Undocumented immigrants can get a driver’s license in Minnesota. Since October 1, 2023, when the state’s “Driver’s Licenses for All” law took effect, any Minnesota resident may apply for a standard Class D license without proving U.S. citizenship or lawful presence.1Minnesota House Public Information Services. Driver’s Licenses Will Be Accessible Regardless of Immigration Status The card carries no marking tied to immigration status, and the Department of Public Safety is barred from asking about it.
Who Can Apply
Eligibility is short. You must be at least 16 years old and living at a Minnesota address.1Minnesota House Public Information Services. Driver’s Licenses Will Be Accessible Regardless of Immigration Status The application does not ask about your country of origin, visa type, or immigration history. A Social Security number is not required, though if you have one, a Social Security card can be used as a secondary identity document.
Documents to Bring
Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) asks for one primary identity document, one secondary identity document, and two proofs of your Minnesota address.
Primary Identity Document
A primary document establishes who you are. One of the following is enough:2Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Primary and Secondary Documents
- An unexpired foreign passport from any country, with a photograph
- An unexpired consular identification card, with a photograph
- A certified birth certificate, foreign or domestic, including a Certificate of Birth Abroad
- A certified adoption certificate showing full name and date of birth
- An unexpired Tribal ID card with security features
- A USCIS document such as a Permanent Resident card, employment authorization document, Certificate of Naturalization, or Certificate of Citizenship
For most applicants without U.S. documents, an unexpired passport from the home country is the simplest option.
Secondary Identity Document
The secondary document adds a second layer of verification. Accepted items include a Social Security card, a DACA approval notice, a certified school transcript, a certified marriage certificate, a driver’s license or ID from any jurisdiction that has been expired five years or less, or a student ID with photograph and date of birth.2Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Primary and Secondary Documents If you don’t have a Social Security card, other documents on this list serve the same purpose.
Two Proofs of Minnesota Address
Bring two separate documents showing where you live. The name and address on both must match your application. A utility bill, bank statement, filed tax return, mortgage document, or Minnesota property tax notice all qualify. A post office box is not accepted as a residential address.3Sherburne County. Frequently Asked Questions – Auditor / Treasurer – Licenses Recent documents are best; within the last 90 days is a safe practice.
Translations for Non-English Documents
Any document not in English must be paired with a certified English translation, as required by Minnesota Rules Chapter 7410.0400.4Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Certificate of Translation Form The translator signs a statement attesting the translation is complete and accurate, and cannot be related to you by blood or marriage. Qualified translators include people accredited by the American Translators Association, court-certified translators, translators affiliated with USCIS, listed state vendors, and licensed attorneys. A qualified non-professional competent in both languages can also translate. Professional translation of a single page typically runs $20 to $70. Without an acceptable translation, DVS will not process the application.
Tests You Have to Pass
At the exam station you first take a vision screening.5Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Rules 7410.2400 – Vision Then comes the written knowledge test on Minnesota traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving. It is offered in English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Karen, Russian, Vietnamese, and American Sign Language.
After passing the written portion, you schedule the road skills test. You bring your own vehicle, which must have current registration, original proof of insurance (not a photo or screenshot), working seat belts, functional headlights, taillights, brake lights, and turn signals, and doors that open from both inside and outside. Neighborhood electric vehicles are not accepted. If you use a rental, your name has to be on the rental agreement.
Fees and Timing
A standard Class D license costs $46 for a first-time applicant and $41 to renew.6Winona County. Winona County, MN – Fee Schedule Once you pass the tests and pay, you leave with a temporary paper permit that is valid for driving right away. The permanent plastic card arrives by mail, generally within about a month.
What This License Will Not Do
The license issued under the DL4A law is a standard, non-compliant card. It does not meet federal REAL ID standards. Since May 7, 2025, REAL ID enforcement has been active, so a standard Minnesota license alone will not get you through a TSA airport checkpoint for a domestic flight, or past the front desk of certain federal buildings and military bases.7Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID To fly domestically you would need another federally accepted ID, such as a valid passport.8Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
For daily life the limits are narrow. A standard license is fully valid for driving, voting, buying auto insurance, visiting a post office, accessing hospitals, applying for federal benefits, and entering federal courts.
How Your Information Is Protected
Minnesota Statutes Section 171.12, Subdivision 11 places specific barriers between driver’s license data and federal immigration enforcement.9Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 171.12 – Driving Record; Filing; Private Data The statute classifies “immigration status data” as private. That includes any information showing whether you demonstrated U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, the identity documents you submitted, and any immigration-related content within them.
The Department of Public Safety and its licensing agents cannot share immigration status data with outside agencies. The only internal sharing allowed is within the DPS licensing division and with the Secretary of State for voter registration accuracy.9Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 171.12 – Driving Record; Filing; Private Data
Other, non-immigration data in your driver record can be shared with government agencies, but only those that do not primarily enforce immigration law, and only if the receiving agency agrees not to use the data for civil immigration enforcement or pass it to any entity that does. Any sharing at all with a federal agency that primarily enforces immigration law requires a valid search warrant or court order signed by a judge.9Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 171.12 – Driving Record; Filing; Private Data Violations carry penalties under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. No state law can override a federal warrant, and legal or political challenges could shift these protections over time.
Never Claim U.S. Citizenship on a Government Form
The DL4A application does not ask about citizenship, so the license process itself will not put you in this position. The warning matters because other forms will. Under federal law, falsely and willfully representing yourself as a U.S. citizen carries up to three years in federal prison and fines up to $250,000.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 911 – Citizen or National of the United States For non-citizens the immigration consequences can be worse: deportation, a permanent bar to future legal status, and ineligibility for naturalization, even without a criminal conviction.
Answer honestly on any form that asks. When you are unsure, leave the field blank and ask for help rather than checking a box you cannot verify.