Driver's License - Class D - New Driver - Under age 18InformationMinnesota has a graduated driver’s licensing (GDL) system, which is designed to ease inexperienced drivers into the driving environment. The first phase of the GDL system is to obtain an instruction permit. Policies and ProceduresGraduated License Program
The graduated driver's license law (GDL) compliments the existing driver's license program by introducing a provisional license stage for young drivers. It is a multi-tiered program, designed to ease young novice drivers into the driving environment.
An applicant, who is age 18 and not previously licensed, must hold an instruction permit for six months before taking a skills (road) test. Applicants who are 19 or older must hold an instruction permit for three months before taking a skills (road) test.
- A person who fails the driving test four times must complete a minimum of six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction with a licensed instructor before taking the skills test again (a valid instruction permit is required).
The Graduated License Program provides three phases of licensing for persons under 18 years of age:
Phase I - Instruction Permit
Applicant Qualifications:
- Must be at least 15 years of age.
- Must have completed the appropriate amount of classroom instruction and be enrolled in behind-the-wheel instruction.
- Must pass vision and knowledge (written) tests, complete application and pay the required fee.
- The class D knowledge test is available to take online at home with a proctor. Register for an online test at drive.mn.gov by selecting Take a Class D Knowledge Test.
- The class D knowledge test is also offered by appointment only at DVS exam stations. Schedule an appointment online at drive.mn.gov by selecting Schedule or Reschedule a Road or Class D Knowledge Test.
- Parent or legal guardian's signature and certification required on application.
Conditions
- Permit holder may drive under the supervision of a certified driving instructor, parent or guardian or other licensed driver 21 years of age or older
- Every occupant must wear a properly fastened seat belt or use a properly fastened child restraint system
- The driver with an instruction permit may not use or talk on a cell phone while driving, with or without a hands-free cell phone device
The permit is valid for two years and may be renewed.
It is illegal to practice driving without a valid instruction permit. When you drive, the instruction permit must be in immediate possession.
Phase II - Provisional License
The provisional license is the second phase of the GDL system. Anyone 18 years of age or younger must hold an instruction permit for at least six months before taking a skills (road) test. When you have passed the skills (road) test, you may apply for your provisional license.
To qualify for your provisional license you must:
- Be at least 16 years of age
- Have completed the classroom and behind-the-wheel phases of driver education.
- Have held an instruction permit for six months with no convictions for moving or alcohol/controlled-substance violations. Reference Minnesota Statutes:169A.20, 169A.54, 169A.33, 169A.54, 169A.35, 169A.50, 169A.51, 169A.52, 169A.53.
- Present a supervised driving log verifying that they have driven under the supervision of a licensed driver at least 21 years of age, for not less than 50 hours, at least 15 of which were at night; or if a parent/guardian completes the parent class and submits a certificate of completion to the driver exam staff at the time of the road test, 40 hours, 15 of which were at night.
- Have passed a skills (road) test.
- Complete a license application and pay the required fee.
- Have your parent, court appointed guardian, county appointed foster parent or director of the transitional living program in which you reside approve the driver’s license application.
This license is valid for two years from the application date and has restrictions that do not apply to a full driver’s license. Every occupant must wear a seat belt or use a child passenger restraint system and you may not use or talk on a cell phone while driving. This includes using a hands-free cell phone device. Provisional drivers are subject to nighttime and passenger limitations.
Conditions
- Every occupant must wear a properly fastened seat belt or use a properly fastened child restraint system
- Driver with provisional license may not use or talk on a cell phone while driving, with or without a hands-free device
- A provisional license is valid for two years
Phase III - Full License
Applicant Qualifications:
- Must be at least 18 years of age or have held a provisional license for at least 12 consecutive months with no convictions for alcohol/controlled substance violations or crash-related moving violations and no more than one conviction for a moving violation that is not crash-related.
- Must complete application and pay required fee. There is a $3.50 credit toward the fee for this license if the applicant has no violations on record.
- If applicant is under 18, the person who approves the application certifies that the applicant has driven under the supervision of a licensed driver at least 21 years of age for no fewer than ten hours on the provisional license.
- Expires on 21st birthday.
Pre-Apply for a Driver's License - This will reduce the time you spend at the driver's license office.
Parent's Role in Developing Safe Teen Drivers
- Monitor and train teen drivers - even after licensure. Teens need supervised exposure in a variety of driving conditions and environments.
- Encourage teens to speak up when they do not feel safe when driving or riding with others. Teens need to feel comfortable and confident about telling friends to buckle up, slow down, pay attention or stop distraction.
- Be a positive role model. Buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and don't drive aggressively.
- To minimize risks of injury and death, reinforce teen driving laws and follow through with your own consequences if violations occur.
Skills (Road) Test Checklist
To qualify to take a skills (road test), you must:
- Be at least 16 years old.
- Have completed driver’s education and have the white course completion card.
- Hold an instruction permit for at least six months with no convictions for moving violations or Alcohol/Controlled Substance violations. If all or part of the six months of driving experience was in a state other than Minnesota, you need to present a certified driving record from that state.
- Present a supervised driving log verifying that you have driven under the supervision of a licensed driver at least 21 years of age, for not less than 50 hours, at least 15 of which were at night; or if a parent/guardian completes the parent class and submits a certificate of completion to the driver exam staff at the time of the road test, 40 hours, 15 of which were at night.
- Have your parent, court appointed guardian, county appointed foster parent or director of the transitional living program in which you reside approve the driver’s license application.
Establishing Rules for Newly Licensed Teens
Studies have found that the risk of a crash and ticket is highest during the first year of licensure. A natural strategy for mentoring new drivers comes from the combination of progressive privileges and rational consequences. Some parents find a written contract enhances the agreement they make with their teen driver about driving privileges (sample contract).
