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Minnesota teens need a signed supervised driving log to get a provisional license. The minimum is 40 hours with a licensed driver aged 21 or older, at least 15 of them at night. On top of that you either drive 10 more hours (50 in total) or your main supervisor takes the optional 90-minute supplemental parent class through your driver ed school. This checklist explains both routes and how to keep a log DVS will accept.
Two ways to meet the Minnesota log requirement
| Route A: 50 hours | Route B: parent class | |
|---|---|---|
| Supervised hours | 50 | 40 |
| Night hours included | At least 15 | At least 15 |
| Extra step | None | Primary supervisor completes the supplemental parental curriculum |
| When to arrange it | Any time before the road test | Certification goes in with the instruction permit application |
What the Minnesota parent class is
- It is optional and offered by driver education programs (public, private and commercial schools must offer a schedule for it).
- It lasts at least 90 minutes.
- A driver education instructor runs it or is present.
- It covers graduated licensing, the risks new drivers face, how adults influence teen driving and further resources.
- A driver ed instructor certifies that the primary supervisor completed it. The certification is submitted with the instruction permit application.
Because the certification is tied to the permit application, ask your driver ed school about class dates before you apply for the permit. If you miss it, Route A (50 hours) is still open.
What a valid Minnesota driving log must show
- Every trip was with a licensed driver at least 21 years old supervising.
- The total hours (40 or 50), with at least 15 at night.
- The date and length of each supervised trip.
- The signature of the primary driving supervisor, confirming the hours were met.
The law requires a log in a format the commissioner of public safety approves. Ask DVS or your driver ed school for the current form before you start.
Checklist for parents
- Decide early: 50 hours, or 40 hours plus the parent class.
- Log every trip on the day: date, start and end time, night or day.
- Spread the 15 night hours across the months, not in one week.
- Mix conditions: city streets, highways, rain, snow and dark rural roads.
- Practice the road test skills: parallel parking, hill parking and 90-degree backing.
- Remember the permit rules: you (or another licensed adult 21+) sit in the front passenger seat, and your teen uses no phone at all.
- Sign the log only when the hours are really complete. You are attesting to it.
The log continues after the road test
To move from a provisional to a full license before 18, a parent or guardian must certify that the teen drove at least 10 more supervised hours (with a licensed driver 21 or older) during the provisional period. Keep logging. See Minnesota provisional license rules.
Common questions
Do I need 40 or 50 hours of supervised driving in Minnesota?
50, unless your primary supervisor completed the parent class, in which case 40. Both include at least 15 night hours.
Do driver ed behind-the-wheel lessons count toward the log?
The law requires driving with a licensed driver aged 21 or older. Ask your driver ed school whether its lesson hours go on your log.
Can a grandparent or older sibling supervise?
For the log, any licensed driver aged 21 or older can supervise. The primary supervisor signs the log.
What counts as night driving?
The law does not define it in the log section. Check the definition on the DVS log form.
Does the parent class cost money?
The law does not set a price. Ask your driver ed school.
What if we lose the log?
You need a signed log showing dates and lengths of trips. Keep a photo or backup copy as you go.
Compare other states in supervised driving hours by state. Next: Minnesota road test explained. Full process: learning to drive in Minnesota.
Sources
- Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, “Minnesota Statutes 2026, section 171.055 Provisional license” (revisor.mn.gov)
- Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, “Minnesota Statutes 2026, section 171.05 Instruction permit” (revisor.mn.gov)
- Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, “Minnesota Statutes 2026, section 171.0701 Driver education content” (revisor.mn.gov)
- Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, “Minnesota Statutes 2026, section 171.04 Persons not eligible for drivers’ licenses” (revisor.mn.gov)