Kansas Reckless Driving Laws: Jail, Fines and License Revocation

Kansas makes reckless driving a misdemeanor under K.S.A. 8-1566: a person who "drives any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving," punishable on a first conviction by 5 to 90 days in jail, a fine of $25 to $500, or both. A second or later conviction carries 10 days to six months, a fine of $50 to $500, or both. A conviction also requires the state to revoke the driver's license, unless the court restricts the license instead.

Information last verified on 2026-10-25. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Kansas state statutes on reckless driving (K.S.A. 8-1566), racing (8-1565), fleeing police (8-1568), speed rules, the license consequences in Chapter 8, Article 2, and driving without a valid license. It does not cover DUI penalties (see Kansas DUI laws), homicide offenses (see Kansas manslaughter laws), leaving the scene of a crash (see Kansas hit-and-run laws), city or county ordinances, or federal and commercial-driver rules beyond a short note. For other states, see reckless driving laws by state.

What is reckless driving in Kansas?

Kansas defines reckless driving in one sentence. K.S.A. 8-1566(a) provides:

"Any person who drives any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving." K.S.A. 8-1566(a)

The offense has two parts: driving a vehicle, and doing so with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of people or property. The statute does not list specific acts.

Where the reckless driving law applies

Most of the Kansas traffic article applies only on highways, but reckless driving does not. K.S.A. 8-1501 provides that the article's operating rules "refer exclusively to the operation of vehicles upon highways except: (a) Where a different place is specifically referred to in a given section; and (b) The provisions of K.S.A. 8-1566 through 8-1568 and the provisions of article 10 of chapter 8 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, shall apply upon highways and elsewhere throughout the state."

So reckless driving (8-1566), DUI (8-1567) and fleeing police (8-1568) apply off the highway as well as on it.

Kansas also keeps these offenses in force for highway workers. K.S.A. 8-1505 exempts "persons, motor vehicles and equipment while actually engaged in work upon a highway" from the article's provisions, "except those contained in K.S.A. 8-1566 to 8-1568, inclusive."

Is reckless driving a misdemeanor in Kansas? Penalties

Yes. K.S.A. 8-1566(b) provides:

"Except as provided in K.S.A. 8-2,142, violation of this section is a misdemeanor. Upon a first conviction of a violation of this section, a person shall be sentenced to not less than five days nor more than 90 days imprisonment or fined not less than $25 nor more than $500, or both such fine and imprisonment. On a second or subsequent conviction of a violation of this section, a person shall be sentenced to not less than 10 days nor more than six months imprisonment, or fined not less than $50 nor more than $500 or both such fine and imprisonment." K.S.A. 8-1566(b)

Three points about that penalty:

• It has no class A, B or C label. Under K.S.A. 21-6602(a)(4), unclassified misdemeanors "include all crimes declared to be misdemeanors without specification as to class, the sentence for which shall be in accordance with the sentence specified in the statute that defines the crime," and under 21-6611(b)(4) the fine for an unclassified misdemeanor is "any sum authorized by the statute that defines the crime." Section 8-1566(b) supplies both.
• The repeat tier has no time limit in the section. The higher range applies "On a second or subsequent conviction," and Section 8-1566(b) sets no look-back period.
• There is no injury tier in the section. The involuntary manslaughter statute expressly covers a killing in the commission of reckless driving (see below). When it happens during a police chase, it raises the fleeing offense to a felony.

The section's opening clause makes an exception "as provided in K.S.A. 8-2,142."

How fast is reckless driving in Kansas?

No Kansas statute makes a particular speed reckless driving. Neither Section 8-1566 nor the speed sections of Article 15 (8-1557 to 8-1564) name a speed, or a margin over the limit, at which speeding becomes reckless or criminal. Speeding is a traffic infraction: K.S.A. 8-2116(a) provides that every person convicted of violating "any of the sections listed in the uniform fine schedule in K.S.A. 8-2118" is "guilty of a traffic infraction."

The speed rules themselves:

• Basic rule. K.S.A. 8-1557 provides: "No person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual hazards then existing."
• Maximum limits. Under K.S.A. 8-1558(a), the maximum lawful speeds, unless otherwise established as authorized by law, are "(1) In any urban district, 30 miles per hour; (2) on any separated multilane highway, as designated and posted by the secretary of transportation, 75 miles per hour; (3) on any county or township highway, 55 miles per hour; and (4) on all other highways, 65 miles per hour."

