Minnesota motorcycle permit test numbers to know
Distances, speeds, limits, fines and deadlines are the questions people miss most, because they have to be memorized. Here are 22 Minnesota numbers, grouped and cited, with a free quiz and flashcards to lock them in.
Numbers quiz
11 questions a round from the 11 number questions in our Minnesota bank. Questions you miss come back more often in later rounds.
Free and unlimited. Your answers count toward your readiness and mistake review.
Numbers flashcards
11 cards: the question on the front, the number and its source on the back. Swipe right if you knew it.
Each deck starts with 20 free cards. Swipe right if you knew it, left to see it again.
See 3 of the cards
Alcohol & drugs
On a long ride, how often should you stop and get off the motorcycle to fight fatigue?
At least every two hours
Riding a motorcycle is more tiring than driving a car. Take frequent breaks, getting off the motorcycle at least every two hours, and limit your distance; experienced riders seldom ride more than about six hours a day.
Speed limits
In Minnesota, traffic in both lanes going your direction is stopped at a red light. Under the lane-filtering law, may you ride between the stopped cars toward the front?
Yes, at no more than 15 mph faster than the stopped traffic
Minnesota now allows lane filtering: when two or more lanes going the same direction are stopped, such as at a light or in a jam, a motorcycle may move between them at no more than 15 mph faster than that traffic.
Distances & following gaps
Under normal conditions, what is the minimum following distance when riding behind another vehicle?
Two seconds
Normally keep at least two seconds behind the vehicle ahead. Count from when its rear passes a fixed marker; if you reach the marker before 'two,' you are too close.
Every Minnesota motorcycle number, by topic
Official Minnesota laws come first in each group, then the numbers from our handbook questions. Tap a source to read the exact words it comes from.
Alcohol & drugs
7 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 0.08% | Legal BAC limit for adult drivers | revisor.mn.govQuotethe person's alcohol concentration at the time, or as measured within two hours of the time, of driving, operating, or being in physical control of the motor vehicle is 0.08 or more |
| 0.04% | BAC limit in a commercial vehicle | revisor.mn.govQuotethe vehicle is a commercial motor vehicle and the person's alcohol concentration at the time, or as measured within two hours of the time, of driving, operating, or being in physical control of the commercial motor vehicle is 0.04 or more |
| 90 days, $1,000 | Drunk driving (DUI)Fourth-degree DWI, a misdemeanor: up to 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine | revisor.mn.govQuoteIf the crime is a misdemeanor, to imprisonment for not more than 90 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $1,000, or both |
| 364 days, $3,000 | Drunk driving (DUI)Refusal is a separate crime (third-degree DWI, a gross misdemeanor: up to 364 days and/or $3,000) | revisor.mn.govQuoteIf the crime is a gross misdemeanor, to imprisonment for not more than 364 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both |
| 1 year, 20 years | Drunk driving (DUI)License revoked at least 1 year with no prior impaired-driving incident in 20 years | revisor.mn.govQuoteif the person has no qualified prior impaired driving incidents within the past 20 years, not less than one year |
| under 21 | Drunk driving (DUI)Drivers under 21 may not drive after drinking any alcohol (zero tolerance) | revisor.mn.govQuoteIt is a crime for a person under the age of 21 years to drive, operate, or be in physical control of a motor vehicle while consuming alcoholic beverages, or after having consumed alcoholic beverages while there is physical evidence of the consumption present in the person's body. |
| two hours | On a long ride, how often should you stop and get off the motorcycle to fight fatigue?Answer: At least every two hours | Minnesota Motorcycle and Motorized Bicycle Manual, page 54QuoteStop and get off the motorcycle at least every two hours. |
Speed limits
2 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mph, 15 mph | Lane splittingMotorcycle speed no more than 25 mph and no more than 15 mph over the speed of traffic in the relevant lanes | revisor.mn.govQuoteA person may operate a motorcycle and overtake and pass another vehicle in the same direction of travel and within the same traffic lane if the motorcycle is operated: (1) at not more than 25 miles per hour; and (2) no more than 15 miles per hour over the speed of traffic in the relevant traffic lanes. |
| 15 mph | In Minnesota, traffic in both lanes going your direction is stopped at a red light. Under the lane-filtering law, may you ride between the stopped cars toward the front?Answer: Yes, at no more than 15 mph faster than the stopped traffic | Minnesota Driver's Manual, page 53QuoteIt allows a motorcycle to move through traffic that is stopped, such as at a traffic light or traffic jam, only under this condition: – No more than 15 miles per hour over the speed of traffic in the relevant traffic lanes. |
Distances & following gaps
4 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Two seconds | Under normal conditions, what is the minimum following distance when riding behind another vehicle?Answer: Two seconds | Minnesota Motorcycle and Motorized Bicycle Manual, page 25QuoteNormally, a minimum of two seconds distance should be maintained when following a vehicle. |
