Driver’s Licenses
If you plan to drive in Minnesota, you must have a valid Minnesota driver’s license. Minnesota law permits a nonresident to drive with their home country’s driver’s license for up to 60 days upon moving to the state.
International Driving Permit
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is not a driver’s license. It simply verifies that you hold a valid driver’s license from your home country. While an IDP is not required to drive in Minnesota, it can be useful because it translates your foreign driver’s license into several languages. This can be helpful if a police officer is unable to read your foreign license.
Important:聽If your foreign driver’s license is not in English and you are unable to obtain an IDP, you may want to carry a Minnesota Certified Translation from a licensed translator.
You must switch to a Minnesota driver’s license within聽60 days聽of establishing temporary residency in the state.
Obtaining a Minnesota Driver’s License
There are two types of driver鈥檚 licenses available in Minnesota for international students:聽听补苍诲听. Deciding which type of license is the best option for you depends on what you will use the card for. You can find additional information on the聽聽(MN DVS) website.
If you are 21 or older and have a valid, unexpired license from another U.S. state, certain territories, or Canada, you can obtain a Minnesota driver’s license by completing the application and a vision check. You do not need to take a skills (road) test unless your license has been expired for more than one year.
If you have moved to Minnesota from a country other than Canada, you must pass a knowledge test, a skills test, and a vision check, even if you have a valid driver’s license from your home country. You can find the New Resident requirements on the聽听飞别产蝉颈迟别.
You will apply for a Class D license. The first step is to prepare for the written test and road skill exam by studying the聽.
You will schedule your knowledge and skills exams and can pre-apply for a license on the聽听飞别产蝉颈迟别. Once you pass your written and skills exams you will apply for the driver鈥檚 license itself. You will submit your documents at a MN DVS office and they will mail your driver鈥檚 license to you once it鈥檚 ready. You must present two primary documents or one primary and one secondary document. Please check the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services website to find out what identification documents you can present as primary and secondary documents.
Driver’s License Renewal
If your license contains a “Status Check” date, this reflects the expiration of your immigration documents (e.g., I-20/DS-2019/I-797). You must renew your license before the 鈥渟tatus check鈥� by presenting a new or extended immigration document, but are eligible for Drivers License for All (which means that you will be able to renew by presenting two primary and one secondary document from the new聽).
If your license does not contain a “Status Check” date, you can renew your license using the聽聽outlined on the Driver and Vehicle Services website.
MN DVS Locations
You can find a list of MN DVS locations聽.
Vehicle Registration
If you purchase a vehicle you will need to register your vehicle, pay a tax, and get your license plates and vehicle 鈥渢abs鈥� (tabs are small stickers you put on your license plate that show how long your registration is valid for). You will request license plates once but you will need to renew your tabs every year. You can find more information about this on the DVS website. You are required to have car insurance to register your vehicle; see below for more information.
Car Insurance
In Minnesota, all vehicles must have聽liability insurance, which covers damages if you cause an accident where someone else is injured.
Additional Coverage:
- Collision Coverage:聽This protects your vehicle if it鈥檚 damaged by an uninsured motorist.
- Comprehensive Physical Damage Insurance:聽This covers your vehicle in cases of theft, flood, or fire.