The NTSA is the gatekeeper. The National Transport and Safety Authority writes the highway code, issues the licences, runs the tests, and runs the TIMS portal every learner driver hits in their first week. The NTSA test is the gate every Kenyan driver passes through. This page is about how to pass it without paying twice.
The short version: drill the Kenyan road signs cold, sit timed mock papers daily, learn the right-of-way rules until they are automatic. Theory is the bit most people underestimate, and it is the bit that fails them.
What the test actually looks like
Two parts, sat one after the other.
Theory. Multiple-choice paper at an NTSA centre. Covers road signs, road markings, right of way, junctions, hazards and basic mechanical knowledge. Pass mark is ~70%. Practise the shape.
Practical. Yard work (reverse-into-bay, three-point-turn, parking) then a road drive with an NTSA examiner. Yard is where most candidates fall.
If you don't pass three mock papers in a row, you are not ready
The single best signal for whether you should book the real one. Cheap and unambiguous.
What you have to know · six topic blocks
The NTSA theory paper draws from six topic blocks. DriveRush covers each — heavier on the topics that most often catch candidates out.
- Road signs & markings — largest section. Warning, regulatory, mandatory and information signs, traffic-light signals, road markings. The category that decides most pass/fails. Reference: all road signs.
- Right of way — junction-heavy. Who goes first at unmarked junctions, signalled junctions, roundabouts and zebra crossings. Pure logic — drill it. Practice: scenarios.
- Highway code — rules section. Speed limits, lane discipline, overtaking, parking, pedestrians, cyclists, boda bodas. The written rules of the Kenyan road. Quick practice.
- Hazard perception — scenario-based. Spot the developing hazard. The NTSA paper folds this into multiple-choice questions; the practical takes it on the road.
- Mechanical knowledge — smaller section. Tyres, brakes, lights, oil, basic vehicle checks. Don't skip it — the questions are easy points for anyone who has read them once.
- Documents & licences — sometimes overlooked. Insurance, NTSA inspection sticker, PDL, Smart DL renewals. A handful of test questions; the kind of thing roadside police actually check. Smart DL guide.
NTSA fees in 2026
Paid through TIMS with M-Pesa. Separate from any driving-school fees.
- PDL · Class B: KES 600
- Theory test: KES 1,000
- Practical test: KES 1,000
- Smart DL card: KES 3,000
- Driving school theory (optional): KES 3,000–5,000
- Driving school practical: KES 6,000–15,000
Always pay through TIMS
Not a "fixer" outside the centre. Pay from the wrong page and the receipt does not bind to your account. The walk-in fee is the same; the risk is not.
The TIMS flow, in order
The walkthrough lives in its own piece: how to apply for an NTSA driving licence in Kenya in 2026. The short version:
- Open a TIMS account. Use your real name as it appears on your ID. Verify the phone number you actually use.
- Apply for the PDL. Choose your class (Class B for cars unless you know otherwise). Pay through M-Pesa.
- Book the theory test. Pick the closest centre with the soonest slot. Most centres get rebooked within 48 hours.
- Sit the theory test, then the practical. Yard then road. Most candidates fall on the yard.
- Pay the Smart DL fee on TIMS. Once both tests are signed off. Pay from the wrong page and the receipt does not bind to your account.
- Collect the card. Walk in with your ID, walk out with a Smart DL.
How DriveRush handles NTSA prep
We are not the NTSA and we are not affiliated with the NTSA. We are the practice layer that sits between you and their test. What that means in practice:
- Free road-sign trainer. A recall game that drills every Kenyan sign until naming one is instant. Open it.
- NTSA-shape mock exams. Same question count, same minutes, same fail thresholds. Sit one.
- Junction scenarios. Right-of-way drills from real Nairobi junctions. Scenarios.
- Daily question. One question a day on the homepage. Streak counts only when you actually work.
- Full courses · coming. Class A, B, C, D, each topic in order. See the courses.
What to read next
- How to apply for an NTSA driving licence in Kenya in 2026
- Road signs people fail on at the NTSA test
- Smart DL: replace, renew, lost
- Driving school or self-study?
- The complete online guide to learning to drive in Kenya
- Driving schools in Kenya · pick one, what it should cost
Common questions
What is the NTSA?
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is Kenya's road-transport regulator. It sets the highway code, issues driving licences, runs the theory and practical tests, and manages the TIMS portal where every learner driver opens an account.
What is the NTSA test?
Kenya's official driving exam. Split into a theory part (multiple-choice on road signs, road markings, right of way and basic mechanical knowledge) and a practical part (yard exercises plus a road drive with an examiner). You sit them in that order.
How do I pass the NTSA test?
Drill road signs until naming any one is instant, sit timed mock exams under realistic conditions, and learn the right-of-way rules at junctions and roundabouts cold. DriveRush bundles all three into one practice flow — free.
How much does the NTSA test cost?
Theory and practical test fees together run roughly KES 3,000–4,000, paid directly through TIMS. Smart DL card issuance is paid separately, also on TIMS. Driving-school fees are extra and unrelated to NTSA charges.
What is TIMS and do I need it?
TIMS (Transport Integrated Management System) is NTSA's online portal at tims.ntsa.go.ke. Yes — you need it. Every step (PDL application, test booking, Smart DL payment) flows through TIMS.
What is a Provisional Driving Licence (PDL)?
The learner permit you hold while you're studying and sitting tests. Valid three months at a time and required on the day of your theory test. Apply on TIMS, pay through M-Pesa, get the receipt.
What's the difference between the NTSA test and a driving school course?
The driving school teaches and certifies your hours. The NTSA test is the government exam that converts those hours into a licence. You can study theory for the NTSA test entirely outside a driving school — DriveRush exists for that part.