| Three seconds | The pavement is slippery and you cannot see past the vehicle ahead. What following distance should you use?Answer: Three seconds or more | Minnesota Motorcycle and Motorized Bicycle Manual, page 26Quoteopen up a three-second or more following distance. |
| 12 seconds | How far ahead should you search for hazards while riding?Answer: To an area it would take about 12 seconds to reach | Minnesota Motorcycle and Motorized Bicycle Manual, page 29Quotelooking ahead to an area it would take about 12 seconds to reach. |
| one second | In a staggered group formation, how far behind the leader should the second rider stay?Answer: At least one second back, in the right side of the lane | Minnesota Motorcycle and Motorized Bicycle Manual, page 48Quotethe second rider stays at least one second back and rides in the right side of the lane. |
Ages, permits & the test
6 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $29 | Fee | assets.dps.mn.govQuoteTo obtain a motorcycle instruction permit, you must first pass a knowledge (written) test at a driver examination station. ... The knowledge test may be taken only once per day. When you pass the test and pay the $29 permit fee, you will receive an instruction permit valid for one year. |
| 1 year | Motorcycle permitMotorcycle instruction permit at 16 (with a driver's license), valid 1 year | revisor.mn.govQuoteThe commissioner of public safety must issue a motorcycle instruction permit to any person over 16 years of age who (1) is in possession of a valid driver's license, (2) is enrolled in an approved motorcycle driver's safety course |
| under 18 | Motorcycle permitRiders under 18 need a safety course certificate | dps.mn.govQuoteIf you're under 18 years old, you must also show a certificate from an approved motorcycle driver's safety course |
| One year | After passing the knowledge test and paying the fee, how long is a Minnesota motorcycle instruction permit valid?Answer: One year | Minnesota Motorcycle and Motorized Bicycle Manual, page 7QuoteWhen you pass the test and pay the $29 permit fee, you will receive an instruction permit valid for one year. |
| one-half hour | For a Minnesota motorcycle permit holder, when does the nighttime riding ban apply?Answer: From one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise | Minnesota Motorcycle and Motorized Bicycle Manual, page 7Quote“Night” or “nighttime” means the time from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. |
| at least 45 | A pavement seam runs parallel to your path and you need to cross it. How should you cross?Answer: Cross it at an angle of at least 45 degrees | Minnesota Motorcycle and Motorized Bicycle Manual, page 41Quotemove far enough away from tracks, ruts, or pavement seams to cross at an angle of at least 45˚. |
Seat belts, lights & equipment
2 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| under 18 | HelmetsOperators and passengers under 18 must wear a helmet, and so must anyone riding on a motorcycle instruction permit | revisor.mn.govQuoteNo person under the age of 18 shall operate or ride a motorcycle on the streets and highways of this state without wearing protective headgear that complies with standards established by the commissioner of public safety; and no person shall operate a motorcycle without wearing an eye-protective device. |
| under 18 | Under Minnesota law, who must wear a DOT-approved helmet on a motorcycle?Answer: Operators and passengers under 18, and anyone riding on a permit | Minnesota Motorcycle and Motorized Bicycle Manual, page 9QuoteMotorcyclists and passengers under 18 years of age and those operating on a motorcycle permit must wear a DOT-approved helmet. |
Other numbers
1 number
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 70% | In a quick stop, a new rider uses only the rear brake. About how much of the motorcycle's total stopping power are they leaving unused?Answer: 70% or more | Minnesota Motorcycle and Motorized Bicycle Manual, page 22QuoteThe front brake is more powerful and can provide 70% or more of your total stopping power. |
Memory tips
How to study them (our advice, not official rules):
- Learn the number with its unit and its place. “15 feet from a hydrant” sticks; “15” on its own gets mixed up with 15 mph.
- Say the answer before you look. Recalling the number yourself is harder than spotting it among four options, and it is what makes it stick.
- Come back to the ones you miss. The quiz above brings missed questions back more often. Short rounds over several days beat one long session.
Questions about the numbers
What numbers do I need to know for the Minnesota motorcycle permit test?
Mostly distances (how close you may park to a hydrant or crosswalk, when to signal, when to dim your high beams), speed limits, blood-alcohol limits, and the ages, hours and deadlines for your permit and license. This page lists 22 of them for Minnesota, each with its source.
Why focus on numbers?
A California DMV study of its own knowledge test found that many of the hardest questions “are numerical and have correct answers that must be learned by rote memorization.” Numbers are easy to mix up under pressure, so they are worth drilling on their own.
Where do these numbers come from?
Each one is quoted from the Minnesota Motorcycle and Motorized Bicycle Manual, Minnesota statutes or DVS pages. Our build checks that every number on this page appears word for word in the quote it cites.
Is the numbers drill free?
Yes. The table and the numbers quiz are free and unlimited, and so are the first 20 flashcards.