Driver’s education permits are speeding up starting April 1, when the Kansas Department of Revenue will shift to an online application portal.

“Time behind the wheel with experienced drivers is an essential training component for helping teenagers become safe and responsible drivers,” said Kansas Vehicles Director Lisa Kaspar. “This new system will make sure student drivers aren’t losing valuable hands-on driving experience waiting for a piece of mail to arrive.”

Each year, the department handles about 50,000 driver’s education applications. With the current paper-driven system, permit applications can take multiple weeks to process – or even months if the student has a medical or vision issue. The delay means student drivers who sign up for a driving class last minute, or delayed sending in their application, might not have the permit slip necessary to participate in the driving portion of the class.

The online process will eliminate the need for mail to travel back and forth from driving instructors to the Kansas Department of Revenue for review then back in the mail. Instead, an instructor will fill out the online form and if there are no medial or vision issues that require an additional review, the instructor will be able to immediately print out the permit slip allowing the student to drive with an instructor or guardian.

For any student with a medial or vision issue requiring additional review, the necessary examination forms will be available within 48 hours from when the records is created by the instructor.

Because instructors are able to print off the necessary forms and permits from their computer, no time is lost waiting for paper work to traverse back and forth across the state in envelopes.

The department will be demonstrating the new portal at regional driver’s education instruction meetings, which driving instructors can register for through the Kansas Department of Education.