- How "Passing" Actually Works for KS-PD
- Why There's No Single Published Cutoff Score
- The Three Domains That Decide Your Result
- Reexamination Rules: Two Retakes, Three Total Attempts
- Fees, Bonds, and What's Riding on Passing
- The Eligibility Gate Before You Even Sit for It
- A Domain-Based Prep Timeline
- FAQ
- Passing KS-PD means clearing the exam, an oral interview, and a background investigation under K.S.A. 75-7b20.
- No numeric cutoff score is published in statute or regulation - preparation should target full command of all three domains.
- You get two reexaminations, each within 30 days of a failure notice, before a 12-month reapplication restriction applies.
- Study current citations only: K.A.R. 16-2-1a and K.S.A. 21-6302, not the older 16-2-1(a) or 21-6302(d)(3) references.
How "Passing" Actually Works for KS-PD
When people search for a "passing score" for the Kansas Private Detective License Exam (KS-PD), they're usually picturing a single percentage - 70%, 75%, something clean and quotable. The reality set out under K.S.A. 75-7b20 is more layered: the statute requires an examination, an oral interview, and a background investigation before the Kansas Attorney General's Private Detective Licensing Unit will issue a license. Passing isn't just answering enough multiple-choice questions correctly - it's clearing all three checkpoints.
K.A.R. 16-3-1 gives the Attorney General authority to set the time and location for both the examination and the interview, which means logistics (and any scoring communication) flow through the AG's office rather than a third-party testing vendor. If you want the full mechanics of scheduling and deadlines, the KS-PD Exam Dates 2026 guide walks through the testing-window process in detail.
Why There's No Single Published Cutoff Score
Unlike some licensing exams that publish an explicit scaled-score threshold, the Kansas statute and administrative regulations governing KS-PD do not publish a specific numeric passing percentage in the public materials. What is documented, and what you should actually plan around, is the structure of the process itself: you follow the Attorney General's application and examination instructions, sit for the exam covering the Private Detective Licensing Act and applicable administrative regulations, and - if unsuccessful - you're entitled to defined reexamination opportunities.
Rather than chasing a rumored cutoff number, the more productive approach is mastering the content that the exam is built from. That means treating each of the three domains as a pass/fail gate in itself, not just a section to skim. For a deeper breakdown of exactly what's tested in each domain, see the KS-PD Exam Domains 2026 guide.
Key Takeaway
Don't waste prep time hunting for a leaked cutoff score. Spend that time making sure you can cite current regulation numbers correctly - that's where real points are lost.
The Three Domains That Decide Your Result
The exam content is organized around three study areas that mirror the statutory and regulatory framework a licensed detective is expected to know cold:
Domain 1: The Private Detective Licensing Act - K.S.A. 75-7b01 et seq.
This is the foundational statute establishing licensing categories, application requirements, and the AG's authority over the profession.
- Licensing categories, including the distinction between an ordinary detective/agency-employee license and the specified agency-officer/director/partner/associate category
- Application prerequisites: age, citizenship, education, and character standards
- Financial security obligations tied to licensure
Domain 2: Kansas Administrative Regulations - K.A.R. 16-1-7 through K.A.R. 16-6-3
This domain covers the regulatory detail beneath the statute, including the current-form citation K.A.R. 16-2-1a.
- Examination and interview scheduling authority under K.A.R. 16-3-1
- Standards addressed in K.A.R. 16-3-3 and adjoining sections
- Correct use of current citation numbering rather than outdated forms like 16-2-1(a)
Domain 3: Criminal Carrying of a Weapon - K.S.A. 21-6302
Because private detectives may operate in situations involving weapons law, this domain tests understanding of the current statute - not the obsolete 21-6302(d)(3) reference found in older study materials.
- What constitutes criminal carrying of a weapon under current Kansas law
- How this statute intersects with a licensed detective's conduct and liability
If you're still deciding how much weight to give each domain in your study plan, the KS-PD Study Guide 2026 lays out a first-attempt-focused approach, and the difficulty breakdown in How Hard Is the KS-PD Exam? gives useful context on where candidates tend to struggle.
Reexamination Rules: Two Retakes, Three Total Attempts
This is one of the most concrete, actionable facts about "passing" KS-PD - and it's spelled out clearly: candidates are permitted two reexaminations, and each retake must occur within 30 days after notification of the preceding failure. That gives you a total of three attempts at the examination.
If you fail after all three attempts, the result is denial of the application, along with a 12-month restriction before you're allowed to reapply. That combination - a tight 30-day retake window paired with a full-year penalty for exhausting all three attempts - makes your first attempt disproportionately important. It's not just about avoiding a retake fee; it's about avoiding a scenario where a third failure locks you out of reapplying for a year.
| Attempt | Timing Rule | Outcome if Failed |
|---|---|---|
| 1st attempt (initial exam) | Per Attorney General's scheduled date | Notification triggers 30-day reexamination window |
| 2nd attempt (1st reexamination) | Within 30 days of 1st failure notice | Notification triggers next 30-day window |
| 3rd attempt (2nd reexamination) | Within 30 days of 2nd failure notice | Failure results in denial and 12-month reapplication restriction |
For a broader look at how outcomes distribute across candidates and where the most common stumbling points are, the KS-PD Pass Rate 2026 breakdown is worth reading alongside this page.