Reckless driving and license revocation in Kansas

A reckless driving conviction in Kansas brings a mandatory license revocation, with one alternative the court controls. K.S.A. 8-254(a) provides that, "Subject to the provisions of subsection (b), the division shall revoke a person's driving privileges upon receiving a record of the person's conviction of any of the following offenses," including "(5) conviction, or forfeiture of bail not vacated, upon a charge of reckless driving" and "(7) fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer as provided in K.S.A. 8-1568."

One charge is enough; the section does not require a second offense. Section 8-254(a) also requires revocation on a conviction of involuntary manslaughter under 21-5405(a)(2) committed while violating Section 8-1566 or 8-1568(a) (item (1)), vehicular homicide under 21-5406 (item (2)), and battery under 21-5413(a)(1) committed while violating Section 8-1566 or 8-1568 (item (3)), all subject to the court-restriction option in 8-254(b).

The court's alternative: restrictions. K.S.A. 8-254(b) provides: "In lieu of revoking a person's driving privileges as provided by subsection (a), the court in which the person is convicted or adjudicated may place restrictions on the person's driving privileges as provided by K.S.A. 8-292, and amendments thereto, unless the violation was committed while operating a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in K.S.A. 8-2,128." Under K.S.A. 8-292(b), "Restrictions imposed pursuant to this section shall be for a period of not less than 90 days nor more than one year, as specified by the court order." The choice belongs to the court; the statute uses "may."

How long a revocation lasts. Section 8-254 does not state a revocation period. K.S.A. 8-256 provides that the division "shall not suspend or revoke a person's license to operate a motor vehicle on the public highways for a period of more than one year, except as specifically authorized by statute."

No points: Kansas counts convictions

Kansas has no license point system. Its driver's license statutes (8-254 through 8-292) count convictions instead. Under K.S.A. 8-255(a), the division "is authorized to restrict, suspend or revoke a person's driving privileges upon a showing by its records or other sufficient evidence the person: (1) Has been convicted with such frequency of serious offenses against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles as to indicate a disrespect for traffic laws and a disregard for the safety of other persons on the highways; (2) has been convicted of three or more moving traffic violations committed on separate occasions within a 12-month period." That action is discretionary.

K.S.A. 8-1560c provides that certain minor speeding convictions, by not more than six miles per hour or by not more than 10 miles per hour depending on the speed zone, "shall not be construed as a moving traffic violation for the purpose of K.S.A. 8-255."

Commercial driver's licenses

K.S.A. 8-2,128(v) defines a "serious traffic violation" to include "(1) Excessive speeding, is defined as 15 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit; (2) reckless driving, as defined under K.S.A. 8-1566." Federal rule 49 C.F.R. 383.51 (Table 2) disqualifies a CDL holder from commercial driving for 60 days on a second serious traffic violation within three years and 120 days on a third, and for a conviction in a personal vehicle it applies only if the conviction results in the revocation, cancellation or suspension of the license or non-commercial driving privileges; on national park roads, 36 C.F.R. 4.2 adopts state traffic law, and the reckless driving laws by state hub covers the federal layer.

Is there a careless driving law in Kansas?

No. Article 15 of Chapter 8, the Kansas uniform act regulating traffic, contains no offense named careless, negligent or inattentive driving. Reckless driving under 8-1566 is the general bad-driving misdemeanor, and the closest lower-tier rule is the basic speed rule in Section 8-1557, a traffic infraction.

Street racing in Kansas

K.S.A. 8-1565(a) provides: "No person shall drive any vehicle in any race, speed competition or contest, drag race or acceleration contest, test of physical endurance, exhibition of speed or acceleration, or for the purpose of making a speed record, and no person shall in any manner participate in any such race, competition, contest, test or exhibition." Section 8-1565(d) provides that a "Violation of this section is a misdemeanor," without naming a class. Under K.S.A. 8-2116(b), "Except where another penalty or class of misdemeanor is provided by statute," a person convicted of a traffic-act provision designated as a misdemeanor is guilty of a class C misdemeanor, a class B misdemeanor on a second such offense committed within one year after the first, and a class A misdemeanor on a third or later such offense within one year after the first. A class C misdemeanor carries up to one month in the county jail and a fine up to $500 (21-6602(a)(3), 21-6611(b)(3)).

