Yes, you can take your permit test online in Minnesota. The Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services (DPS-DVS) offers the Class D knowledge test through drive.mn.gov, and you take it from home with a webcam and an adult proctor watching. You get your results the same day. Passing the test is one step in the permit process, not the whole thing, so plan on a follow-up visit to a DVS exam station to finish up.
How the Online Knowledge Test Works
Register at drive.mn.gov and select the Class D knowledge test. DPS-DVS then emails you a link to the testing site, a test ticket number, a security code, and instructions.1Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Third-Party Online Knowledge Testing You have 48 hours from registration to sit down and start. Once you begin, you have 30 minutes to finish.
You need a computer or laptop with a working webcam. You also need a proctor in the room: someone at least 21 years old who holds a valid Minnesota driver’s license. The proctor cannot help you with any answers and is only there to confirm that you are the one taking the test.
Two rules trip people up. You get one test attempt per day, no matter how you take it. And if you fail two online attempts in a row, you lose the online option. Your next try has to happen at a DVS exam station in person, and you’ll pay a $10 retest fee.
What’s on the Test
The knowledge test is 40 multiple-choice questions pulled from the Minnesota Driver’s Manual. You need 32 correct (80%) to pass. Everything on the test comes from that manual, and DPS-DVS posts a free copy on its website, so that’s the only study material you need.
The test is offered in English, Spanish, Hmong, Karen, Russian, Somali, Vietnamese, and American Sign Language. If you need another language, contact DPS-DVS before you register to ask about accommodations.
If You’d Rather Test in Person
Any DVS exam station will administer the knowledge test, and authorized third-party sites such as driving schools can too. Third-party testers may charge up to $10 per test.1Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Third-Party Online Knowledge Testing The test itself and the passing score are identical to the online version.
Before You Register: Eligibility and Documents
You can apply for a Class D instruction permit starting at age 15, but the rules split at 18.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 171.04 – Persons Not Eligible for Drivers Licenses
If You’re Under 18
You must be enrolled in an approved driver education program with both classroom and behind-the-wheel components. The classroom portion requires at least 30 hours of instruction. After you finish it, the Office of Driver Education sends a completion letter to your behind-the-wheel instructor, who issues a Blue Card (Certificate of Enrollment). Bring that Blue Card when you go to test.3Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Driver Education Home School Materials
A parent or legal guardian also has to sign your application. They can come to the DVS office with you and sign there, or you can pick up the form, have them sign it in front of a notary, and bring it back.4Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Class D Drivers License for New Driver Under Age 18
If You’re 18 or Older
No driver education requirement. No parental consent. If you’re otherwise eligible, you can apply for the permit, take the test, and start supervised driving.
Documents Everyone Needs
You’ll need three things regardless of age:
- Proof of identity — a certified birth certificate, valid passport, or similar primary document.
- Your Social Security number, usually shown with an unlaminated Social Security card.
- Proof of Minnesota residency — a utility bill or bank statement from the last 90 days, a lease, insurance documents, or government mail from the last year, showing your current name and Minnesota address.5Minnesota Department of Public Safety. REAL ID Document Requirements
If you want a REAL ID-compliant permit (the one with the gold star, needed for domestic flights and some federal buildings), the documentation requirements are heavier. DPS-DVS lists them on its website.
What Happens After You Pass
Passing the knowledge test does not put a permit in your hand. You still need to go to a DVS exam station in person to finish the application. There, you present your ID documents, pass a vision screening, and have your photo taken.6Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Driver Compliance Medical Conditions and Your License Bring your glasses or contacts if you wear them.
The instruction permit costs $29.50 and is valid for two years from the application date.7Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Drivers License and ID Card Fees
Driving With Your Permit
A permit is not a license. Any time you drive, a licensed driver at least 21 years old has to be in the passenger seat next to you, and everyone in the vehicle has to be buckled. If you’re under 18, you cannot use a cell phone at all while driving, including hands-free — a tighter rule than the one that applies to fully licensed adults.
Before you can take the road test, you have to hold the permit for a minimum period:
- Under 18: at least six months, with 50 hours of supervised driving logged (15 of them at night). If your parent or guardian takes a 90-minute parent awareness class, the supervised total drops to 40 hours.8Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Graduated Drivers License
- Age 18: six months, though the supervised-hour log and driver education requirements don’t apply.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 171.04 – Persons Not Eligible for Drivers Licenses
- Age 19 and older: three months.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 171.04 – Persons Not Eligible for Drivers Licenses
DPS-DVS tracks the holding period from your permit’s issue date, and you can’t schedule a road test until it’s up.