Driving Tests

Minnesota Teen Driver Penalties: Vanessa’s Law and Permit Violations

informational·how to guide·Published July 30, 2026

What happens if a Minnesota teen with a permit or provisional license gets a ticket?

A Minnesota permit holder must keep a record free of moving-violation and alcohol or drug convictions, and Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) can suspend, cancel or revoke the permit. A conviction in the six months before applying blocks the provisional license. On a provisional license, an impaired-driving or crash-related conviction, or a second other moving violation, delays the full license 12 months or until 18, whichever is first.

Where these Minnesota rules come from

The rules come from Minnesota Statutes sections 171.04, 171.05 and 171.055, the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) page on Vanessa's Law, the DVS page for new drivers under 18, and the Office of Traffic Safety pages on teen driver laws and the teen driving FAQ. 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 teen driving penalties by license stage

Minnesota teen driving penalties by license stage
Stage	What counts	What happens
Instruction permit (under 18)	Driving against the law, such as a moving violation or an alcohol or drug offense	DVS suspends, cancels or revokes the permit, depending on the law broken.
Applying for the provisional license	An impaired-driving, crash-related or other moving-violation conviction in the six months before you apply	DVS does not issue the provisional license.
Provisional license	A conviction for an impaired-driving offense, a crash-related moving violation, or more than one non-crash moving violation	No driver's license until 12 months after the conviction or until age 18, whichever comes first.
No license or permit	A conviction for a crash-related moving violation or an alcohol or controlled-substance violation	No permit, provisional license or license until age 18 (Vanessa's Law).

What counts as a moving violation for a Minnesota teen?

In Minnesota law, a moving violation is a violation of a traffic regulation. A parking violation, a vehicle equipment violation and a warning citation do not count. The record rules for the permit and the provisional license count convictions. A permit holder needs a record free of moving-violation convictions and of alcohol or drug convictions, and the provisional license holder may have only one conviction for a moving violation that is not crash related.

Phone, passenger, night and supervision rules for Minnesota teens

Phone: a permit holder or provisional license holder may not use a cell phone while the vehicle is in motion, handheld or hands free. This is a petty misdemeanor. The only defense is an emergency: getting help to prevent a crime, or a reasonable belief that a person's life or safety is in danger. Practice this rule with the free question on a hands-free call on a permit.
Passengers: in the first six months of a provisional license, no more than one passenger under 20 who is not immediate family. In the second six months, no more than three. A parent or guardian in the car lifts the limit.
Night driving: in the first six months of a provisional license, driving from midnight to 5 a.m. is allowed only between home and work, between home and a school event with no school transport, for work, or with a licensed driver age 25 or older. DPS lists a passenger or night violation as a misdemeanor.
Supervision: a permit holder under 18 drives with a certified driver education instructor, a parent or guardian, or another licensed driver age 21 or older in the seat beside them.

How long does a ticket delay the full Minnesota license?

A provisional license holder under 18 needs 12 straight months with no impaired-driving conviction, no crash-related conviction and no more than one non-crash moving-violation conviction. A second non-crash conviction, or one impaired-driving or crash-related conviction, delays the license until 12 months after that conviction or until age 18, whichever comes first. The parent or guardian who approves the application also certifies at least ten hours of driving with a licensed driver age 21 or older during the provisional period. See the Minnesota provisional license limits and steps.

What Vanessa's Law means for your situation

You have no license and no permit, and you are convicted of a crash-related moving violation or an alcohol or controlled-substance violation

You get no permit, provisional license or license until you turn 18. The listed offenses include Driving while Impaired, Implied Consent, Open Bottle and Underage Drinking and Driving (Not a Drop).

You have a provisional license and DVS revokes it for a crash-related or alcohol or controlled-substance violation

You cannot regain a license until age 18 or until the withdrawal period ends, whichever is longer.

You are under 21, a court finds you drove after drinking (Not a Drop), and you were in a crash

You lose your driving privileges until you are at least 18.

