Minnesota DMV / DVS Exam FAQ 2026
Is it called the "DMV" in Minnesota?
Not officially. In Minnesota, driver's license and knowledge-test services are handled by the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS). "DMV" is used as a general term across the site because it's the phrase most people search for, but your paperwork, appointments, and office signage in Minnesota will say DVS.
How do I get my first driver's license in Minnesota?
In Minnesota you apply through Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), a division of the Department of Public Safety, rather than an agency called the DMV. The path runs through the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program: pass a vision screening and the written knowledge test to get an instruction permit at 15, practice with a supervising driver, then pass the road test for a provisional license at 16, and finally move up to a full Class D license. Applicants under 18 must also complete driver education. Adults 18 and older skip driver education but still take the permit, written test, and road test steps.
What is the minimum age for a Minnesota instruction permit and what do I need?
You must be at least 15 years old to get a Minnesota instruction permit, and the permit is valid for two years. To qualify you have to pass a vision screening and the written knowledge test. If you are under 18, you must also complete 30 hours of classroom driver education and be enrolled in behind-the-wheel instruction, or be enrolled in a concurrent course with the first 15 classroom hours finished. Classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction are not required if you are 18 or older. Appointments for testing are made through the DVS website at dps.mn.gov/mydvs.
What are the steps of Minnesota's graduated driver licensing (GDL) program?
Minnesota's GDL program has three stages. First is the instruction permit at 15, earned by passing the vision screening and written test. Second is the provisional license at 16 or older, which requires holding the permit at least six months if you are 18 or younger (three months if you are 19 or older), no convictions for moving or alcohol violations during that period, a completed supervised driving log, and a passing road test. Third is the full Class D license, available at 18, or after holding a clean provisional license for 12 consecutive months.
What documents do I need to apply for a Minnesota driver's license?
Bring documents that prove your identity and date of birth, your Social Security number, and your Minnesota residency. Applicants under 18 need a parent or guardian to sign the application, and a parent or guardian must also certify the supervised driving log before the road test. Minnesota issues standard, REAL ID, and Enhanced driver's licenses, and each card type has its own document list. Because the accepted-document list is updated periodically, check the current requirements on the DVS website at drive.mn.gov before your appointment so you are not turned away.
Do I need a REAL ID in Minnesota?
A REAL ID is not required to drive in Minnesota. Any valid Minnesota driver's license lets you drive legally, but a standard license is not accepted for boarding domestic flights or entering certain federal facilities. If you want that federal acceptance you can apply for a REAL ID or an Enhanced Driver's License, which also works for land and sea crossings to Canada and Mexico. REAL ID applications require additional documentation of identity, Social Security number, and Minnesota residency, and every applicant must apply in person. Confirm the exact document list on the DVS website at drive.mn.gov.
How many questions are on the Minnesota written knowledge test?
Minnesota's Driver and Vehicle Services does not publish a fixed number of questions for the Class D knowledge test in the driver's manual or on its website, so treat any specific count you see online as unofficial. What the official sources do confirm is the content and the standard: the test uses multiple-choice and true-or-false questions on Minnesota traffic laws, road signs, right-of-way rules, speed limits, safe driving practices, and the state's alcohol and drug laws, and you must score at least 80 percent to pass. Every question is drawn from the Minnesota Driver's Manual published by DVS. The current edition is the May 2025 manual, a free PDF available at drive.mn.gov.
What score do I need to pass the Minnesota permit test?
You must score at least 80 percent to pass. That threshold is set in Minnesota Rules part 7410.4760, which states that a knowledge test is satisfactorily passed if a score of at least 80 percent is obtained, and the Minnesota Driver's Manual repeats the same standard. DVS does not publish a fixed number of questions, so think in percentages rather than a fixed number of allowed misses: you need at least 8 of every 10 questions correct. The same standard applies whether you take the exam on paper or on a computer, and every question comes from the official Minnesota Driver's Manual.
What format is the Minnesota written test and what languages is it offered in?
The Minnesota written test includes both multiple-choice and true-or-false questions covering state traffic laws and road signs. You can take it on paper or on a computer at a DVS exam station. The test is offered in English, several other languages, and American Sign Language, so many applicants can test in the language they are most comfortable with. Appointments are required and are scheduled online through dps.mn.gov/mydvs. Plan ahead, because walk-in testing is not the norm and exam station availability varies by location.
What happens if I fail the Minnesota written test and how soon can I retake it?
If you score below 80 percent you fail and will need to test again, but you may take only one written test per day, so the earliest retake is the next day. If you fail two consecutive written tests, a $10 fee is charged for the third and any subsequent test. Before retesting, review the chapters covering the questions you missed, especially road signs, right-of-way, and Minnesota's alcohol laws, and use practice tests to find weak spots.
How much does it cost to get a driver's license in Minnesota?
Driver services fees are set by the Minnesota Legislature and administered by Driver and Vehicle Services, and they change from time to time, so check the current fee schedule at dps.mn.gov before your visit. A few figures are stated in the driver's manual: if you fail two consecutive written tests, a $10 fee applies to the third and any later test; if you fail the road test twice, a $20 retest fee applies to each later attempt; and an enhanced driver's license or ID costs $15 on top of the regular card fee. An alcohol-related revocation carries a $680 reinstatement fee, and reinstatement after a no-insurance revocation costs $30 and also requires passing a written test, applying for a new license, and submitting an insurance certificate.
