permit.
Can you get a Kentucky learner's permit if you only have good vision in one eye?
Possibly. Kentucky's rule measures acuity and visual field in the better eye. A person who meets the applicable better-eye acuity and field standards may continue through the licensing process; if the initial screening is not met, the applicant is referred for further examination.
The Vision Screening Process
The vision screening is completed through KSP Driver Testing as part of the permit test process. On test day, the Regional Office handles the required document step before KSP testing. The permit fee is paid for credential issuance after you pass.
- Equipment: Most offices use a tabletop vision screener (Optec or Keystone machine). Press your forehead against it and read lines of letters or numbers.
- Alternative: If the machine is unavailable, staff may use a traditional Snellen wall chart from 20 feet away.
Clean your glasses thoroughly before your appointment. Smudges obscure letters on the screener and can cause a failure that forces an outside exam.
Can I bring a completed TC 94-202 vision form to my first permit appointment?
Kentucky allows an initial vision test to be completed before the application by an authorized medical professional, or by KSP at the time of application. If you use an outside authorized vision screening, the TC 94-202 is the certification form used to document the result.
Can You Get a Kentucky Permit If You Wear Glasses or Contacts?
Yes - corrective lenses are fully accepted. Pass the vision screening while wearing glasses or contacts and your permit will carry a Restriction B code requiring you to wear them while driving at all times.
Corrective Lenses and Restrictions
| Correction Type | Accepted for Test? | Permit Restriction |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription Glasses | Yes | Code B (Corrective Lenses) |
| Contact Lenses | Yes | Code B (Corrective Lenses) |
| LASIK / Surgery (healed) | N/A | None (if 20/40 uncorrected) |
Driving without your required corrective lenses is a moving violation.
??
One Lexington applicant found out what a new prescription left uncollected costs.
New prescription at the optometrist, never picked up - failed the vision screening with KSP Driver Testing.
Had to return within 2 weeks after collecting the glasses.
Lexington optometrists book 2 weeks out; collect your prescription before scheduling the KSP test, not after.
What Happens If You Fail Kentucky's KSP Vision Screening?
Failing the in-office vision screening blocks you from taking the written test that day. The examiner gives you a TC 94-202 Driver Vision Testing Certification form to take to a licensed eye doctor before returning.
Visit the Kentucky learner's permit guide for step-by-step rules.
Where to Go for an Outside Eye Exam
Take the TC 94-202 to a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist. The doctor fills out and certifies the form.
- Cost: Basic exam typically ranges from $50 to $150 without insurance.
- Form Validity: The completed TC 94-202 form is valid for up to 12 months from the exam date and must be submitted before that window expires.
What if my eye doctor clears me to drive only with restrictions?
Kentucky can place driving restrictions when the medical or vision findings support them. Common examples include corrective-lens requirements, daylight-only driving, limits on driving area, or other safety restrictions set by the Cabinet.
Returning for a Retest
Return to KSP Driver Testing with the completed form to continue the permit testing process. When you return with a valid TC 94-202 form certifying you meet vision standards, the office does not require a new vision screener.
Can you retest the same day with glasses? No. ? Fail the initial screening and you must get the TC 94-202 completed by an eye doctor before returning another day.
Review full vision details in the Kentucky Driver Manual PDF.
Kentucky Vision Test Outcomes: Pass, Fail, and Bioptic Review
Examples of Passing and Failing Kentucky Vision Results
- Pass with Correction: An applicant in Paducah with 20/60 in the left eye and 20/30 in the right, wearing glasses, passes because the better eye meets 20/40.
- Fail Due to Outdated Prescription: An applicant in Covington with an old prescription reads only the 20/60 line. They receive the TC 94-202 form for an updated prescription.
- Pass After Outside Exam: A Bowling Green applicant fails the in-office screener, gets a minor prescription from their eye doctor, and returns with the certified TC 94-202 form to proceed to the written test.
??
At the Louisville Bowman Field office, an applicant assumed they could 'squint through' the screener without glasses.
They failed and could not take the written test that day - a separate trip with glasses required.
Kentucky's vision screening is not optional and cannot be talked around.
Bioptic Driving Program for Low Vision
Best corrected vision between 20/40 and 20/200 may qualify for Kentucky's Bioptic Driving Program, subject to Medical Review Board approval and specialized testing. Apply via drive.ky.gov/Drivers/Pages/Bioptic.aspx. This requires specialized training and testing with a bioptic telescope system.
An applicant with 20/100 corrected vision was denied a standard permit at the Florence office in Northern Kentucky.
Referred to the Bioptic Program, they completed required training and later passed a specialized road test for a restricted license.
Wear contact lenses? Insert contact lenses at least 15-30 minutes before your DMV appointment - dry or irritated eyes cause avoidable failures on the screener.
Vision rules are defined in KRS 186.578. The TC 94-202 form must be completed by a KYTC-credentialed vision specialist, optometrist, physician, or advanced practice registered nurse. If the specialist certifies "may not drive," no permit is issued until Medical Review clearance. The same 20/40 standard applies at renewal and reinstatement.
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