Why Minnesota has Vanessa's Law

Vanessa Weiss was killed in May 2003, just months before her 16th birthday. She was a passenger in a vehicle driven by an unlicensed 15-year-old. Minnesota passed Vanessa's Law a year later. It applies to all teens who commit an impaired-driving crime or a crash-related moving violation, and it works differently for an unlicensed teen and for a provisional license holder. Practice the rule with the free question on Vanessa's Law for an unlicensed teen.

Steps to a license after Vanessa's Law

1
Wait for age 18 or the end of the withdrawal
A revoked provisional license holder waits until age 18 or until the withdrawal period ends, whichever is longer. An unlicensed teen waits until age 18.
2
Meet the reinstatement requirements
Do the steps on the withdrawal notice and pass the Class D written test. In most cases a revoked provisional license holder also serves the withdrawal period and pays the $680 reinstatement fee.
3
Finish the classroom course
A revoked provisional license holder completes a 30-hour classroom driver education course.
4
Get a new instruction permit and hold it
A revoked provisional license holder holds the new permit for 90 days after reinstatement and completes six hours of behind-the-wheel driver education in that time. An unlicensed teen who turned 18 holds the permit at least six months (three months at 19 or older).
5
Take the road test and apply
An unlicensed teen takes the road test after the hold time. A revoked provisional license holder applies for a driver's license after the steps above.

Not a Drop: alcohol under 21

It is illegal for anyone under 21 to drive after consuming any amount of alcohol. When a court finds that a driver under 21 committed the offense, the driving privileges are suspended for 30 or 180 days, depending on the prior record. At an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more, regular DWI laws may apply instead. Underage Drinking and Driving (Not a Drop) is also one of the Vanessa's Law offenses for an unlicensed teen.

Key takeaways

A conviction for a moving violation can lead DVS to suspend, cancel or revoke a teen's instruction permit.
A permit holder needs six months with no conviction before the provisional license. A provisional license holder under 18 needs 12 clean months, with no more than one non-crash moving violation.
Under Vanessa's Law, a crash-related or alcohol conviction can keep a teen without a license until age 18.
In most cases, a revoked provisional license holder pays a $680 reinstatement fee and takes a 30-hour classroom course.
Next step: practice the Minnesota rules on the free Minnesota Class D practice test.

Minnesota teen driver penalties: common questions

Does a parking ticket hurt a Minnesota teen's permit?

No. Minnesota law defines a moving violation as a violation of a traffic regulation, and it excludes parking violations, vehicle equipment violations and warning citations. The permit and provisional license record rules count convictions for moving violations and for impaired driving. A speeding or stop sign conviction does count, so keep a clean moving record for the whole hold time.

Can a teen still take the Minnesota road test after a ticket on a permit?

Only when the conviction is older than six months at the time of the application. The law requires six months with no moving-violation, crash-related or impaired-driving conviction before the provisional license, and DVS says the permit must be held 180 days with a clean record for the six months before the road test. Plan the date with the Minnesota road test steps.

How much does it cost to get a license back after Vanessa's Law?

In most cases, the reinstatement fee is $680 for a provisional license holder whose license was revoked. The teen also completes a 30-hour classroom driver education course, passes the Class D written test, and completes six hours of behind-the-wheel education during a 90-day permit. The withdrawal notice from DVS lists the exact requirements for each case.

Can a 17-year-old with one speeding ticket still get a full license?

Yes. A provisional license holder under 18 may have one conviction for a moving violation that is not crash related during the 12 months. A second one delays the full license until 12 months after that conviction or until age 18, whichever comes first. A single crash-related or impaired-driving conviction has the same effect.

What if a Minnesota teen drives after one beer?

Under 21, driving after any amount of alcohol is a violation, and at an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more regular DWI charges can apply. A court finding brings a 30-day or 180-day suspension, depending on the prior record. A teen with no license who is convicted gets no permit or license until age 18.