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Frequently Asked Questions about the Stay Home Order


Will we need documentation or a letter to be outside of our homes?

You are not required to carry any paperwork when you are traveling to and from your place of employment, or anywhere else. All Minnesotans are urged to voluntarily comply with this Executive Order.

When is it okay for me to leave my home?

Minnesotans may leave their homes to pick up essential items such as groceries or food, prescriptions, and gas, to relocate for safety reasons, or go to work if their job is deemed essential in a sector. If you leave your home, practice social distancing measures and keep six feet between you and those around you. Everyone is encouraged to stay active outside during this time, provided they practice safe social distancing.

Permissible activities during the stay at home order include:

  • Health and safety activities, such as obtaining emergency services or medical supplies

  • Outdoor activities, such as walking pets, hiking, running, biking, hunting, or fishing

  • Necessary Supplies and Services, such as getting groceries, gasoline, or carry-out

  • Essential and interstate travel, such as returning to home from outside this state

  • Care of others, such as caring for a family member, friend, or pet in another household

  • Displacement, such as moving between emergency or homeless shelters if you are without a home

  • Relocation to ensure safety, such as relocating to a different location if your home has been unsafe due to domestic violence, sanitation, or essential operations reasons

  • Tribal Activities & Lands, such as activities by members within the boundaries of their tribal reservations

For more information about the Stay at Home order, visit the Governor’s COVID-19 Response website.

What's New?

​​DPS Limits Some Services in Response to COVID-19

Stay Home MN

In response to Gov. Tim Walz’s executive order directing Minnesotans to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) has adjusted or limited some services. For the latest service updates, visit our DPS Response to COVID-19 page.

DPS is continuing to operate with many staff members working remotely to ensure social distancing.

Thank you for your patience as we all work together to get through this situation.

DPS-DVS Offices Closed; Driver’s License Extensions Granted; REAL ID Deadline Extended

Driver and Vehicle Services office entrance with closed signsDPS-DVS exam stations and driver’s license agent offices are closed through April 10 due to COVID-19 concerns. ​New federal guidelines​ allow deputy registrar offices to provide limited motor vehicle services if they choose. 

Minnesotans will not have access to a number of services, including renewing driver’s licenses or ID cards, during this time. Any driver’s license or ID card that expires during the peacetime emergency is extended for two months after the month the peacetime emergency ends thanks to a bill Gov. Walz signed into law March 27. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security extended the REAL ID full enforcement deadline to Oct. 1, 2021. Answers to frequently asked questions are available on the DVS website.

Stay at Home Safely: Fire Safety and Prevention Tips

A girl standing next to whiteboard with a daily schedule written on it

Did you know that most fires happen at home? That’s because it’s usually where people spend the most time. So what does that mean during a pandemic, when there’s a stay at home order and most of us are barely leaving the house at all? It means we need to use some of that extra time to make our homes fire safe.

Now more than ever, it’s important to keep in mind basic fire prevention and safety measures. Read about them – including how to involve the kids – in our latest blog.
State Emergency Operations Center
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