A Minnesota Class D license is the standard non-commercial driver’s license issued by the Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) division of the Department of Public Safety, and it covers nearly every personal vehicle on the road. It authorizes single-unit vehicles up to 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight along with most trailer configurations drivers will ever use.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 171.02 – Licenses; Types A standard card costs $46, is valid for four years, and can be obtained at any DVS exam station or deputy registrar office after you pass a knowledge test, a road skills test, and a vision screening.
What You Can Drive on a Class D License
The license covers single-unit vehicles under 26,000 pounds that are not designed to carry more than 15 people (including the driver) and are not transporting hazardous materials in placardable quantities.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 171.02 – Licenses; Types In everyday terms, that is cars, SUVs, pickups, vans up to 14 passengers plus the driver, and most delivery vehicles used for personal purposes.
Towing is where people most often misread the rules. You can tow a trailer rated at 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight or less without restriction. You can tow a heavier trailer only if the combined weight of the tow vehicle and trailer stays at or below 26,000 pounds.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 171.02 – Licenses; Types Check the gross vehicle weight rating on the trailer’s door sticker and add it to your tow vehicle’s rating. If the total creeps over 26,000 pounds, you need a higher license class.
Recreational vehicles and motorhomes used for personal purposes are covered regardless of weight, which surprises people buying or renting a large Class A motorhome. A Class D also covers farm trucks operated by farmers, their immediate family, or farm employees within 150 miles of the farm when hauling agricultural products, machinery, or supplies, provided the truck is not used for common or contract carrier operations. Authorized emergency vehicles, autocycles, and any vehicle operated by an on-duty peace officer are covered as well.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 171.02 – Licenses; Types
How to Qualify
If you are 18 or older and have never held a Minnesota permit or license, you skip the graduated system entirely. Apply directly for the Class D, pass the knowledge and road tests, and you’re done.
Drivers under 18 move through three stages. At 15, you can apply for an instruction permit if you are enrolled in or have completed a state-approved driver education course and pass the knowledge test. The permit requires a licensed driver at least 21 years old in the front passenger seat. Before the next step, you must log at least 50 hours of supervised driving, including 15 at night. That minimum drops to 40 hours if a parent or guardian completes a supplemental awareness training program.
At 16, you can apply for a provisional license if you have held the permit for at least six months with no moving or alcohol-related violations, have completed the supervised hours, and pass the road test. The provisional license comes with restrictions during the first year. For the first six months, you cannot drive between midnight and 5:00 a.m. except for work, a school event with no provided transportation, or when a licensed driver 25 or older is with you. Passenger limits also apply: no more than one passenger under 20 who isn’t immediate family during the first six months, and no more than three such passengers during months seven through twelve.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 171.055 – Provisional License A parent or guardian in the car waives these restrictions. A provisional license runs two years from the application date rather than to your birthday.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 171.27 – Expiration of License
At 18, you can upgrade to a full, unrestricted Class D.
Documents to Bring
What you need depends on which version of the Class D you are applying for.
For a standard Class D, bring one primary identity document (a certified U.S. birth certificate, valid U.S. passport, or certificate of naturalization) and one secondary document such as a Social Security card or certified school transcript. Your application lists your full legal name, Social Security number, date of birth, and a physical description including height, weight, and eye color.
For a REAL ID Class D, you need the identity documents above plus two separate proofs of Minnesota residency. Utility bills, bank statements, and similar records are acceptable if dated within the past 12 months.4Minnesota Department of Public Safety. REAL ID Document Requirements The name and address on those documents must match your application, and P.O. boxes are not accepted.
For an Enhanced Driver’s License, the document list mirrors REAL ID and adds proof of U.S. citizenship. The card contains radio frequency identification technology linked to a Department of Homeland Security database and carries a higher fee than the standard or REAL ID version.
The Knowledge Test, Road Test, and Vision Screening
The knowledge test is a multiple-choice exam on traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving practices. You can take it at any DVS exam station. A retake costs $10 per attempt.
The road test evaluates how you handle real traffic, parking, turning, and lane changes. You bring a properly insured, registered vehicle in safe operating condition. Appointments book up weeks out, so schedule through the DVS online portal early. A retake costs $20 per attempt.
Every applicant takes a vision screening at the time of application. The minimum standard is 20/40 visual acuity in at least one eye (with or without corrective lenses) and a horizontal visual field of at least 105 degrees.5Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Administrative Rules 7410.2400 – Vision If you don’t meet the standard at the counter, you’ll submit a vision report from a licensed eye care specialist. Certain medical conditions, including epilepsy, stroke-related impairment, or conditions requiring adaptive driving equipment, may require a physician’s statement.
Once you pass both tests, you pay the fee, take a photo, and provide a digital signature. DVS issues a paper temporary permit on the spot that is valid for 120 days. The permanent card arrives by mail within four to six weeks. If it does not, contact DVS, because the state does not forward licenses to a new address if you moved after applying.
Fees
- Standard Class D (initial): $46
- Class D renewal: $41
- Provisional license: $32.50
- Duplicate or replacement card: $26
- Knowledge test retake: $10 per attempt
- Road test retake: $20 per attempt
REAL ID and Enhanced licenses carry additional surcharges on top of the base Class D fee. Under-21 licenses cost $46 for an initial card and $41 for renewal, the same as a standard Class D.6Winona County. Fee Schedule
When It Expires and How to Renew
A standard Class D expires on your birthday in the fourth year after issuance.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 171.27 – Expiration of License You can renew on or before the expiration date, or within one year after it expires. Renewing late does not automatically mean retaking the tests, but driving on an expired license in the meantime is illegal.
Under-21 licenses work differently. They expire on your 21st birthday regardless of when they were issued, at which point you apply for a regular Class D and pay the standard fee.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 171.27 – Expiration of License
Active-duty military members and people on foreign service assignment get an automatic extension. Their license remains valid until one year after separation or discharge, and then until their birthday in the fourth full year following their most recent renewal.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 171.27 – Expiration of License
Which Version to Choose
A standard Class D works for driving, voting, age verification, and any state-level purpose. It does not work for boarding domestic flights or entering federal facilities like military bases and federal courthouses. The card is marked “NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES” in the upper corner.
A REAL ID Class D satisfies the federal REAL ID Act, which the TSA began enforcing on May 7, 2025.7Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Without a REAL ID-compliant license or an acceptable alternative such as a passport, you cannot pass airport security for domestic flights or enter certain federal buildings. If you fly domestically and don’t carry a passport, this version is effectively mandatory.
An Enhanced Driver’s License includes everything REAL ID offers and also serves as a border-crossing document for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, and some Caribbean nations. If you live near the Canadian border and cross regularly, the EDL saves you from carrying a passport for those trips.