lOMoAR cPSD| 63316909
Student Minnesota
Driver’s Manual
An Adapted Study Guide Developed by the
International Institute of Minnesota
, lOMoAR cPSD| 63316909
Student Minnesota Driver’s Manual: CHAPTER 1: YOUR LICENSE TO DRIVE
Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education grant funds from the Minnesota Department of Education supported the development and printing of this material.
CHAPTER 1: YOUR LICENSE TO DRIVE
Information from this chapter is not likely to be on the written test, but you have to know this information
when you apply to take the test and when you apply for a license. Information that is red and bold is the
most important. Study Chapters 3-6 the most.
This means you can not hold your phone while you are driving. If you use your phone it has to be hands-free
which means your phone is on the dashboard or your phone is connected to your car with Bluetooth.
Getting Your License to Drive
Anyone who drives in Minnesota must
have a driver’s license. The license has to be
valid and unexpired (legal and not too old).
If you have never had a driver’s license in
any state or country, you have to pass a
knowledge test and a vision test (to test if you
can see well), apply for a permit (this comes
before the license), and pass a road test (a test
where you drive on the road).
If you had a Minnesota license, but it has
been expired for more than one year and less
than five years, you have to pass a knowledge
test and a vision test before you can apply for a new license that is not expired.
If you are moving to Minnesota from another state, US territories, or Canada you can get a license if
you pass the vision and knowledge test. You can do this in the first 60 days after you become a resident. You
also have to show a valid driver’s license from your old state. If your license from your old state has been
expired for more than a year, you have to take the road test in Minnesota.
If you are moving to Minnesota from a country that is not Canada you have to pass a knowledge test,
a vision test, and a road test even if you have a driver’s license from your home country.
, lOMoAR cPSD| 63316909
Student Minnesota Driver’s Manual: CHAPTER 1: YOUR LICENSE TO DRIVE
You can not get a license in Minnesota until you have shown all other licenses and identification cards
you have to the Department of Public Safety.
Who Does Not Need a Minnesota License
Sometimes you do not need a license. You do not need a license or a permit if:
• You are not a resident, are at least 15 years old, and have a driver’s license from your home state or
country.
• You have become a resident of Minnesota and have a driver’s license from another state. You have 60
days to get a Minnesota license after you move here.
• You are an employee of the US government and you are driving a vehicle for the US government (for
the military)
• You are not a resident of Minnesota, you are 18 years old or older, your home country does not require
a driver’s license, and the car you drive is registered in your home country. You can drive like this for
only 90 days.
• You drive a tractor or other farm equipment.
• You are driving a snowmobile.
• You are driving a train.
You will likely need a license at all times. These situations are not common.
Who Cannot Be Licensed?
You cannot have a license if:
• You do not show the correct identification
• You do not pass the driver’s tests
• You cannot read or understand official road signs or understand the laws of driving
• You are younger than 15
• You are younger than 18 and you do not have a license from another state, and you cannot prove you
took driver’s education classes in another state.
• You are 18 or younger and you haven’t had the permit for at least six (6) months.
• You are 19 or older and you haven’t had the permit for at least three (3) months.
• Your license is suspended or revoked (taken away) and you have not done everything you need to do to
get it back
• Your license is cancelled
• A court decided that you are not mentally able to drive
• The Commissioner of Public Safety has decided you can not drive a car because of a physical or mental
disability
• The Commissioner of Public Safety thinks that if you drive, you will be a danger to the public
Bring Identification
You have to show identification that proves your first, middle, and last name, and your birth date before you
can take the knowledge test and the road test. If the name that is on your ID documents does not match, you
have to show proof that you legally changed your name. Official proof can be: • Marriage certificates
, lOMoAR cPSD| 63316909
Student Minnesota Driver’s Manual: CHAPTER 1: YOUR LICENSE TO DRIVE
• Divorce certificates •
Court orders
You have to show ID when taking the tests and when you apply for a permit, license or other ID card.
If your documents are not in English, you also have to have an English translation. You have to have
original documents – not documents that have been copied.
If you are not a citizen, you might need to show other paperwork.
What you need to bring when applying for a license or ID:
STANDARD DRIVER’S LICENSE OR ID
• To apply for a driver’s license, ID, or permit, you can show a driver’s license from Minnesota, ID card, or
permit that is current or expired less than five years ago if it has a photo. If it does not have a photo it
can be expired for less than one year.
• If you don’t have one of those, you have to show two documents. One document that has your full
name, and the month, day, and year of when you were born. This can be a birth certificate, a passport,
or a social security card.
• If the name on your license, ID card, or permit has changed you have to show proof from when you
changed your name
If you do not have the documents listed here, you can show one primary document and one secondary
document – or two primary documents. If they are not in English, they need an English translation.
