Kansas Driver's License Issue Date: Where to Find ISS and What It Means
The issue date on a Kansas driver's license is labeled ISS and appears on the front of the card. If a form asks for your license issue date and you hold a Kansas license, ISS is the field you want. Here is what every abbreviation and date field on your card means.
Table Of Contents
- 1. Where to find the issue date on a Kansas driver's license
- 2. Date fields on a Kansas driver's license
- 3. What does DD mean on a Kansas driver's license?
- 4. Restrictions on a Kansas driver's license
- 5. Kansas REAL ID
- 6. Why your Kansas renewal cycle changes at 65
- 7. How to renew a Kansas driver's license
- 8. How to find your original Kansas licensing date
- 9. Common mistakes when entering your Kansas license issue date
Where to find the issue date on a Kansas driver's license
On the current Kansas license design, the issue date is labeled ISS and printed on the front of the card. ISS stands for Issue Date and shows when the Division of Vehicles printed your current card. Renewing resets the ISS date on the new card while your license number stays the same.
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Date fields on a Kansas driver's license
Kansas licenses carry three date fields on the front:
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- ISS: Issue date. When your current card was printed.
- DOB: Date of birth. Used for identity and age verification.
- EXP: Expiration date. A Class C license runs 6 years for drivers 21 to 64, and 4 years from 65 on.
When a form asks for your "driver's license issue date," enter the date next to ISS. When it asks for "date of birth," enter DOB. The two sit close together and are easy to mix up in a hurry.
What does DD mean on a Kansas driver's license?
DD stands for Document Discriminator, a serial number unique to your physical card. It changes every time a new card is printed, even though your license number stays the same. Banks, rental counters, and identity verification systems read the DD to confirm a card is genuine.
If a form asks for a "document number" separate from your license number, it usually wants the DD.
Restrictions on a Kansas driver's license
Restrictions appear in a dedicated field on the front of the card. If it is blank or reads None, your license carries no restrictions. Kansas restrictions cover the familiar categories: corrective lenses, adaptive equipment such as hand controls, additional mirrors, daylight-only driving, and ignition interlock requirements after certain offenses. The Division of Vehicles assigns the codes, so read your own card rather than assuming a letter means what it does in a neighboring state.
Driving in violation of a restriction printed on your license is a traffic offense in Kansas.
Kansas REAL ID
Kansas issues both standard and REAL ID-compliant licenses. A REAL ID Kansas card carries a gold star in the upper corner. Since May 7, 2025, a REAL ID or another accepted federal document has been required to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities. A standard card without the star still covers driving and everyday identification.
To upgrade, visit a driver licensing office in person with proof of identity, your Social Security number, and documents showing your Kansas address.
Why your Kansas renewal cycle changes at 65
Most Kansas drivers renew every 6 years. That cycle shortens to 4 years once you turn 65, so a card issued at 64 and a card issued at 66 carry different terms even though nothing else about them differs.
Two other things change at 65. The fee drops: a Regular Class C renewal runs $26 for ages 21 to 64 ($18 issuance plus the $8 photo fee) and $20 from 65 on ($12 plus the same $8 photo fee). Renewal also moves in person, because drivers 65 and older are not eligible for the online option and take a vision screening at each renewal.
How to renew a Kansas driver's license
The Kansas Department of Revenue handles licensing through its Division of Vehicles. Drivers aged 21 to 64 can renew through the state's iKan online portal or the matching mobile app. Everyone else renews at a licensing office or mobile unit.
Renew before your expiration date if you can. Kansas adds a $1 late fee for renewals filed after a license has already expired, which is small but avoidable.
- ISS is the label for the issue date on your Kansas license. It shows when the Division of Vehicles issued your current card.
- ISS is not your date of birth (DOB) and not your expiration date (EXP): enter the date next to ISS when a form asks for "license issue date."
- If you renewed your license, the ISS date on your current card reflects the renewal, not your original license date.
- The DD field (Document Discriminator) is a card serial number, not a date: do not enter it as an issue date.
How to find your original Kansas licensing date
The ISS date shows when your current card was printed, not when you first became licensed in Kansas. If an insurer, employer, or CDL application asks for your original licensing date, request your Kansas driving record from the Division of Vehicles. The record shows your full licensing history rather than one card date.
Common mistakes when entering your Kansas license issue date
- Use the date next to ISS when any form asks for your "license issue date" or "date issued"
- Check the date format the form expects: some want MM/DD/YYYY, others want YYYY-MM-DD
- If you have a renewed license, use the ISS date on your current card, not the date you first got a license
- Expect a 4-year card rather than a 6-year one once you turn 65
- Plan an in-person visit if you are 65 or older, since iKan renewal covers ages 21 to 64
- Renew before your EXP date to avoid the $1 late fee Kansas adds afterward
- Don't enter your DOB (date of birth) when a form asks for the issue date: they are completely different fields
- Don't enter your EXP (expiration date) as the issue date: expiration is when the license ends, not when it was issued
- Don't use the issue date from an old expired license if you have a current one
- Don't enter the DD (Document Discriminator) number as your issue date: it's a card serial number, not a date
- Don't assume every Kansas license runs 6 years: the term shortens at 65
- Don't assume a Kansas restriction letter matches another state's code: check your own card
Comparing states? See our driver's license guide by state or the California issue date guide. Studying for a knowledge test? Try a free DMV practice test.
