Trying to pick up your life after being incarcerated can seem fraught with discouraging roadblocks that can make successful reentry into the community feel impossible.  

Our Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) division’s reintegration driver’s license (RDL) program aims to make that transition smoother by removing one major obstacle: not having a valid driver’s license. 

Reliable transportation is crucial to getting and holding a job, which is one key to successful reentry, said Hillary Richard, legal fellow with the Minnesota Collaborative Justice Project, which offers services to formerly incarcerated Minnesotans returning to the community.  

“It also helps Minnesotans live productive and meaningful lives, allowing them to more easily reconnect with their families and communities,” Richard said. 

Yet many who come home after incarceration face expensive driver’s license  reinstatement fees that might deter them from pursuing a valid license and insurance, she said.  

“A large fee might not be a barrier for all Minnesotans, but for many, especially those starting over after prison, it's simply unaffordable,” Richard said.  

The RDL program allows those released from an adult correctional facility to get a driver’s license or permit without immediately having to pay the fines or fees they owe. They then have up to 24 months to pay the fines and fees that might otherwise prohibit them from getting a valid license. 

Richard said she has many clients who have benefited from the program. 

The RDL allows Minnesotans to drive sooner, with a valid license and insurance, which improves safety for all Minnesotans on the road, she said.  

The license comes with certain eligibility requirements and restrictions, and RDL license holders must apply for their regular Class D license within 24 months of getting an RDL. If a license gets suspended, revoked or canceled during that time, DVS will cancel the RDL. RDLs cannot be renewed.  

Our RDL program received a community service award from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) last fall for innovation and social responsibility in addressing critical barriers faced by people reentering society after incarceration. 

Not only does the program help ensure drivers are licensed and can get insured, it can also help prevent the cycle of repeated incarceration, said DVS Driver Services Program Director Jody-Kay Peterson. Driving without a valid license can result in more fines and falling further behind, which could result in being incarcerated again.  

By helping remove a barrier to gain employment, pay off debts and fulfill their obligations, this program is an important step in breaking the cycle of poverty, unemployment and relapse into incarceration, she said.  

“It gives people the chance to reintegrate successfully, and the benefits ripple outward, strengthening communities and reducing long-term costs associated with incarceration,” Peterson said. “It offers people a real chance for a fresh start.” 

Learn more about RDLs, including eligibility requirements and restrictions.