Driving Tests

Minnesota Driver's License Documents: What to Bring and REAL ID

informational·how to guide·Published September 25, 2026

Which documents do I bring for a Minnesota permit or license, and do I need a REAL ID?

For a standard Minnesota card, bring a Minnesota license, ID or permit with a photo that is current or expired five years or less. If you have none, bring two primary documents, or one primary and one secondary. For a REAL ID, bring one proof of identity and legal presence and two proofs of Minnesota address, and know your Social Security number.

Where the Minnesota document facts come from

The standard card lists come from the DVS standard license and ID requirements. The REAL ID rules come from the DVS REAL ID page and the DVS REAL ID document requirements sheet of Aug. 7, 2026. Test-day ID, translation and Social Security number rules come from the Minnesota Driver's Manual. The under-18 steps, the Enhanced card and the pre-apply tip come from the DVS new driver under 18 page, the DVS Enhanced page and a DPS news post. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs) before you drive.

Standard, REAL ID and Enhanced cards compared

Standard, REAL ID and Enhanced cards compared
Card	What you bring	Domestic flights (age 18 and older)
Standard	A Minnesota photo card (current or expired five years or less), or two primary documents, or one primary and one secondary	Not accepted since May 7, 2025
REAL ID	One document for identity, date of birth and legal presence, your Social Security number, two proofs of Minnesota address	Accepted
Enhanced	Proof of identity, U.S. citizenship, Social Security number and Minnesota residence. For U.S. citizens age 16 and older	Accepted

Which documents do you bring for a standard Minnesota card?

You have a Minnesota license, ID card or permit with a photo

Bring it. It works as your proof when it is current or expired five years or less.

You have no such card

Bring two documents, and one must show your full name and date of birth. Use two primary documents, or one primary and one secondary document.

The names on your documents do not match your legal name

Add proof of each name change: certified marriage certificates, certified divorce decrees or other certified court orders.

A document is not in English

Bring a qualified English translation with a translation attestation. The Certificate of Translation form is at drive.mn.gov, at DVS exam stations and at driver's license offices. DVS also lists approved translation vendors.

Primary and secondary documents for a standard card

Primary: an unexpired passport from any country, a certified birth record from any jurisdiction, an unexpired consular ID with your photo, or an unexpired Permanent Resident card.
Secondary: a Social Security card, or a license, ID or permit from any government with a photo that expired five years or less ago.
Bring originals. DVS cannot accept photocopies and may refuse documents that are laminated or altered.

What ID do you bring to the written test and the road test?

Bring ID that shows your first, middle and last name and your date of birth. At the written test, that means your primary and secondary documents or your Minnesota ID card. If you are under 18, also show a certificate of enrollment (a Blue Card or Pink Card) from an approved driver education course. Test yourself with our free question on the extra document a 16-year-old needs. At the road test, bring your instruction permit, your glasses or contact lenses if you wear them, and a valid licensed driver.

What do you bring if you are under 18?

Bring your parent or legal guardian when you apply for your instruction permit, and again for your provisional license. A legal guardian also brings proof of guardianship, such as a certified court order, guardian ad litem paperwork or foster parent documentation. For a REAL ID, a parent or guardian may give one of your two address documents if it shows the same address as yours. That parent or guardian must then come to the office to certify the relationship and your address. For the permit steps, see our guide to Minnesota instruction permit rules.

How to get ready for a Minnesota REAL ID visit

1
Pre-apply and pre-verify online
Pre-apply at dps.mn.gov/mydvs and upload your documents with the mobile-friendly application. At the end, you can choose to have your documents reviewed before your visit. This saves time and gets your card faster.
2
Pick one proof of identity
One document must prove your full legal name, date of birth and legal presence, such as a certified U.S. birth certificate or an unexpired U.S. passport or passport card. If your name changed, bring proof of each change from your birth name to today.
3
Know your full Social Security number
If you have no number, you must show proof that you do not need one.
4
Gather two proofs of Minnesota address
Use two different documents. The name and address must match your application, and a PO box does not work.
5
Bring the exact same originals
Bring the original documents that you pre-verified online. DVS cannot accept photocopies, scanned or faxed images, images on a phone or laminated documents.

Which documents prove your Minnesota address for a REAL ID?

A valid, unexpired Minnesota driver's license, instruction permit or ID card.
A current insurance declaration page or card for health, auto, homeowner's or renter's insurance.
Your federal or state income tax return for the most recent tax year.
A home utility bill that is no more than 12 months old.
No PO box. The one exception: a Safe at Home participant gives only an unexpired Safe at Home card.

What if you have no Social Security number?

The application asks for your Social Security number. If you were never issued one, check the box for this on the form. If you are eligible for a number and do not give it, Minnesota cannot process your application. A standard card does not need proof of immigration status: since Oct. 1, 2023, you can get one regardless of your immigration status. Read more in our guide to Minnesota Driver's License for All.

Do you need a REAL ID or an Enhanced card?

A standard card still works for driving, registering to vote, banking and entering a federal courthouse. To board a domestic flight or enter certain federal facilities, people 18 and older need a REAL ID, an Enhanced card, a passport or another federally approved ID.
An Enhanced card meets REAL ID standards and also lets you cross the border to and from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean by land or sea. It does not replace a passport for international air travel. You complete an interview questionnaire, pay $15 more than the normal fee and get the card by mail at your Minnesota address. You can hold only one card type.

Key takeaways

Standard card: bring a Minnesota photo card that is current or expired five years or less, or two primary documents, or one primary and one secondary document.
Bring originals. DVS cannot accept photocopies and may refuse laminated or altered documents.
Name changed or documents not in English? Bring certified name change proof and a qualified English translation.
REAL ID: one proof of identity and legal presence, your full Social Security number and two proofs of Minnesota address, with the same originals that you pre-verified online.
Next step: practice on the free Minnesota Class D practice test.

Minnesota license documents: common questions

Is a Social Security card enough to get a Minnesota license?

No. A Social Security card is a secondary document for a standard card. You need two primary documents, or one primary and one secondary document. A primary document can be a passport or a certified birth record, so a Social Security card works only together with a primary document.

Can I use an expired Minnesota ID to apply?

For a standard card, yes: a Minnesota license, ID or permit with a photo works as your proof if it is current or expired five years or less. For a REAL ID, a REAL ID-compliant license, permit or ID card that is current or expired five years or less can prove your identity. As proof of address, a Minnesota card must be valid and unexpired.

Can I use a birth certificate from another country for a Minnesota license?

For a standard card, yes. A certified birth record from any jurisdiction, foreign or domestic, is a primary document. Bring it with a second primary document or with a secondary document, such as a Social Security card. If the birth record is not in English, add a qualified English translation and a translation attestation. Bring the original, because DVS cannot accept photocopies.

Can my child fly without a REAL ID?

Yes, if your child is under 18. The TSA lets children under 18 travel without a REAL ID or other identification when the person they travel with has proper documents. The REAL ID rule for domestic flights applies to Minnesotans 18 and older.

Can I send my REAL ID application by mail?

No. You must apply for a REAL ID in person; DVS does not accept REAL ID applications by mail. You can still start at home: pre-apply online and upload your documents. Then bring the same original documents and the correct fee to your office visit.