Required Practice Hours
Kentucky Permit Practice Hours: 60 Required Under 18, Zero for Adults 21+ (2026)
If you are under 18, you must complete 60 hours of supervised driving practice, with at least 10 of those hours completed at night, before you can take your road skills test. Ages 16-17 must log 60 hours. Ages 18 and older do not need to log practice hours.
Kentucky Practice Hours Required by Age
| Age Group | Practice Log Required? | Total Hours | Night Hours | Permit Holding Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teens (16-17) | ✓ Yes | 60 hours minimum | 10 hours minimum | 180 Days |
| Young Adults (18-20) | ✗ No | ✗ No set minimum | ✗ No set minimum | 180 Days |
| Adults (21+) | ✗ No | ✗ No set minimum | ✗ No set minimum | 30 Days |
Note: permit holders aged 16-20 hold 180 days before eligibility; over 21 hold exactly 30 days.
How Do You Log and Verify Kentucky Practice Driving Hours?
Download the official Kentucky Practice Driving Log from drive.ky.gov and start logging from your first drive. A parent or guardian must sign each entry. The KSP examiner reviews the log before your road test.
- Signature Requirement: A parent or guardian must sign the log to certify the hours are accurate. Falsifying hours is fraud.
- What Examiners Check: Examiners look for unrealistic entries, like 10 hours in one day or inconsistent handwriting.
- GDL Skills Test Eligibility Letter: Print the Graduated Driver License Skills Test Eligibility Letter within 7 days of your road test appointment - it expires quickly. Download at drive.ky.gov under Driver Licensing forms.
What Counts Toward Your 60 Kentucky Practice Hours?
- Supervised Driving: All 60 hours must be supervised by a licensed driver aged 21 or older.
- Driver's Ed Behind-the-Wheel Hours: Professional behind-the-wheel instruction hours count toward the 60-hour total. Log them on the official form with the instructor's signature.
- What Doesn't Count: Driving with a supervisor under 21, driving outside permit restrictions (e.g., during curfew), or any time you are not behind the wheel.
Common Logging Mistakes That Delay Kentucky Road Tests
‣ A teen in Lexington had their test canceled at the Bowman Field Driver Licensing office because they presented a log with two weeks of 'estimated' times filled in the same pen.
‣ The examiner required a notarized statement from the parent and rescheduled the test 30 days later.
Full Kentucky permit rules are at the Kentucky learner's permit guide.
A Paducah applicant tried to log 50 hours over a single holiday weekend. The examiner at the Paducah Regional Office rejected it for being implausible and required verifiable proof of additional practice.
‣ An applicant in Louisville was turned away from the Dixie Highway office because several entries only had initials instead of a full signature - making the log invalid.
‣ Each entry requires the supervisor's initials at minimum.
Transfer app data to the official paper log weekly to avoid having your test canceled. Schedule your road test online as soon as your 180-day holding period is met - wait times at busy offices like Bowling Green or Covington run 6-8 weeks.
- Minimum permit age: Drivers must be at least 15 to apply. Ages 15 must hold it 180 days and reach age 16 before road test.
- Intermediate license: After road test, hold intermediate license 180 days and complete approved driver education before full license at age 17+.
- No Pass/No Drive: Bring School Compliance Verification Form when applying for permit.
LAST MODIFIED:JUN 12, 2026
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