Driving Tests

Minnesota School Bus Law 2026: Stop Arm, Red Lights, 20 Feet

informational·how to guide·Published July 24, 2026

When must you stop for a school bus in Minnesota, and what if the stop arm is not out?

In Minnesota, you must stop at least 20 feet from a stopped school bus that shows flashing red lights. Since March 2026, this rule applies even when the stop arm is not out. Stay stopped until the red lights stop flashing. Failing to stop is a misdemeanor with a fine of at least $500.

Where the Minnesota school bus rules come from

The 20-foot rule and the removal of the stop-arm words come from Laws of Minnesota 2026, chapter 41. Penalties, the owner rule, the four-hour arrest rule and the separated-roadway rule come from Minnesota Statutes section 169.444; its 2025 page still shows the old stop-arm words that chapter 41 changed. License loss comes from section 171.17, as amended by Laws 2025, First Special Session, chapter 8. The 2025 citation and survey numbers come from a Minnesota Department of Public Safety post. Amber light distances, yielding to a bus and other school stops come from the Minnesota Driver's Manual. The DPS Office of Traffic Safety school bus page gives the same stop rule. This guide shows the rules as of 2026. Confirm the rules with Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs) before you drive.

What each school bus light means in Minnesota

What each school bus light means in Minnesota
Bus light	What it means	What you do
Flashing amber	The bus will stop soon, and the red lights will come on	Get ready to stop. Do not pass on the right
Flashing red	The bus is stopped to load or unload students	Stop at least 20 feet away and stay stopped
Red lights stop flashing	You may move again	Watch for children, then go when it is safe

Do you have to stop if the stop arm is not out?

Yes. Before 2026, the law named both the extended stop arm and the flashing red lights. A change signed on March 27, 2026, took effect the next day and removed the stop-arm words. Now the flashing red lights alone tell you to stop. You wait until the red lights stop flashing, not until the arm folds in. The rule is often broken: police wrote more than 2,000 stop-arm citations in Minnesota in 2025, and on one survey day that year, 3,472 bus drivers counted 514 violations.

What do flashing amber lights on a school bus mean?

Flashing amber lights warn you that the bus is about to stop and that the red lights will come on soon. Bus drivers turn them on at least 100 feet before a stop in a zone of 35 mph or less, and at least 300 feet before a stop in a zone above 35 mph. Get ready to stop at least 20 feet from the bus when the red lights start. Try our free question on what flashing amber lights tell you.

When do you stop for a school bus on a two-way road?

You come up behind a stopped bus with red lights flashing

Stop at least 20 feet back and stay stopped until the red lights stop flashing. You must stop even if the stop arm stays folded. See our free question on a bus with a folded stop arm.

You meet the bus from the opposite direction on a road with no barrier or median

Stop at least 20 feet away in the same way. Painted lines alone do not make a separated roadway.

The bus is on a different roadway, split from yours by a physical barrier, a raised median or a depressed median

You do not have to stop. Watch for children who may cross.

Can you pass a school bus on the right?

No. It is against the law to pass a school bus on the right, passenger-door side while it shows flashing amber or red lights. It is also illegal to pass a bus on either side while its red lights flash. Failing to stop becomes a gross misdemeanor when you also pass or try to pass on the right. The same applies when you pass while a school child is outside the bus on the street or on the sidewalk next to it.

Minnesota school bus violations and penalties

Minnesota school bus violations and penalties
Violation	Level	Penalty
Fail to stop or stay stopped for red lights, or pass on the right with amber lights	Misdemeanor	Fine of at least $500
Fail to stop and also pass on the right, or pass with a child outside the bus	Gross misdemeanor	Loss of your license
Two misdemeanor violations within five years	Misdemeanor	Loss of your license
Vehicle used in a violation (owner or lessee)	Petty misdemeanor	Owner fine, no license loss

Other school stops you must make in Minnesota

A student safety patrol that helps schoolmates cross: come to a complete stop. Try our free question on a patrol member with a flag.
An adult crossing guard with a stop sign or flag: stop.
A line of children crossing: never drive through it, with or without a safety patrol.
A school bus flagger who stops you: wait until the flagger or a police officer tells you to go.

Key takeaways

Stop at least 20 feet from a school bus with flashing red lights, and stay stopped until the red lights stop flashing.
Since March 2026, the stop arm does not decide it: red lights alone mean stop.
Failing to stop is a misdemeanor with a fine of at least $500. Passing on the right or passing with a child outside the bus makes it a gross misdemeanor.
Two violations within five years, or one gross misdemeanor, can cost you your license.
Next step: practice on the free Minnesota Class D practice test.

Minnesota school bus law: common questions

Do I stop for a school bus on a four-lane road in Minnesota?

Yes, when only painted lines split the two directions. Traffic behind the bus and traffic coming toward it must both stop at least 20 feet away and wait until the red lights stop flashing. You may drive on only when a physical barrier or a raised or depressed median splits the roadways. Try our free question on a bus on a four-lane road.

Can I drive on when the children are across the road but the red lights still flash?

No. Whether you face the front or the back of the bus, stay stopped until the red lights stop flashing. Since March 2026, the law ties your wait to the red lights only, not to the stop arm. Wait for the lights to go off, not for the children to reach the curb, and watch for children before you move.

Will a school bus ticket cost me my license?

It can. Two misdemeanor violations within five years can cost you your license. So can one gross misdemeanor, such as when you fail to stop and also pass the bus on the right. A first misdemeanor brings a fine of at least $500.

Can I get a school bus ticket if police did not stop me at the bus?

Yes. A police officer with probable cause may arrest the driver up to four hours after the violation. The vehicle owner, or the lessee of a leased vehicle, can also be charged with a petty misdemeanor. The owner pays no fine if another person is convicted for the same violation or the vehicle was stolen, and this owner charge alone does not cost a license.

Do I have to let a school bus back into traffic in Minnesota?

Yes. When you drive in the right lane, yield to a school bus that tries to enter your lane from a shoulder, a right-turn lane or another place where it stopped to load or unload students. The bus driver uses the left turn signal to show that the bus will move into the right-hand lane.