Are Minnesota Written Driving Tests Going Away For Good?

Moving is stressful. But Minnesota is making it easier for future residents of the Land of 10,000 Lakes. If you're thinking about moving to Minnesota in the future, you won't have to worry about owning a state driver's license right away.

Sometimes other states require new residents to take a written driver's test before hitting the open roads. Soon enough, the state of Minnesota will not require new residents to take the written driver's test.

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Beginning Tuesday, August 1st, the state of Minnesota is dropping its written driving test requirement for new residents. MPR News is reporting State Senator John Jasinski (R-Faribault) explains "the new law is intended to alleviate backlogs at testing centers for the driver’s license exam, or the class D knowledge test, for people who have an out-of-state license." Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed this bill into law in May.

Minnesota is not the only state dropping the written driver's test requirement. Some other states that don't require a written test for new residents include Oklahoma and New Jersey.

More than 30 other states do not require a written test if you are 21 and older and already have a driver’s license from a different state. Last year, about 81,000 people with an out-of-state license took the class D knowledge exam to obtain a Minnesota driver’s license, according to a fiscal note on the law.

In Minnesota, you have 30 days to obtain your new driver's license. Here's what you need when you visit your local Minnesota DMV:

• Two documents that include your full name and birth date, such as a passport, military ID, or marriage certificate.
• Out-of-state driver’s license or certified driving record.
• If you are eligible for a Social Security number, you must provide the number.
• The $38 fee for a class D license.

Enjoy the wide open spaces and always follow the rules of the road!