Minnesota Permit Practice Test 1
26 questions written from the Minnesota Driver's Manual, with an explanation and page citation for every answer.
What is the minimum age to get a Minnesota instruction permit?
Keyboard: press 1–4 or A–D to answer, Enter for the next question, S to save, R to read aloud, P to pause reading, L to listen and answer.
About this test
These questions were written from the Minnesota Driver's Manual (June 2026). 16 of the 21 Minnesota questions in this test cover rules that are specific to Minnesota or differ between states. Every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the exact page it comes from, so you can check it yourself.
Your answers are saved in this browser. Questions you miss go to My mistakes so you can practice them again.
Sample questions from this test
What is the minimum age to get a Minnesota instruction permit?
- A 15 and a half years old
- B 14 years old
- C 16 years old
- D 15 years old
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D. 15 years old
In Minnesota you can get an instruction permit at 15. If you are under 18 you also need the required classroom driver education before you can apply.

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Two cars reach an intersection with no signs or signals at the same time. Who must yield?
- A The driver on the wider road always goes first
- B The driver on the left yields to the driver on the right
- C The driver going faster has the right-of-way
- D The driver on the right yields to the driver on the left
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B. The driver on the left yields to the driver on the right
At an uncontrolled intersection, if you arrive at the same time as another driver, the driver on the left must yield to the driver on the right.
You are 17 with a provisional license. When may you use a hands-free phone while driving?
- A Only when no passengers are in the car
- B Whenever the phone is in hands-free mode
- C Only when a parent is in the car
- D Only to call 911 in an emergency
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D. Only to call 911 in an emergency
Minnesota drivers under 18 with an instruction permit or provisional license may not use a cell phone at all, handheld or hands-free, except to call 911 in an emergency.

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What following distance does the Minnesota manual recommend for a car in ideal conditions?
- A At least two seconds
- B One car length per 20 mph
- C At least three seconds
- D At least one second
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C. At least three seconds
Pick a fixed point; when the car ahead passes it, count 'one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three.' If you reach the point before you finish, you are too close.
In Minnesota, children under what age must ride in the back seat when one is available?
- A 16
- B 10
- C 13
- D 8
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C. 13
Children under 13 must ride in the back seat if one is available. The manual calls the back seat the safest place in most vehicles and repeats this rule in its airbag safety section.