School Bus Inspection Manual
The school bus inspection manual is now available! Download your copy today!
Manual users will note the content is much easier to follow than previous versions. The content of each chapter is, for the most part, listed alphabetically. For more in-depth information, links are provided to the standards, laws, rules, or regulations applicable to each inspection item. Feel free to print copies for a quick reference.
School Bus Inspections
State statute requires every school bus to be inspected annually by the Minnesota State Patrol. These mandated inspections are carried out by seven inspection teams who are deployed regionally. Contact information for the inspectors is listed here.
Additionally, state troopers assigned to pupil transportation safety conduct driver reviews, investigate complaints, and facilitate training for carriers, managers, and drivers. Their contact information is listed here.
Join us for our annual school bus inspection training! The State Patrol will walk you through the school bus inspection manual and the inspection process. Events are held throughout the state October 28th - November 14th, 2024. Click here for more details and to register!
Wheelchair Securement Inspections
Vehicles used to transport persons in wheelchairs or other mobility aids, such as vehicles used for public transit, residential care facilities, or taxi services, are required to be properly equipped with ramps or lifts, as well as proper wheelchair tiedown and passenger restraint systems. These items must meet the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standards, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and applicable manufacturer recommendations. Vehicles so equipped are required to be inspected annually by State Patrol personnel and cannot be used to transport persons in wheelchairs unless each vehicle is inspected and displays a current inspection certificate/sticker.
Contact the inspection team for your region to schedule an inspection of your vehicle(s). Please complete and bring the vehicle information form to your scheduled inspection.
Information for those in Anoka, Carver, Hennepin, Ramsey, or Washington County
The inspection team for these counties set aside the month of June each year for wheelchair inspections. Bring your vehicles to one of the following locations on the day listed for your annual inspections:
2025 Inspections
June 3, 2025 -- Golden Valley DOT - 2005 Lilac Dr N, Golden Valley
June 4, 2025 -- Oakdale DOT - 3489 Hadley Ave, Oakdale
June 11, 2025 -- Golden Valley DOT - 2005 Lilac Dr N, Golden Valley
June 17, 2025 -- Oakdale DOT - 3489 Hadley Ave, Oakdale
June 18, 2025 -- Golden Valley DOT - 2005 Lilac Dr N, Golden Valley
June 25, 2025 -- Oakdale DOT - 3489 Hadley Ave, Oakdale
For carriers located in any other county, you must schedule an appointment with your regional inspection team.
Questions? Please call 651-350-2000, option 3
School Bus Inspection Resources
National School Transportation Standards and Procedures
The National Congress on Student Transportation updates the national standards every five years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Congress scheduled for May 2020 has been postponed to May 2021, or later. The standards are adopted through Minnesota Statute 169.4501.
Listed below are links to the standards, each marked with their effective date. The standards apply to all new school buses or used buses placed into service for the first time in Minnesota, on or after the effective date of the standards.
- 1990 - Effective Jan. 1, 1995
- 1995 - Effective Jan. 1, 1998
- 2000 - Effective Nov. 1, 2004
- 2005 - Effective Jan. 1, 2008
- 2010 - Effective Jan. 1, 2013
- 2015 - Effective July 1, 2017
School Bus Inspection Results
In Minnesota, there are five types of authorized school buses (Type A, Type B, Type C, Type D and Type III) used to transport children to and from school and school-related activities. View examples of school bus types.
Minnesota's school bus inspection program is conducted in accordance with Minnesota State Statute 169.451.
A school bus displaying a defect as defined in the “School Bus Recommended Out-of-Service Criteria" in the most recent edition of the “National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures" adopted by the National Congress on School Transportation is deemed unsafe for student transportation. This school bus is immediately prohibited from transporting school children until the defects are corrected. A rejection sticker is affixed to the bus. Pending re-inspection by the State Patrol, a school bus bearing a rejection sticker may be used to transport pupils only if all defects have been corrected and the inspection form has been signed by the owner or designee certifying the corrections. The signed certification form must be carried in the first aid kit on the bus for immediate verification of repairs by enforcement personnel.
A school bus that has had an inspection completed in which no out-of-service defects were identified has passed the inspection and a member of the state patrol will affix an inspection certificate to the lower left corner of the windshield.
School bus inspection results are listed by year and by school district or contractor. If unable to find the results for a specific school district or contractor for the current year, it is because the annual inspections have not yet been completed. The inspection results are updated monthly.
