Minnesota Driving Laws

Information on Minnesota driving laws and Minnesota traffic laws...

Your Driving Privileges: How to Protect Them

Your driving record is maintained by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Your driving record shows if you have violated any Minnesota driving laws or traffic laws in other states.

Severe or repeated violations of Minnesota traffic laws may result in a loss of driving privilege or a restriction on where, when, and what types of vehicle you may drive.

Driving in Minnesota is a privilege. This privilege can be taken away if you break certain laws or fail to meet certain requirements.

Withdrawal of Minnesota Driver's License

Your driver's license may be withdrawn by means of suspension, revocation, or cancellation. If you commit an offense and your driver's license is withdrawn, the Department of Public Safety will send you a notice of withdrawal and a list of the reinstatement requirements. Some examples of the conditions that could cause you to lose your driving privileges are listed below.

Driver's License Suspension, Revocation, or Cancellation

You are responsible for obeying all Minnesota traffic laws and driver's license laws. If you are arrested for breaking a traffic or driver's license law and convicted, you may lose your license. This is in addition to any other punishment given to you by the court.

Convictions in Minnesota or other states are entered on your driving record.

Suspension of Minnesota Driver's License

In accordance with Minnesota driving laws, your driver's license may be suspended if:

you repeatedly violate traffic laws;
you are convicted in court for a violation that contributed to a traffic accident resulting in death, personal injury, or serious property damage;
you use, or allow someone else to use, your license for an illegal action. It is illegal to allow anyone to use your license or permit;
you commit a traffic offense in another state that would be grounds for suspension in Minnesota;
you are judged in court to be legally unfit to drive a motor vehicle;
you fail to report a medical condition that would result in cancellation of driving privileges;
you fail to stop for a school bus with its stop arm extended and its red lights flashing, within five years of a conviction for the same offense;
you are found to possess a fake or altered license;
you make a fraudulent application for a license or identification card;
you take any part of the driver's license examination for someone else, or allow someone else to take the examination for you;
you falsely identify yourself to a police officer;
you fail to appear in court or pay a fine on a motor vehicle-related violation when required to do so;
you are convicted of a misdemeanor for a violation of Minnesota traffic law;
you fail to pay court-ordered child support;
you use, or allow someone else to use, a license, permit, or ID card to buy tobacco products for someone who is under 18 years of age, or alcohol for someone who is under 21 years of age;
you are under 21 years of age, and the court determines that you drove a motor vehicle while consuming, or after consuming, alcohol;
you are convicted for theft of gasoline;
or you pay a fee to the state or driver's license agent with a dishonored check. (The suspension will be removed when the dishonored check and any related fees have been paid in full.)

After the period of suspension has ended, Minnesota driving laws stipulate that your driving privilege may be reinstated. This will occur only if all the requirements for reinstatement of your license are met. (This includes payment of the reinstatement fee.)

If your license expired during the suspension period, or your name or address changed, you must apply for a new license and pay the appropriate fee.

Revocation of Minnesota Driver's License

In accordance with Minnesota driving laws, your driver's license may be revoked if:

you refuse to take a test to determine if you are under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance or you fail the test;
you are convicted of manslaughter or any other criminal action in which you were driving a motor vehicle;
you are convicted of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol;
you are convicted of a felony in which you used a motor vehicle;
you are convicted of driving in excess of 100 mph;
you are convicted of fleeing a police officer;
you are convicted of failing to stop, identify yourself, and render aid when involved in a motor vehicle accident, especially one that involves death or personal injury to others;
you are convicted of lying under oath,
- or signing any legal document that contains false information involving laws that regulate ownership or operation of a motor vehicle,
- or making a false statement to the Department of Public Safety or its agents about such information;
you plead guilty or forfeit bail for three violations of Minnesota traffic laws within a single year of any Minnesota driving laws or ordinance that requires a jail sentence upon conviction;
you have been convicted of an offense committed in another state that would be grounds for revoking your license if you were convicted in the state of Minnesota;
you are convicted of a misdemeanor for driving a motor vehicle and knew beforehand that the owner of the vehicle you were driving did not have no-fault automobile insurance;
you own a vehicle without no-fault insurance and are found to have driven it or allowed others to drive it with full knowledge that the vehicle was not insured;
you are convicted of a gross misdemeanor for failing to stop for a school bus with its stop arm extended and its red lights flashing;
or you are convicted of selling or possessing a controlled substance while operating a motor vehicle.

Minnesota driving laws stipulate that after the period of revocation has ended, your driving privilege may be reinstated. This is only if all the requirements for reinstatement of your license are met. This includes payment of the reinstatement fee and passing the appropriate examinations.

You must show proper identification when required to take a knowledge test or road test. You must apply for a new license after all your testing requirements are met.

Issuance of Limited License

Under some circumstances of Minnesota driving laws, a limited license may be issued to a person whose driving privileges are revoked or suspended for violation of Minnesota traffic laws. Certain requirements must be met, including completion of any mandatory waiting periods, before a limited license will be issued.

If you are issued a limited license, you will be restricted to:

travel to and from your place of employment;
providing transportation for dependent children, and other dependents living in your household, for medical, educational, or nutritional needs;
or travel to and from a post-secondary institution at which you are enrolled.

Cancellation of Minnesota Driver's License

Your license may be canceled under Minnesota driving laws if you do not have a legal right to the driver's license you were issued. Your license may also be cancelled if:

you acquire a mental or physical disability that makes you incapable of driving a motor vehicle safely;
you do not pass a test that is legally requested by the Department of Public Safety to determine your ability to drive safely;
you give false or misleading information on your license application;
you commit a crime for which cancellation of your license is a legal punishment;
or you do not qualify for a driver's license under Minnesota driving laws.

For more information on Minnesota driving laws, please visit the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services website.

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