The ban on participating "in any manner" reaches more than the drivers. Article 15 contains no separate offense named street takeover, spectating or organizing.

Fleeing police in Kansas

Reckless driving is one of the factors that make fleeing a felony. K.S.A. 8-1568 grades the offense:

• Class B nonperson misdemeanor for knowingly failing or refusing to stop for, or fleeing, a pursuing police vehicle, when the person has no prior convictions (8-1568(c)(1)(A)).
• Class A nonperson misdemeanor with one prior conviction (8-1568(c)(1)(B)).
• Severity level 9, person felony with two or more prior convictions (8-1568(c)(1)(C)).
• Severity level 9, person felony when, during a police pursuit, the driver commits one of the acts listed in subsection (b)(1), which include "(C) engages in reckless driving as defined by K.S.A. 8-1566," "(D) is involved in any motor vehicle accident or intentionally causes damage to property," "(E) commits five or more moving violations," or "(F) is operating a stolen motor vehicle" (8-1568(b)(1), (c)(2)).
• Severity level 9, person felony when the driver is attempting to elude capture for the commission of any felony (8-1568(b)(2), (c)(2)). The court shall also impose a fine of at least $500 when the driver is operating a stolen motor vehicle (8-1568(c)(4)).
• Severity level 7, person felony when, while fleeing, the driver knowingly drives the wrong way into an opposing lane on a divided highway, knowingly departs into an opposing lane causing another driver's evasive maneuver, knowingly drives through an intersection causing an evasive maneuver, or causes a collision involving another driver (8-1568(b)(3), (c)(3)).

Sentences for a severity level are set by the Kansas sentencing grid in K.S.A. 21-6804. A fleeing conviction also requires license revocation under Section 8-254(a)(7).

Is there a wet reckless in Kansas?

The Kansas DUI laws contain no wet reckless provision. Neither Article 10 of Chapter 8 nor the DUI statute, K.S.A. 8-1567, mentions reckless driving as a reduced charge, a prior offense or a sentencing factor.

The DUI statute does limit plea agreements. K.S.A. 8-1567(n) provides that "No plea bargaining agreement shall be entered into nor shall any judge approve a plea bargaining agreement entered into for the purpose of permitting a person charged with a violation of this section, or a violation of any ordinance of a city or resolution of any county in this state which prohibits the acts prohibited by this section, to avoid the mandatory penalties established by this section or by the ordinance." It adds that the subsection "shall not be construed to prohibit an amendment or dismissal of any charge where the admissible evidence is not sufficient to support a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt on such charge."

For DUI penalties themselves, see Kansas DUI laws.

Driving without a license in Kansas

No valid license. K.S.A. 8-235(e) provides that a "Violation of this section is a class B nonperson misdemeanor." Section 8-235 is the Kansas license requirement.

License not in possession. K.S.A. 8-244(a) provides: "Every licensee shall have such person's driver's license in such person's immediate possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle. However, no person charged with violating this subsection shall be convicted if such person produces in court or the office of the arresting officer a driver's license theretofore issued to such person and valid at the time of arrest." Section 8-244 does not itself set the penalty.

Driving while suspended or revoked. Under K.S.A. 8-262(a)(1), a person who drives on a highway while the driving privilege "is canceled, suspended or revoked" is "guilty of a class B nonperson misdemeanor on the first conviction and a class A nonperson misdemeanor on the second or subsequent conviction," and "In addition to any other criminal penalties provided by law, any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than $100." Section 8-262(a)(3) requires at least five days of confinement in the cases it lists, and that requirement does not apply to a suspension for a violation of K.S.A. 8-2110 (failing to comply with a traffic citation). Under Section 8-262(a)(4), a person convicted of driving while suspended or revoked for DUI (8-1567) or commercial-vehicle DUI (8-2,144) who is also convicted of a DUI committed while so suspended or revoked "shall not be eligible for suspension of sentence, probation or parole until the person has served at least 90 days of confinement." Under Section 8-262(c)(1), a third or later conviction is punished by at least 90 days of confinement and a fine of at least $1,500 when the privilege was canceled, suspended or revoked for a test refusal, an insurance violation under 40-3104, vehicular homicide, DUI-related involuntary manslaughter or another murder or manslaughter crime resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle, or habitual violator status under 8-287. Section 8-262(b)(1) provides for extending the suspension or revocation "for an additional period of 90 days."

