Minnesota learner’s permit requirements

Everything here comes from Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services Division pages, handbooks or state law, and each fact links to its source. Where Minnesota doesn’t publish something, we say so rather than guess.

Last checked September 22, 2026.

At a glance

Minimum age
15 years
Fees
$29.50 total
Supervised driving
50 hours (15 at night)
Where you take the test
Online or in person

The knowledge test and your permit

Test format
Not publishedSources 123
Passing score
80%Sources 123
Time limit
None published
Permit and test fees
$29.50 total$29.50 Class D instruction permit (valid 2 years) includes the first two written tests; a third test after two failures is $10.Sources 123
Minimum age for a permit
15 yearsInstruction permit at 15 after 30 hours of classroom driver education and enrollment in behind-the-wheel (or 15 classroom hours of a concurrent course); no driver education required at 18+.Sources 456
Supervised driving
50 hours (15 at night)Sources 456
Hold your permit
6 months minimumSources 456
Test languages
8 languagesEnglish, Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Vietnamese, Russian, Karen, American Sign LanguageSources 123
Take it online
YesSources 123
If you fail
Only one written test per dayIf you fail two consecutive written tests, a $10 fee is charged for the third and any subsequent tests.Sources 123
Vision standard
Normal or corrected vision of at least 20/40 and peripheral vision of at least 105 degreesSources 456

From permit to full license

Three phases.

  • Instruction permit (15+): under-18s supervised by a driver 21+ (18+ for adult permit holders), no cell phone use, handheld or hands-free, except to get emergency help such as a 911 call; hold 6 months conviction-free (3 months if 19+). Provisional license at 16 after driver education, a log of 50 supervised hours incl. 15 at night (40 hours incl. 15 at night if a parent completes the parent class) and the road test: first 6 months no driving midnight-5 a.m. (exceptions: licensed driver 25+, work, school events) and only one passenger under 20; second 6 months up to three passengers under 20; immediate family exempt; same cell phone ban with the same emergency exception.
  • Full Class D license after 12 months on the provisional license ($3.50 credit if violation-free).

Before you go

Rules and fees change. Confirm appointments, documents and current fees on the official Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services Division website: dps.mn.gov.

Sources

  1. dps.mn.gov: dl and id card fees
  2. dps.mn.gov
  3. dps.mn.gov: third party online knowledge testing
  4. assets.dps.mn.gov: dvs class d drivers manual english
  5. dps.mn.gov: class d dl new driver under age 18
  6. dps.mn.gov: class d dl new driver age 18 and older
  7. revisor.mn.gov: 171.05

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