Step 1 Daylight conditions only
Low-stress conditions (low-traffic volume and good road conditions)
No passengers or limited number of passengers
No cell phone use
Step 2 Nighttime driving, with a curfew and no passengers
More daytime passengers allowed
Step 3 Nighttime driving with one passenger
Step 4 All road and traffic conditions allowed
Maintain passenger and cell phone use restriction
Step 5 Unrestricted privileges to drive
LawsGraduated Licensing
Nighttime Driving Limitations
Cell Phones, Texting
It is illegal for drivers under age 18 to use a cellular/wireless phone, whether handheld or hands-free -- except to call 911 in an emergency. A new law has made it illegal for drivers of all ages to compose, read, or send text messages or access e-mail and the Internet on a wireless device while on the road. Passenger Limitations
For the first six months of licensure: Only one passenger under the age of 20 is permitted, unless the driver is carrying members of his/her immediate family or unless accompanied by a parent/guardian. For the second six months of licensure: No more than three passengers under the age of 20 are permitted, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. Using Seat Belts
Minnesota's seat belt law is a primary offense, meaning drivers and all passengers in any seating position (including the back seat) must be buckled up or in the correct child restraint. Law enforcement can stop a motorist if anyone in the vehicle is not belted -- including passengers Vanessa's Law
In memory of Vanessa Weiss, killed just days before her 16th birthday in May 2003, Vanessa's Law was passed a year later. She was a passenger in a vehicle driven by an unlicensed 15-year-old.
Under Vanessa's Law, your provisional license will be revoked because of an impaired driving crime or crash-related moving violation; you lose your license until you are at least 18. If you commit these crimes as an unlicensed driver, you cannot apply for a permit until you are 18.
Provisions of this law:
- After turning 18, s/he must meet the reinstatement requirement listed on the withdrawal notice(s), pass the knowledge (written) test for a class D driver's license and then make application for a Minnesota instruction permit. Once in possession of a valid instruction permit, the person must hold this instruction permit for at least six months before taking the skills (road) test (or at least three months if age 19 or older).
- A provisional license holder whose driving privilege is revoked due to a crash-related moving violation or an alcohol/controlled substance-related violation cannot regain a license until age 18 or until the withdrawal period has concluded, whichever is longer.
- At that time, the person must complete these steps to obtain a full driver’s license:
- Comply with all requirements for reinstatement listed on the withdrawal notice. In most cases, this will be:
- serving the withdrawal period
- passing DWI knowledge (written) test
- paying $680 reinstatement fee
- applying for a Minnesota driver's license
- Complete a 30-hour classroom driver education course (an online computer course is unacceptable)
- Apply for a Minnesota instruction permit (in addition to the driver's license, as above)
- Once reinstated, hold the instruction permit for three months
- During this three-month period, complete six hours of a behind-the-wheel driver education
If you have questions about Vanessa's Law, call (651) 296-2025. Read the letter sent to violators.
Not A Drop Law (Underage Drinking and Driving Law)
Not a Drop says that if an officer observes you operating or in physical control of a motor vehicle and determines that you have been drinking, and the court determines that you committed this offense, your driving privileges will be suspended for either 30 or 180 days. The length of suspension will depend on your prior record. Provisions of this law:
- It is illegal for a person under age 21 to operate a motor vehicle while consuming alcoholic beverages or in the physical condition of having ingested an alcoholic beverage. If a person's alcohol concentration level is 0.08 or more, regular DWI laws may apply instead of the underage consumption-while-driving offense.
Frequently Asked QuestionsTop Six (6) Driving Risk Factors for Teens
Statistics show that the leading cause of death in Minnesota's 15-17-year-olds is traffic crashes. The top six (6) driving risk factors for teens are:
- Inattentiveness - Driver inattention/distraction is the most common contributing factor in multiple vehicle crashes.
- Excessive speed - Illegal/unsafe speed is the most common contributing factor in single vehicle crashes for drivers. Teens particularly have difficulty adjusting speed to driving conditions.
- Failure to wear a safety belt - Properly wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger occupants by 45 percent in a car and 60 percent in a light truck.
- Fatigue - A person who has been awake for 24 hours, experiences impairment nearly equal to a blood alcohol concentration of .10 percent. In addition, teens often do not get enough sleep.
- Not checking traffic before pulling out - Most crashes involving teens occur at intersections because of their inexperience judging distance and speed.
- The presence of passengers strongly increased crash risk. For teen drivers, the more passengers the greater the risk.
Farm Work Licenses
A qualified applicant (15, 16 or 17 years of age) may test for a farm work license at any time after receiving an instruction permit and completing behind-the-wheel training. The applicant must present a farm work affidavit and a property tax statement or rental agreement with the property tax statement for the rental property, along with a course completion card, a supervised driving log, and an instruction permit at the time of the skills test.
The farm work license is a provisional, under-21 license with a farm work restriction. The restriction on the license will read: "Valid for farm work, daylight only, 20-mile radius of farm, no driving in cities of the first class, or must be accompanied by licensed driver 21 or older."
The farm work restriction can be removed after the driver holds an instruction permit for six months and reaches 16 years of age. The farm work restriction will remain in effect until the driver applies to have it removed.
A provisional, under-21 license will be issued, and the applicant then will follow the established path of the Graduated Drivers system (see above Policies and Procedures).
If the applicant has reached the age of 18, s/he may apply for an under 21 license without further requirements. Related NewsEffective January 1, 2014, the driver’s license filing fee which pays for the costs of the services provided in the driver’s license/ID card issuance process, increases from $5 to $8, as required by Minn. Stat. 171.061, HF 1444, Chapter 117. | |
