Two Fees, Not One
You received notice that your Kansas license suspension is ending, paid the $59 reinstatement fee to the Division of Vehicles, and expected your license to be restored — but the system still shows your license as suspended. The confusion comes from Kansas's dual-track suspension structure: the Kansas Department of Revenue Division of Vehicles handles administrative suspensions (DUI breath test refusal, uninsured motorist violations, failure to appear), while courts impose separate judicial suspensions. Each track can trigger its own fee.
For license suspensions, Kansas charges a $59 reinstatement fee. For administrative suspensions specifically — DUI Administrative License Suspension (ALS) under K.S.A. 8-1002, uninsured motorist violations, or failure-to-appear suspensions handled by the Division of Vehicles — Kansas adds a $50 administrative suspension fee on top of the $59 base fee. Most drivers pay the $59 assuming it covers everything, only to discover the administrative suspension remains active until the $50 fee is also paid.
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Get Your Free QuoteTotal Kansas Reinstatement Cost
$109
Drivers facing administrative suspension (DUI ALS, uninsured motorist, failure to appear) pay $59 for license reinstatement plus $50 for the administrative suspension fee. The $50 charge is distinct from the base reinstatement fee and must be paid separately to the Kansas Department of Revenue Driver Control Bureau.
Kansas Department of Revenue Division of Vehicles
Which Fee Applies to Your Suspension
The $59 reinstatement fee applies to all Kansas license suspensions regardless of cause. The $50 administrative suspension fee applies only when the Division of Vehicles imposed the suspension administratively — not the court.
DUI cases in Kansas run on two parallel tracks. The criminal court imposes a judicial suspension as part of sentencing. Separately, the Division of Vehicles imposes an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) under K.S.A. 8-1002 based on breath or blood test results — or refusal to test. The ALS triggers automatically at arrest and runs independently of the court case outcome. Even if the criminal charge is dismissed or reduced through diversion, the ALS remains unless successfully contested at an administrative hearing within 14 days of arrest.
For uninsured motorist violations, the Division of Vehicles suspends your vehicle registration and driving privileges when your carrier reports a lapse in required liability coverage. This is an administrative action, so the $50 fee applies. For court-imposed suspensions — unpaid tickets, child support arrears, failure to complete DUI education ordered by the court — only the $59 base reinstatement fee typically applies unless an administrative suspension also exists.
The structural problem: many drivers face both tracks simultaneously. A DUI arrest triggers the ALS (administrative, $50 fee) and later a court conviction triggers a judicial suspension ($59 fee only). If the ALS period and the judicial suspension overlap, you pay both fees but serve the longer period once. If they run consecutively — common when the court suspension is imposed months after the ALS period ends — you pay both fees and serve both periods in sequence.
Paying only the $59 license fee leaves the administrative suspension active — the Division of Vehicles will not restore driving privileges until the $50 administrative fee is also paid.
How to Pay Kansas Reinstatement Fees
To pay the $59 license reinstatement fee, visit any Kansas Division of Vehicles office with your suspension notice and proof of identity. The office will process the payment and update your record immediately if all other reinstatement conditions are met. If your suspension also included an administrative component (DUI ALS, uninsured motorist), the office will direct you to pay the separate $50 administrative suspension fee to the Driver Control Bureau. These are separate transactions — the local office cannot accept the $50 administrative fee.
For the $50 administrative suspension fee, mail payment to the Kansas Department of Revenue Driver Control Bureau at 915 SW Harrison Street, Topeka, KS 66612. Include your driver's license number and a copy of your suspension notice. Processing typically takes 5-7 business days from receipt. The Bureau will not restore your license until this fee is paid, even if you have already paid the $59 reinstatement fee at a local office. If your suspension requires SR-22 filing, the Bureau will also verify that your SR-22 is on file before clearing the administrative suspension.
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SR-22 Requirement and Filing Duration
Kansas requires SR-22 filing for DUI-related suspensions (both ALS and judicial), uninsured motorist violations, and certain reckless driving convictions. The SR-22 is proof your carrier will notify the state immediately if your policy cancels. Kansas does not require SR-22 for suspensions caused by unpaid tickets, child support arrears, or points accumulation unless those violations also involved driving uninsured.
For license suspension cases, Kansas typically requires SR-22 filing for 1 year from the date of reinstatement. This is shorter than the 3-year SR-22 period Kansas applies to DUI convictions and insurance-related violations. The filing period begins the day your license is reinstated, not the day you purchase the policy or the day the suspension was imposed. If you let your SR-22 lapse during the required filing period — your carrier cancels the policy and files an SR-26 cancellation notice — the Division of Vehicles automatically re-suspends your license and you start the reinstatement process over, including paying the fees again.
SR-22 is filed by your insurance carrier, not by you directly. Not all carriers write SR-22 policies. SR-22 insurance is available from non-standard carriers including The General, Bristol West, Dairyland, and Progressive in Kansas. Standard carriers like State Farm file SR-22 for existing customers but typically do not quote new suspended-license drivers. Non-owner SR-22 policies cover drivers who do not own a vehicle but need to maintain SR-22 filing to satisfy reinstatement requirements.
Kansas SR-22 Filing Period
1 year
For license suspension reinstatement, Kansas requires SR-22 filing for 1 year measured from the reinstatement date. The clock does not start until your license is fully reinstated and all fees are paid. Letting the SR-22 lapse during this period triggers automatic re-suspension.
Kansas Department of Revenue Division of Vehicles
What Happens If You Pay Only One Fee
If you pay the $59 license reinstatement fee but not the $50 administrative suspension fee, the Division of Vehicles system shows your license reinstatement as incomplete. You cannot legally drive. If stopped, law enforcement will cite you for driving while suspended — a separate criminal charge in Kansas carrying up to 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine for a first offense. The administrative suspension remains active until the $50 fee is paid and SR-22 is filed if required.
Kansas does not send a second notice reminding you of the administrative fee. The suspension notice lists both fees when both apply, but many drivers miss the second line item or assume the $59 fee is the total. The Driver Control Bureau will not contact you to explain why your license was not reinstated — it is your responsibility to verify that all conditions are met and all fees are paid before driving.
Compare Carriers That Write Kansas SR-22
Kansas SR-22 rates vary significantly by carrier, suspension cause, and county. Non-standard carriers writing SR-22 in Kansas include The General, Bristol West, Dairyland, Progressive, National General, GEICO, State Farm (existing customers), and USAA (military members). Standard-tier carriers typically will not quote new suspended-license drivers but will file SR-22 for policyholders whose suspension occurred after coverage began. Non-owner SR-22 policies cost less than owner policies because they cover liability only and exclude collision and comprehensive.
Before paying reinstatement fees, secure an SR-22 policy. The carrier files the SR-22 electronically with the Division of Vehicles within 1-3 business days of policy purchase. Kansas will not complete reinstatement until the SR-22 is on file, so waiting to buy coverage after paying fees delays your reinstatement date and extends the period you cannot legally drive. Compare rates from at least three carriers — suspended-driver premiums vary by hundreds of dollars annually even for identical coverage limits.