Primary Documents:
• Official birth record (a document that marks when and where you were born, and who your parents
are)
Student Minnesota
Driver’s Manual
An Adapted Study Guide Developed by the
International Institute of Minnesota
, lOMoAR cPSD| 63316909
Student Minnesota Driver’s Manual: CHAPTER 1: YOUR LICENSE TO DRIVE
Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education grant funds from the Minnesota Department of Education supported the development and printing of this material.
CHAPTER 1: YOUR LICENSE TO DRIVE
Information from this chapter is not likely to be on the written test, but you have to know this information
when you apply to take the test and when you apply for a license. Information that is red and bold is the
most important. Study Chapters 3-6 the most.
This means you can not hold your phone while you are driving. If you use your phone it has to be hands-free
which means your phone is on the dashboard or your phone is connected to your car with Bluetooth.
Getting Your License to Drive
Anyone who drives in Minnesota must
have a driver’s license. The license has to be
valid and unexpired (legal and not too old).
If you have never had a driver’s license in
any state or country, you have to pass a
knowledge test and a vision test (to test if you
can see well), apply for a permit (this comes
before the license), and pass a road test (a test
where you drive on the road).
If you had a Minnesota license, but it has
been expired for more than one year and less
than five years, you have to pass a knowledge
test and a vision test before you can apply for a new license that is not expired.
If you are moving to Minnesota from another state, US territories, or Canada you can get a license if
you pass the vision and knowledge test. You can do this in the first 60 days after you become a resident. You
also have to show a valid driver’s license from your old state. If your license from your old state has been
expired for more than a year, you have to take the road test in Minnesota.
If you are moving to Minnesota from a country that is not Canada you have to pass a knowledge test,
a vision test, and a road test even if you have a driver’s license from your home country.
, lOMoAR cPSD| 63316909
Student Minnesota Driver’s Manual: CHAPTER 1: YOUR LICENSE TO DRIVE
You can not get a license in Minnesota until you have shown all other licenses and identification cards
you have to the Department of Public Safety.
Who Does Not Need a Minnesota License
Sometimes you do not need a license. You do not need a license or a permit if:
• You are not a resident, are at least 15 years old, and have a driver’s license from your home state or
country.
• You have become a resident of Minnesota and have a driver’s license from another state. You have 60
days to get a Minnesota license after you move here.
• You are an employee of the US government and you are driving a vehicle for the US government (for
the military)
• You are not a resident of Minnesota, you are 18 years old or older, your home country does not require
a driver’s license, and the car you drive is registered in your home country. You can drive like this for
only 90 days.
• You drive a tractor or other farm equipment.
• You are driving a snowmobile.
• You are driving a train.
You will likely need a license at all times. These situations are not common.
Who Cannot Be Licensed?
You cannot have a license if:
• You do not show the correct identification
• You do not pass the driver’s tests
• You cannot read or understand official road signs or understand the laws of driving
• You are younger than 15
• You are younger than 18 and you do not have a license from another state, and you cannot prove you
took driver’s education classes in another state.
• You are 18 or younger and you haven’t had the permit for at least six (6) months.
• You are 19 or older and you haven’t had the permit for at least three (3) months.
• Your license is suspended or revoked (taken away) and you have not done everything you need to do to
get it back
• Your license is cancelled
• A court decided that you are not mentally able to drive
• The Commissioner of Public Safety has decided you can not drive a car because of a physical or mental
disability
• The Commissioner of Public Safety thinks that if you drive, you will be a danger to the public
Bring Identification
You have to show identification that proves your first, middle, and last name, and your birth date before you
can take the knowledge test and the road test. If the name that is on your ID documents does not match, you
have to show proof that you legally changed your name. Official proof can be: • Marriage certificates
, lOMoAR cPSD| 63316909
Student Minnesota Driver’s Manual: CHAPTER 1: YOUR LICENSE TO DRIVE
• Divorce certificates •
Court orders
You have to show ID when taking the tests and when you apply for a permit, license or other ID card.
If your documents are not in English, you also have to have an English translation. You have to have
original documents – not documents that have been copied.
If you are not a citizen, you might need to show other paperwork.
What you need to bring when applying for a license or ID:
STANDARD DRIVER’S LICENSE OR ID
• To apply for a driver’s license, ID, or permit, you can show a driver’s license from Minnesota, ID card, or
permit that is current or expired less than five years ago if it has a photo. If it does not have a photo it
can be expired for less than one year.
• If you don’t have one of those, you have to show two documents. One document that has your full
name, and the month, day, and year of when you were born. This can be a birth certificate, a passport,
or a social security card.
• If the name on your license, ID card, or permit has changed you have to show proof from when you
changed your name
If you do not have the documents listed here, you can show one primary document and one secondary
document – or two primary documents. If they are not in English, they need an English translation.
Primary Documents:
• Official birth record (a document that marks when and where you were born, and who your parents
are)
