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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Important:<\/strong>\u00a0If 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.<\/p>\n You must switch to a Minnesota driver’s license within\u00a060 days<\/strong>\u00a0of establishing temporary residency in the state.<\/p>\n There are two types of driver\u2019s licenses available in Minnesota for international students:\u00a0Standard Drivers License for All<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Real ID<\/a>. 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\u00a0Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services<\/a>\u00a0(MN DVS) website.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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\u00a0MN DVS<\/a>\u00a0website.<\/p>\n 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\u00a0Minnesota Driver’s Manual<\/a>.<\/p>\n You will schedule your knowledge and skills exams and can pre-apply for a license on the\u00a0MN DVS<\/a>\u00a0website. Once you pass your written and skills exams you will apply for the driver\u2019s license itself. You will submit your documents at a MN DVS office and they will mail your driver\u2019s license to you once it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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 \u201cstatus check\u201d 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\u00a0list<\/a>).<\/p>\n If your license does not contain a “Status Check” date, you can renew your license using the\u00a0new identification requirements<\/a>\u00a0outlined on the Driver and Vehicle Services website.<\/p>\nObtaining a Minnesota Driver’s License<\/h3>\n
Driver’s License Renewal<\/h3>\n
MN DVS Locations<\/h3>\n