Without arresting anyone, a law enforcement officer may stop a person in a public place whom the officer reasonably suspects is committing, has committed or is about to commit a crime, and may demand the person's name, address and an explanation of their actions.
- A licensee has the license in immediate possession at all times when driving.
- A licensee promptly hands the license over on the demand of a peace officer when it is in their possession.
- No one is convicted of not carrying it who produces, in court or at the arresting officer's office, a license that was valid at the time of arrest.
A driver displays evidence of insurance on a law enforcement officer's demand, and may show it on a cellular phone or other device.
A frisk. An officer who has stopped someone and reasonably suspects that personal safety requires it may frisk the person for firearms or other dangerous weapons.
The Fourth Amendment sets limits on every stop, and the Supreme Court of the United States has drawn several of them. It has held that a stop is reasonable where the officer has probable cause to believe a traffic violation occurred, whatever the officer's actual motive; that an officer making a lawful stop may order the driver, and the passengers, out of the vehicle; that a passenger is seized by the stop and may challenge it; and that a stop may last no longer than its purpose requires, so it may not be extended for a dog sniff without separate reasonable suspicion. It has also held that consent to a search has to be voluntary, judged on all the circumstances, and that the prosecution does not have to prove the person knew they could refuse. Those holdings are a floor: a state's own constitution and statutes can give more protection than they do, never less.
Sources for this section (9)
- K.S.A. 22-2402 — Stopping of suspect
- K.S.A. 8-244 — Licenses to be carried and delivered upon demand; defense
- K.S.A. 40-3104 — Motor vehicle liability insurance coverage required; prohibited vehicle operation; verification; self-insurance; display of proof of financial security; penalties for failure to maintain financial security; reinstatement fees
- Whren v. United States, 517 U.S. 806 (1996) — A traffic stop is reasonable when there is probable cause of a traffic violation
- Pennsylvania v. Mimms, 434 U.S. 106 (1977) — An officer may order the driver out of a lawfully stopped car
- Maryland v. Wilson, 519 U.S. 408 (1997) — An officer may order passengers out of a lawfully stopped car
- Brendlin v. California, 551 U.S. 249 (2007) — A passenger is seized by a traffic stop and may challenge it
- Rodriguez v. United States, 575 U.S. 348 (2015) — A stop may not be extended beyond its purpose to run a dog sniff
- Schneckloth v. Bustamonte, 412 U.S. 218 (1973) — Consent to a search must be voluntary
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Kansas attorney.
