How to Pass the Minnesota DVS Permit Test

The Minnesota permit test is a written knowledge test, and you need a score of 80 percent to pass. It is given by Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), part of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, at exam stations by appointment. DVS does not publish how many questions are on it. Practice sites often say 40, but that is unofficial.

Minnesota permit test at a glance

How many questions are on the Minnesota permit test?

DVS does not give a number. The Minnesota Driver's Manual says the test "includes multiple choice and true-or-false questions" on traffic laws and road signs and that you "must score 80 percent to pass." If the test has 40 questions, as practice sites say, you could miss up to eight. Treat that as a guide only.

Is the MN permit test hard?

It is fair if you study the manual. The true-or-false questions catch people who read too fast, because one word such as always, never or only can make a statement false. Read every word before you answer.

What's on the Minnesota permit test

The questions cover Minnesota traffic laws and road signs. These rules are worth knowing cold:

• School buses: stop at least 20 feet back when the red lights flash and the stop arm is out, unless you are on the other side of a barrier or median on a separated road.
• Alcohol: 0.08 for most drivers, 0.04 for commercial drivers, and zero tolerance under 21.
• Parking: stay 10 feet from a fire hydrant, 20 feet from a crosswalk at an intersection, 30 feet from a stop sign or signal, and 50 feet from the nearest rail of a railroad crossing.
• Move over: change lanes away from stopped emergency and roadside work vehicles with flashing lights, or slow down if you cannot.
• Bicycles: leave at least 3 feet when passing.
• Phones: do not hold your phone while driving. Drivers under 18 may not use a phone at all, even hands-free, except to call 911.

DVS, not "the DMV"

Minnesotans say DVS, and that is the name you will see on the permit, the scheduler and the manual. Searching for the minnesota dmv written test will still bring you to DVS pages, which are the official source.

How to study for the Minnesota permit test

1. Download the Minnesota Driver's Manual, the minnesota permit test study guide, from dps.mn.gov and read one chapter a day.
2. Learn road signs by shape and color, then by meaning.
3. Make a one-page sheet of every distance and limit: 10, 20, 30 and 50 feet, 0.08, 3 feet.
4. Take Minnesota permit test practice quizzes and practice true-or-false wording.
5. Retest your weak topics until you score well above 80 percent.

What to bring and how to book

Appointments are required for the Class D written test. Book one through DVS online services at dps.mn.gov/mydvs, which is also where the minnesota permit test schedule lives.

• Identification that shows your full first, middle and last name and your date of birth.
• Certified proof of any name change if your documents do not match.
• A qualified English translation of any document not in English.
• Under 18: a driver education Blue Card (classroom finished, behind-the-wheel enrolled) or Pink Card (concurrent course, first 15 classroom hours done). Adults 18 and older do not need classroom instruction.
• The $29.50 permit fee.

DVS does not accept photocopies or laminated documents.

Can you take the Minnesota permit test online?

No. DVS lists the Class D written test only at its exam stations. You can book online and study online, but the test is taken in person.

What happens if you fail the Minnesota permit test?

You may take only one written test per day, so the earliest retake is the next day. The first two attempts have no retest fee. If you fail two tests in a row, DVS charges $10 for the third and each later attempt.

After you pass

• Drive only with a licensed driver who is at least 21.
• Teens need 50 hours of supervised driving, 15 at night, or 40 hours if a parent completes the parent class.
• Teens hold the permit at least 6 months before the road test.

Minnesota permit test FAQ