Are you nervous about taking your Minnesota road test? Perhaps you’re not sure what to bring, or you want to practice the driving skills you’ll be tested on, or you simply want to confirm that you’re eligible to take your test. Knowing what to expect allows you to effectively prepare; and proper preparation is essential if you want to confidently take and pass your test.
There are multiple requirements that you must satisfy to be able to take the road test, also known as the driving skills test – this applies both to you as a driver, and the testing vehicle that you will be taking the test in.
In Minnesota, the road test requirements will vary depending on your age.
If you’re age 18 or under:
If you’re over age 18, driver education is not required and you only need to have held your instruction permit for three months.
As mentioned above, you’ll drive your own vehicle during the driving skills test. Make sure that it has valid registration and insurance; you’ll need to present proof at the driver licensing office. Additionally, your vehicle must function properly, and a quick vehicle check will take place immediately before your exam. You’ll want to make sure that lights (headlights, taillights, brake lights, turn signals), seat belts, doors, etc. are working properly.
If you’re ready to take your skills test, go ahead and pre-apply online to save time at the Minnesota driver licensing office. Then schedule an appointment at an office near you.
COVID-19 has caused a few modifications to be made to the road test. After you check in at the Minnesota driver licensing office and present the correct documents, you’ll have to answer a few health-related questions. After the vehicle check, you’ll be asked to sanitize the area around the front passenger seat.
Your examiner will wear a face mask and gloves, and you’ll be expected to bring and wear a face mask as well. While the driving test is taking place, windows must be rolled down. In the case of an automatic failure, the test will immediately terminate for the sake of efficiency. Apart from the above modifications, the road test itself is unchanged.
Be sure you’ve located your important documents and checked your vehicle to make sure everything is ready before heading to the Minnesota DVS office on the day of your road test.
If you do not have the following documents with you on test day, you will not be allowed to take the Minnesota road test. This is required for all applicants.
Additionally, if you’re under the age of 18, you’ll need to bring:
Before you begin your actual driving test, you’ll be tested on correctly using the controls in your car.
You’ll be tested on a variety of driving maneuvers, which include basic road skills in addition to a couple of closed-course maneuvers. You should be comfortable with these basic driving skills, which should be habitual by now. Practice them any time you’re behind the wheel.
The list below is a brief summary of what you should know;
Additionally, the following specific maneuvers are tested on the Minnesota road test. These may require a bit more practice as they aren’t done as much in everyday driving.
A road test failure can be caused by making many minor mistakes. Additionally, a number of major mistakes can cause an immediate failure.
If you fail your road test, you’ll be asked to complete a certain amount of driving practice before taking it again. Then you’ll have to schedule another test, return to the testing site, and retake your test on another day.
That’s everything you need to know about passing the Minnesota driving skills test. We hope this guide has helped you out, and that you now feel comfortable with the steps moving forward. If you need any help studying for your upcoming exams, then Zutobi is the perfect study guide with online practice tests, a summarized handbook, and practical driving tips that will help you immensely during the actual road exam.
550+ exam-like questions
All you need to ace your test
Perfect for first-timers, renewals and senior citizens
