Getting your driver’s license after 18 in Minnesota is a shorter path than the teen process, but it still runs through four steps: gather your documents, pass a knowledge test and vision screening to earn an instruction permit, hold that permit for 90 or 180 days depending on your age, then pass the road test. Line everything up before your first visit to Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) and the whole thing goes faster.
Pick Your License Type First
Minnesota issues three versions of the Class D license, and the choice changes which documents you bring:
- A standard license works for driving but cannot be used to board a domestic flight or enter federal facilities.
- A REAL ID-compliant license carries a star marking and is accepted at TSA security and federal buildings. It requires proof of lawful U.S. presence on top of the usual identity and residency documents.
- An Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) does everything a REAL ID does and also serves as a travel document at land and sea border crossings with Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. It requires proof of U.S. citizenship and costs an extra $15.
REAL ID enforcement began on May 7, 2025, so a standard Minnesota license alone will not get you through TSA for a domestic flight.1Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID A passport still works if you’d rather keep the standard license.2Minnesota House Research Department. REAL ID Act Implementation in Minnesota
Documents to Bring to DVS
Showing up short a document means a wasted trip. Every adult applicant needs:
- Proof of identity: a certified U.S. birth certificate, unexpired U.S. passport, or other qualifying document showing your legal name and date of birth.
- Your Social Security number. Federal law requires the full number. If the name on your Social Security card doesn’t match the name on your identity document, expect delays.
- Two proofs of Minnesota residency: two different documents showing your current Minnesota address, such as a utility bill, lease, or bank statement dated within the past 12 months.
A REAL ID also requires a document proving lawful U.S. presence. An Enhanced license requires proof of U.S. citizenship.3Minnesota Department of Public Safety. REAL ID Document Requirements DVS wants originals, not photocopies.
The Knowledge Test and Vision Screening
The knowledge test is 40 multiple-choice questions on Minnesota traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving. You need 32 correct (80%) to pass.4Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Class D Driver’s License for New Driver Age 18 and Older Book an appointment at a DVS exam station; walk-ins aren’t accepted for the Class D knowledge test. The free official Minnesota Driver’s Manual is the study resource that matches the questions. Adults 18 and older do not need classroom instruction, but experienced drivers moving from other states still miss items like Minnesota’s four-way-stop and winter-driving rules.
Your first two knowledge test attempts are covered by the permit application fee. From the third attempt on, each retake is $10.5Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Driver’s License and ID Card Fees There’s no mandatory wait between attempts.
The vision screening happens the same day. You need visual acuity of 20/40 or better (with or without corrective lenses) and a horizontal visual field of at least 105 degrees.6LII / Legal Information Institute. Minnesota Rules 7410.2400 – Vision If you need corrective lenses to meet that standard, your license will carry a corrective lens restriction. If your vision falls below 20/40, DVS will require an examination certificate from an eye care professional before processing the application.7Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Driver Compliance Medical Conditions and Your License
Your Instruction Permit and the Holding Period
Passing the knowledge test and vision screening earns you a Class D instruction permit. The permit is $29.50 and is valid for two years.5Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Driver’s License and ID Card Fees This is when you present the identity and residency documents from the list above.
The permit lets you practice with a licensed driver age 21 or older in the front passenger seat. How long you have to hold the permit before the road test depends on your age at application:
- If you’re 18, you must hold the permit for at least 180 days.
- If you’re 19 or older, you must hold it for at least 90 days.
Those holding periods are firm. DVS will not schedule your road test earlier.4Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Class D Driver’s License for New Driver Age 18 and Older Use the time. Professional driving lessons run roughly $50 to $85 per hour across the state and are worth considering if you’re truly new to driving.
The Road Test
Once the holding period is up, schedule the road test through the DVS website or by phone. You supply the vehicle, and it must be legally insured. Hand your proof of insurance to the examiner before the test starts.8Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Get Ready for Your Driver’s Road Test
Before the test begins, the examiner will have you demonstrate that basic equipment works: seat and seat belt, emergency brake, headlights and hazards, turn signals, horn, wipers, defroster and fan, mirrors, and a fuel gauge with enough gas to complete the test.8Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Get Ready for Your Driver’s Road Test A burned-out turn signal or a dead horn ends the test in the parking lot. Check every item the night before. If you’re borrowing the car, spend time with the controls so you’re not hunting for the defroster while the examiner watches.
On the road, the examiner evaluates turns, lane changes, parallel parking, intersection handling, mirror checks, speed control, and reactions to traffic. You’ll be told the result immediately.
If you fail the first road test, wait one week before retaking it. After a second, third, or fourth failure, the wait is two weeks.
Applying for the License
After passing both tests, apply for the license at a DVS exam station. Bring your valid instruction permit and your identification documents. The Class D license fee is $46; add $15 for the Enhanced endorsement.5Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Driver’s License and ID Card Fees
DVS offices take cash, checks, and money orders. Most locations also take credit and debit cards, usually with a convenience fee around 2%. You leave with a temporary paper license the same day. The permanent card arrives by mail in a few weeks.
If You Already Have a License From Somewhere Else
Adults moving to Minnesota with a valid license don’t go through the full path above. If your license is from another U.S. state, U.S. territory, or Canada, you have 60 days after establishing Minnesota residency to convert it.9Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Class D Driver’s License for New Resident With a valid, unexpired license, you take the knowledge test and vision screening and skip the road test. If your out-of-state license has been expired less than a year, you still only need the knowledge test. Expired more than a year, and you’ll take both the knowledge and road tests. Your out-of-state license is surrendered, invalidated, and returned to you.
If your license is from a country other than Canada, you generally need the knowledge test, road test, and vision screening, and a certified English translation if the license isn’t in English. You do not need to hold an instruction permit before the first road test in this case. Minnesota has reciprocity arrangements with Germany and Taiwan that can waive the road test for qualifying drivers who surrender their foreign license.9Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Class D Driver’s License for New Resident