DVS getting ready for Driver’s License for All
May 22, 2023
Driver and Vehicle Services staff set up an eye exam station during a town hall event to prepare for the Driver’s License for All law to go into effect.
Having a licensed driver can make or break a family's budget. The ability to drive legally can let you take a higher-paying job further away, open a bank account to avoid high check-cashing fees or buy car insurance.
The staff in our Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) division know how important those licenses can be. That's why they are already hard at work making sure undocumented immigrants across Minnesota are prepared for Oct. 1, when the Driver's License for All law passed by the Minnesota Legislature goes into effect.
DVS has begun hosting town hall events, making employees available to those who have questions about the law and how it will affect them.
"We want to make sure people know the driver's license is available," said DVS Director Pong Xiong. “We are trying to meet people where they are and where they need service."
After Oct. 1, Minnesotans will no longer need to show proof of legal presence in the U.S. to get an instruction permit, driver's license or identification card. Instead, you'll need:
- One primary and one secondary identification document or two primary identification documents from the standard document requirements list.
- To pass the class D written knowledge test and road skills test to receive a driver's license.
The new law will allow up to 81,000 people to get their driver's license, according to an estimate from the Migration Policy Institute. If you are an undocumented immigrant who lives in Minnesota, you can begin the process of getting a license by requesting an appointment to take the two tests. You can make an appointment up to 30 days in advance at drive.mn.gov.
What you need to know:
- An interpreter can meet before and after a road skills test with the candidate driver and the DVS examiner prior to getting in the car; however, Minnesota rules do not allow the interpreter to be in the car during the test.
- The information you provide on your application is private data, and DVS cannot share it with civil immigration enforcement or disclose the information to state or federal agencies that primarily enforce immigration law.
- A driver's license allows you to drive legally in Minnesota and is accepted as proof of identification in most cases, unless a REAL ID is required. Starting May 7, 2025, you will need a REAL ID compliant identification to board an airplane and enter certain federal facilities.
- Be on the lookout for scams. Use only official Minnesota DVS exam stations and certified deputy registrar offices, found here.
For more information on Driver's License for All and to get a copy of the driver's license manual to study, check out the DVS website.