What do I need before I can take the Minnesota road test?
You must hold your instruction permit for at least six months if you are 18 or younger, or three months if you are 19 or older, with no convictions for moving violations or alcohol and controlled-substance violations during that time. You also need a completed supervised driving log certified by a parent or guardian if you are under 18. You must be at least 16 for a provisional license. Road tests are scheduled by appointment through dps.mn.gov/mydvs, and you provide a properly registered, insured, and road-worthy vehicle for the exam.
How many supervised driving hours does Minnesota require?
Minnesota requires 50 hours of supervised driving, and 15 of those hours must be at night. The requirement drops to 40 hours, still including 15 nighttime hours, if a parent or guardian completes a Minnesota-approved parent awareness class. While driving on a permit, a driver under 18 must be supervised by a licensed driver aged 21 or older seated in the front passenger seat; a permit holder 18 or older may be supervised by a licensed driver 18 or older. Everyone in the vehicle must be belted or in a child restraint.
What restrictions apply to a Minnesota provisional license?
During the first six months you may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m. unless a licensed driver at least 25 years old is with you, or you are traveling between home and work, between home and a school event with no school transportation available, or driving for employment. Passenger limits also apply: no more than one passenger under age 20 during the first six months, and no more than three passengers under 20 during the second six months, unless a parent or guardian is riding along. Immediate family members under 20 are exempt from both limits.
Can teen drivers use a cell phone in Minnesota?
No. Instruction permit holders under 18 and all provisional license holders are prohibited from using or talking on a cell phone while driving, even with a hands-free device. Every driver in Minnesota is also covered by the hands-free law, which makes it illegal to compose, read, or send emails, texts, or instant messages or to access the internet while driving. Exceptions exist for obtaining emergency assistance, reporting a crash or a crime, or using a device in voice-activated or hands-free mode. Two or more convictions add a $275 fine on top of the court-specified fine.
I moved to Minnesota with an out-of-state license. Do I have to take the test again?
If you are 21 or older and hold a valid, unexpired driver's license from another U.S. state, you no longer need to take the Minnesota written knowledge test when you transfer it. If your out-of-state license expired less than one year ago, you must pass the written test. If it expired more than one year ago, you must pass both the written test and the road test. You will still need to apply in person at a DVS office, pass a vision screening, and surrender your out-of-state license.
How often do I renew my Minnesota driver's license?
A Minnesota Class D license issued to a driver under 21 is marked "Under 21" and expires on your 21st birthday. After that, the license expires every four years on your birthday. An instruction permit is valid for two years, and a provisional license is valid for two years. Renewal is done through Driver and Vehicle Services, and you pass a vision screening when you renew. Renewing before your license expires matters, because an expired license can require additional testing depending on how long it has lapsed.
What is the vision requirement, and are there extra rules for older drivers in Minnesota?
To pass the DVS vision screening your normal or corrected vision must be at least 20/40, and your peripheral vision must be at least 105 degrees. If your peripheral vision is less than 105 degrees or you fail the screening, you will be asked to see an eye doctor and return the report to the DVS Driver Evaluation Unit. If you need glasses or contacts to meet the standard, your license will carry a corrective-lenses restriction and you must wear them when you drive. Minnesota applies the same four-year renewal cycle to all adult drivers; neither the driver's manual nor DVS sets a shorter cycle or an automatic road retest based on age alone, and the vision screening at renewal applies to every driver. Medical conditions that affect safe driving can trigger additional review by DVS.
What is the legal blood alcohol limit (BAC) in Minnesota?
A driver with an alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher who is in physical control of a moving or parked vehicle can be arrested for Driving While Impaired. If an officer can show that alcohol caused driving errors, an arrest is possible at a BAC as low as 0.04. Commercial drivers are limited to 0.04 percent, and a detectable amount under 0.04 brings a 24-hour out-of-service order. A BAC of 0.16 percent or above is an aggravating factor that increases penalties, and a work permit is not an option on a first offense at that level.
What is Minnesota's Not a Drop law for drivers under 21?
Minnesota has zero tolerance for underage drinking and driving. It is illegal for anyone under 21 to operate a motor vehicle with any detectable amount of alcohol, no matter how small. A first conviction suspends driving privileges for 30 days, and a second conviction suspends them for 180 days. Under Vanessa's Law, a teenager convicted of an alcohol or controlled-substance violation while driving unlicensed cannot get a permit, provisional license, or license until age 18, and must then pass the Class D written test, pay reinstatement fees, hold a permit at least six months, and pass the road test.
What happens if I refuse a breath or blood test in Minnesota?
Minnesota's implied consent law means that if you are found at 0.08 percent or above, or you refuse testing, you may be issued a seven-day temporary license, after which your driver's license is revoked. A first DWI offense carries a minimum 90-day revocation, reduced to 30 days if you plead guilty, with no work permit available until 15 days of the revocation have passed, plus up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Reinstatement after an alcohol-related revocation costs $680. The law also applies to off-road recreational vehicles and motorboats.