Kansas reckless driving and related offenses: penalty table

The misdemeanor ranges come from K.S.A. 21-6602(a) and 21-6611(b): a class A misdemeanor carries "a definite term of confinement in the county jail which shall be fixed by the court and shall not exceed one year" and a fine "not exceeding $2,500," and a class B misdemeanor a term that "shall not exceed six months" and a fine "not exceeding $1,000." Reckless driving is the exception: as an unclassified misdemeanor, its range comes from Section 8-1566(b) itself. For the full class table and the felony grid, see Kansas felony and misdemeanor classes.

Vehicular homicide in Kansas

When driving causes a death, the governing Kansas offenses include involuntary manslaughter under K.S.A. 21-5405(a)(2), which expressly covers killings in the commission of "acts described in K.S.A. 8-1566 and 8-1568(a)," and vehicular homicide under K.S.A. 21-5406, covered on the Kansas manslaughter laws page.

Recent changes to Kansas driving laws

• Reckless driving itself. Section 8-1566 was last amended by L. 1989, ch. 38, effective January 1, 1991.
• 2023: driving while suspended. 2023 Session Laws chapter 34 (House Bill 2216) amended Section 8-262 to remove the mandatory five days of confinement for a first offense where the suspension was for a violation of K.S.A. 8-2110.

Related Kansas laws

• Reckless driving laws by state
• Kansas DUI laws
• Kansas manslaughter laws
• Kansas felony and misdemeanor classes
• Kansas hit-and-run laws
• Kansas expungement laws
• Missouri reckless driving laws
• Colorado reckless driving laws

This article is general legal information about Kansas law, not legal advice. For a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Kansas, or the Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles, for driver's license questions.

Last updated: 2026-10-25.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is reckless driving a misdemeanor in Kansas?

Yes. K.S.A. 8-1566(b) makes it a misdemeanor with its own penalties: 5 to 90 days in jail, a $25 to $500 fine, or both for a first conviction, and 10 days to 6 months, a $50 to $500 fine, or both for a second or later conviction.

What counts as reckless driving in Kansas?

Driving any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property (8-1566(a)). The section applies on highways and elsewhere throughout the state under 8-1501(b).

Do you lose your license for reckless driving in Kansas?

K.S.A. 8-254(a)(5) requires the Division of Vehicles to revoke driving privileges on a reckless driving conviction or unvacated bail forfeiture. Under 8-254(b), the court may instead impose driving restrictions under 8-292 for 90 days to one year, unless the violation was committed in a commercial motor vehicle.

How many points is reckless driving in Kansas?

None. The Kansas driver's license statutes use counts of convictions, not points: for example, the division may act after three or more moving violations on separate occasions within 12 months (8-255(a)(2)).

How fast is reckless driving in Kansas?

No Kansas statute sets a speed that is reckless driving by itself. Speeding is a traffic infraction under the uniform fine schedule (8-2116(a), 8-2118), though driving 15 mph or more over the posted limit is a serious traffic violation for commercial drivers (8-2,128(v)).

Does Kansas have a careless driving law?

No. Article 15 of Chapter 8, the Kansas uniform traffic act, contains no careless, negligent or inattentive driving offense. Reckless driving under 8-1566 is the general bad-driving misdemeanor.

Does Kansas have a wet reckless?

Neither the DUI statute (K.S.A. 8-1567) nor the rest of Chapter 8, Article 10 provides one. Section 8-1567(n) bars a plea bargaining agreement made to let a person avoid the DUI mandatory penalties, while not prohibiting an amendment or dismissal when the admissible evidence is insufficient.

Is street racing illegal in Kansas?

Yes. K.S.A. 8-1565(a) bars driving in any race, speed competition, drag race, acceleration contest, endurance test or exhibition of speed or acceleration, and participating in one in any manner. A violation is a class C misdemeanor, rising to class B and class A for a second or third such offense within one year (8-1565(d), 8-2116(b)).

What is the penalty for driving without a license in Kansas?

A violation of K.S.A. 8-235 is a class B nonperson misdemeanor, punishable by up to 6 months in county jail and a fine up to $1,000. Driving while suspended or revoked under 8-262 is a class B nonperson misdemeanor on a first conviction and class A on a later one, with a fine of at least $100.