Driving Tests

Can International Students Drive in Minnesota? Home License, I-20, Tests

informational·how to guide·Published July 26, 2026

Can an international student drive in Minnesota on a home license?

Yes. A nonresident who is 15 or older may drive in Minnesota on a valid license from the home state or country, and must carry it. After you become a Minnesota resident, you may drive on that license for not more than 60 days. With most foreign licenses, you then pass a written test, a vision test and a road test to get a Minnesota license.

Where the Minnesota student driving rules come from

The nonresident and 60-day rules come from Minnesota Statutes section 171.03, section 171.05 and the Minnesota Driver's Manual (June 2026). The foreign license tests and road test rules come from the DVS new resident page and the DVS new driver pages. The documents come from the DVS standard license document list, the DVS REAL ID pages and the Driver's License for All pages, and the fees from the DVS fee page. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs) before you drive.

Driving on a home license: nonresident or new resident

While you are a nonresident, you may drive in Minnesota at 15 or older on a valid license from your home state or country. The law says the license must be in your immediate possession, so carry it each time you drive.
After you become a Minnesota resident, you may drive on a valid license from another state or jurisdiction for not more than 60 days. Get your Minnesota license or permit in that time. Our free question page shows the 60-day period for a new resident as a practice question. If you are not sure whether you count as a resident, ask DVS about your own case.

Which Minnesota tests apply to your license

Your license is from a country other than the U.S. or Canada

Pass the written test, a vision test and the road test, even if the license is valid. You do not need an instruction permit before the first road test. Give a translation if the license is not in English. The foreign license steps explain each step.

Your license is from Germany, you are 18 or older, and it is valid or expired less than one year

Keep it and pass the written test, the road test and a vision check. Or surrender it and pass only the written test and a vision check.

Your license is from Taiwan, you are 21 or older, and it is valid or expired less than one year

Keep it and pass the written test, the road test and a vision check. Or surrender it, pass the written test and a vision check, and bring an original Verification Certificate of Driver's License (VCDL) or an English certificate of validity from TECO in Chicago, issued within three months before you apply.

Your license is from Canada, another U.S. state, the U.S. military or another place on the DVS list

Over 21, you do not take a written or road test to transfer a valid, unexpired, non-commercial license. Under 21, you pass the written test.

You have never had a license in any state or country

Pass the written and vision tests, get an instruction permit, then pass a road test. Hold the permit six months (DVS counts 180 days) at 18, or three months (90 days) at 19 or older. Under 18, first complete 30 hours of classroom instruction and enroll in behind-the-wheel, then hold the permit for at least 180 days.

What to expect at the Minnesota written test and road test

The written test is in English, American Sign Language (ASL), Somali, Hmong, Russian, Vietnamese, Karen and Spanish. Confirm the language when you book.
For another language, ask for a verbal exam at a DVS exam station, by appointment. Bring your own interpreter who has a valid Minnesota driver's license. The interpreter reads the test in English and translates it. The time limit is one hour, and not all stations offer it.
You may take only one written test per day. With a foreign license, do not get a Minnesota ID card before you get the license.
Book the road test. Nobody except the driver examiner may ride in the car.
Bring proof of insurance for the test vehicle. The test date must fall between the issue date and the expiration date on it. An electronic copy from the insurance company is allowed.
In winter, road tests may be delayed until streets are cleared. If your vehicle gets stuck during the test, you fail that attempt.

Exchange students under 18: who signs the application

If you are under 18, one of your parents, a court-appointed guardian, a county-appointed foster parent or another adult on the list in the Minnesota Driver's Manual must approve your application. Your host sponsors cannot sign unless they have legal guardianship of you as a minor, and you must show the papers.
As an exchange student, you need two application forms with notarized signatures from your parents: one for the instruction permit and one for the provisional license.

Documents for a Minnesota standard license

Documents for a Minnesota standard license
Document	How DVS lists it	Note
Unexpired passport (foreign or U.S.)	Primary	Use it with one secondary document, or with a second primary document
Form I-20 (student status)	Secondary	Pair it with a primary document such as a passport
Form DS-2019 (exchange visitor)	Secondary	Pair it with a primary document such as a passport
Foreign license, ID card or permit with photo	Secondary	Expired five years or less
Foreign school or university student ID card	Secondary	Only with a certified transcript from the school
Any document not in English	Needs a translation	Add a translation and a translation attestation

Immigration status and the Minnesota standard license

Since Oct. 1, 2023, you can get a standard license, learner's permit or state ID regardless of immigration status. DVS does not ask whether you are undocumented, and the standard card is for all immigrants, including students and workers on visas.
You still give your Minnesota home address and pass the Class D written test and road test. If you cannot get a primary or secondary document yet, or you are still applying for one, you can use the DVS variance process.

Flying and REAL ID for international students

Since May 7, 2025, a standard license or ID card cannot be used at U.S. airport security checkpoints, on U.S. military bases or in federal buildings. At 18 or older, you need a REAL ID, an Enhanced card or another federally approved ID, such as your foreign government-issued passport, to board a domestic flight.
Citizens of other countries may apply for a REAL ID, and the application must pass a nationwide database check. An Enhanced license is only for U.S. citizens. Read the REAL ID document list before you go.

Minnesota license fees as of 2026

Minnesota license fees as of 2026
Item	Fee
Class D instruction permit	$29.50
Provisional driver's license	$32.50
Class D driver's license	$46

Key takeaways

A nonresident 15 or older may drive on a valid home license and must carry it. A new resident may drive on it for not more than 60 days.
Most foreign licenses need the written test, a vision test and the road test. Germany and Taiwan have two options each.
Bring two documents from the DVS list, such as a passport and a Form I-20, with a translation for any document not in English.
At 18 or older, a standard card does not get you on a domestic flight. Use a REAL ID or your passport.
Next step: practice on the free Minnesota Class D practice test. It is in English only.

Minnesota student driving: common questions

Can I get a Minnesota license with an I-20?

Yes. The Form I-20 is a secondary document for a standard license, so bring it with a primary document such as your unexpired passport. You also give your Minnesota home address and pass the written test and the road test. If a document is not in English, add a translation and a translation attestation.

Do I need car insurance to drive in Minnesota as a student?

Yes. Anyone who drives a vehicle in Minnesota must be insured, also on a home license. DVS does not ask for proof of insurance when you apply for a license, but you must show it at the road test. Our free question page shows what counts as proof of insurance in the car.

What happens to my Minnesota REAL ID when my visa ends?

The card expires on the expiration date on your immigration documents. If your authorization ends in 20 days or less, you get a paper temporary card; otherwise you get a plastic card. About two months before the date, DVS sends a letter to the address on your record. If you do not send proof of an extension by that date, DVS cancels the card.

Which documents do I need for a REAL ID on a student visa?

To prove your identity, bring your valid, unexpired foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and the Form I-94 of your most recent entry. If the I-94 is endorsed "DS", also bring your Form I-20, Form DS-2019 or another form on the DVS list. Add two different documents that show your current Minnesota address.