Fees, Bonds, and What's Riding on Passing
Passing the exam is one part of a licensing process that also carries real financial commitments, which is exactly why getting it right on your earliest attempt matters:
- Initial application fee: $250 for an ordinary independent detective or agency employee; $100 for the specified agency officer, director, partner, or associate individual-license category.
- Financial security: at least $100,000 through an eligible bond, liability insurance, or cash deposit - subject to the statutory covered-agency-employee exception.
- Renewal fees: $175 for ordinary individual renewal; $100 for the specified agency-principal individual-license category. Licenses are valid for two years, and renewal requires eight approved continuing-education hours.
None of these amounts are refunded simply because you have to retake the exam within the allowed window, so a failed attempt costs you time even when it doesn't cost you an extra fee. For the full cost picture across the licensing lifecycle, see the KS-PD Certification Cost 2026 breakdown.
The Eligibility Gate Before You Even Sit for It
You can't fail an exam you're not eligible to take, so it's worth confirming eligibility before treating "passing score" as your main concern. Applicants must:
- Be at least 21 years old
- Be U.S. citizens
- Hold a high-school diploma or equivalent
- Meet character and background requirements
- Submit required photographs and fingerprints
- Provide at least five qualifying nonrelative references who have known the applicant for at least five years, with reference certificates notarized and dated within four months of the Attorney General's receipt of the application
The reference-notarization window is a detail that trips people up: if your certificates fall outside that four-month window relative to when the AG's office actually receives your application, you risk delays that have nothing to do with your exam performance. The KS-PD Requirements 2026 guide covers this eligibility gate in full.
A Domain-Based Prep Timeline
General study methodology - spaced repetition, timed drills, active recall - only matters if it's pointed at the right material. Here's how to sequence a few weeks of prep specifically around the three KS-PD domains:
Domain 1 - Licensing Act Foundations
- Map every licensing category under K.S.A. 75-7b01 et seq.
- Memorize the age, citizenship, and education prerequisites
- Learn the $250 vs. $100 fee distinction by license category
Domain 2 - Administrative Regulations
- Study K.A.R. 16-1-7 through 16-6-3 with emphasis on current citation K.A.R. 16-2-1a
- Cross-check any older study material for the outdated 16-2-1(a) format and correct it mentally
- Review the AG's authority under K.A.R. 16-3-1 and 16-3-3
Domain 3 - Weapons Law
- Study K.S.A. 21-6302 in its current form
- Discard any reference to the obsolete 21-6302(d)(3) citation
- Connect weapons-carrying rules to realistic detective-work scenarios
Full Review and Interview Prep
- Run mixed-domain practice questions on the main KS-PD practice test platform
- Rehearse likely oral-interview topics tied to background and character requirements
- Confirm your reference certificates are notarized within the four-month window
A structured pass through practice questions on the practice test site is one of the most direct ways to see how comfortable you are with citation-heavy questions before exam day, since a large share of missed points tends to come from citation mix-ups rather than conceptual gaps.
Key Takeaway
Old prep PDFs floating around online may still cite 16-2-1(a) or 21-6302(d)(3). Always verify against the current K.A.R. 16-2-1a and K.S.A. 21-6302 before trusting a practice question.
For candidates weighing whether the licensing investment makes sense relative to career plans, it's also worth reading Is the KS-PD Certification Worth It? and the KS-PD Salary Guide 2026 before committing to a study timeline - knowing the destination helps justify the prep effort. A quick refresher the night before your exam or interview is also easy to build from the KS-PD Cheat Sheet 2026.
FAQ
No specific numeric cutoff score is published in the statute or administrative regulations. Passing depends on satisfying the examination, oral interview, and background investigation required under K.S.A. 75-7b20.
You're permitted two reexaminations, each scheduled within 30 days of notification of the preceding failure, giving you three total attempts. Failing after three attempts results in denial and a 12-month restriction before you can reapply.
Passing involves more than the written exam alone. K.S.A. 75-7b20 requires an examination, an oral interview, and a background investigation, all administered under the Attorney General's authority per K.A.R. 16-3-1.
Always study current citations: K.A.R. 16-2-1a and K.S.A. 21-6302. Older materials may reference the outdated K.A.R. 16-2-1(a) format or the obsolete K.S.A. 21-6302(d)(3), which can cost you points if relied upon.
The initial application fee structure is $250 for an ordinary independent detective or agency employee, or $100 for the specified agency officer/director/partner/associate category. Reexaminations occur within the same application process under the 30-day retake rule rather than as a separate new application.