After you pass in Minnesota: restrictions and your licence

By the end of this topic you can

• You can list the passenger and night limits on a provisional license and when they ease.
• You can explain the exceptions to the midnight to 5 a.m. limit.
• You can describe how and when to upgrade to a full license.
• You can explain what a violation does to your timeline.

What you need to know and understand

• A provisional license is valid for two years from the application date.
• First six months: no more than one passenger under 20, unless a parent or guardian is with you.
• Second six months: no more than three passengers under 20, unless a parent or guardian is with you.
• Immediate family members under 20 do not count toward the passenger limit.
• First six months: no driving from midnight to 5 a.m. except for allowed trips.
• No phone use at all while driving, even hands-free, except to call for emergency help.
• Everyone in the vehicle must be buckled up.
• A license issued before 21 is marked Under 21 and expires on your 21st birthday.

Midnight to 5 a.m.: the allowed trips

During your first six months you may drive between midnight and 5 a.m. only when:

• A licensed driver aged 25 or older is with you.
• You are driving between home and work.
• You are driving between home and a school event that has no school-provided transportation.
• You are driving for your job.

Moving up to the full license

You can apply for a full Class D license when you turn 18, or once you have held the provisional license for 12 consecutive months with no alcohol, drug or crash-related convictions and no more than one other moving violation. If you are still under 18, you must also certify at least 10 more hours of driving supervised by a licensed driver aged 21 or older. A parent or guardian must approve the application.

If you upgrade with a clean record, you get a $3.50 credit toward the fee. After your 21st birthday, the license is renewed every four years on your birthday.

When things go wrong

A crash-related moving violation, an alcohol or drug offense, or a second non-crash moving violation pushes the full license back until 12 months after the conviction or until you turn 18. Losing the provisional license for a crash-related or alcohol offense means no license until 18 and starting much of the process again. Our Minnesota provisional license rules guide covers more examples.

Common mistakes

• Counting siblings as passengers. Immediate family members under 20 do not count.
• Driving friends home from a party at 1 a.m. in your first six months. That trip is not an allowed exception.
• Answering a call through the car's speaker. Provisional drivers may not use phones at all.
• Waiting for the full license to arrive on its own. You must apply once eligible.

Test yourself: After you pass in Minnesota: restrictions and your licence

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Minnesota Provisional License Rules
• Learning to Drive in Minnesota
• Minnesota Hands-Free Law for New Drivers