Driving Tests

Minnesota Permit Test (Knowledge Test): 80% to Pass, Languages, Retakes

informational·how to guide·Published September 27, 2026

What score do you need to pass the Minnesota written test?

You need 80 percent to pass the Minnesota Class D written test, also called the knowledge test or permit test. It has multiple choice and true-or-false questions on Minnesota traffic laws and road signs. You may take one test per day. A DVS exam station needs an appointment and has no time limit. A third-party proctor may charge up to $10.

Where the Minnesota knowledge test facts come from

The pass mark, test format, checklist and vision standard come from the Minnesota Driver's Manual. The exam station, proctor, language and verbal exam rules come from the DVS page for new drivers under 18, the DVS page for new drivers 18 and older and the DVS Driver's License for All page. The retest fee, proctor rules and test subjects come from Minnesota Statutes section 171.13. Other facts come from Minnesota Rules part 7410.4780, the DVS group knowledge testing page, the DVS Class D practice test and DPS news posts from 2023 and 2024. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs) before you drive.

Minnesota written test: DVS exam station or third-party proctor

Minnesota written test: DVS exam station or third-party proctor
Topic	DVS exam station	Third-party proctor
Who gives the test	DVS exam stations across the state, by appointment	A driver education program or another entity that DVS approves
Time limit	None	30 or 40 minutes (the DVS pages differ)
Cost	First two tests free if you did not test with a proctor first	Up to $10 for each test
Help in your language	8 test languages, audio at most locations, verbal exams	No interpreters or other help

What is on the Minnesota written test and what is the pass mark?

The test has multiple choice and true-or-false questions on Minnesota traffic laws and road signs. State law lists the subjects, and school bus safety is one of them. For tests given on or after January 1, 2027, work zone and road construction worker safety is also a subject. A 2024 law required DVS to rewrite the written test in plain language.

The pass mark is 80 percent, so a score of 78 percent fails. Check it with our free question on a 78 percent score.

What to bring to the Minnesota written test

Proper identification that shows your first, middle and last name and your date of birth. You need the same identification for the road test.
Under 18: a Blue Card or Pink Card from an approved driver education course. Try our free question on the card a 16-year-old must show.
Age 18 or older: no card. Classroom instruction is not required.
Your Social Security number, if you are eligible for one.
Your appointment. Book it at dps.mn.gov/mydvs, and complete the online pre-application there no more than 30 days before the test.

What happens if you fail the Minnesota written test?

You may take only one written test per day. Minnesota Rules require a wait of at least one calendar day between tests.

Your first two written tests are free at a DVS exam station if you did not already test with a proctor. By law, a $10 fee applies to a third and any later test after two failed tests in a row. See the full list of Minnesota license fees.

Can you take the Minnesota written test in your language?

Your language is on the DVS test list

The DVS license pages list English, American Sign Language (ASL), Somali, Hmong, Russian, Vietnamese, Karen and Spanish. Audio is available at most locations, and headphones let you hear each question as you read it. The DVS Driver's License for All page also names Dari, Pashto and Ukrainian. Ask for your language when you book.

Your language is not on the list

Ask for a verbal exam. It is given at DVS exam stations by appointment only (651-284-1234), and not at all stations. 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.

Three to seven people need a language that DVS does not offer

Ask DVS by email for a group oral test at the Anoka, Eagan, Buffalo or downtown Saint Paul exam station. Give the name and license number of each interpreter. Arrive at least 15 minutes early to check in and show identification. Late testers cannot test. In 2023, DPS said an oral exam takes 90 minutes.

What happens after you pass the written test?

Go to a driver's license office to complete your application and get your vision checked. Bring your glasses or contacts if you have them. Your normal or corrected vision must be at least 20/40, and your peripheral vision must be at least 105 degrees.

Under 18, you must also complete 30 hours of classroom instruction and be enrolled in behind-the-wheel training to get the permit. With a Pink Card, you can take the test after the first 15 classroom hours, but the permit comes after all 30. See the Minnesota instruction permit rules.

How to study for the Minnesota written test

Read the Minnesota Driver's Manual. It is available in English, Dari, Hmong, Karen, Pashto, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese.
Try the DVS Class D practice test. Its questions may or may not be on the actual exam, and the manual has the answer to each question.
Give yourself time. In 2024, DPS said 56 percent of people who take the written test statewide fail, and that the more you study, the more likely you are to pass on the first try.

Key takeaways

You need 80 percent to pass. The test has multiple choice and true-or-false questions on Minnesota traffic laws and road signs.
A DVS exam station has no time limit, and your first two tests there are free if you did not test with a proctor first. A proctor allows 30 or 40 minutes and may charge up to $10.
You may take one test per day. After two failed tests in a row, each later test costs $10.
Under 18, bring a Blue Card or Pink Card. For a language that is not on the list, ask for a verbal exam with your own licensed interpreter.
Next step: practice on the free Minnesota Class D practice test.

Minnesota written test: common questions

Can I take the Minnesota written test online at home?

Not on your own. The online test is given by a driver education program to its students, or by another entity that DVS approves. A proctor must be physically present where you take the test, and the proctor must not be your relative, such as a parent or sibling. The proctor may charge up to $10, and no interpreters or other help are allowed.

What is the difference between a Blue Card and a Pink Card?

Both are certificates of enrollment from an approved driver education course. A Blue Card shows that you completed classroom instruction and are signed up for behind-the-wheel training. A Pink Card shows that you are in a concurrent course and completed the first 15 classroom hours. Either card lets a driver under 18 take the written test.

Can I get accommodations for the Minnesota written test?

Yes. If you need special accommodations, ask at the exam station. If you need an ASL or language interpreter or other special accommodations, call Driver and Vehicle Services at 651-284-1234 before your appointment. At a computer test, headphones let you hear each question as you read it.

Is the free Minnesota practice test the real written test?

No. Our practice tests and question pages are free and in English only, and they are not the official test. They help you study the topics of the Minnesota Driver's Manual, such as signs, right of way and permit rules. Use them together with the manual, which has the answers to the official test questions.