If you are under 18 years of age . . . 

• You must complete 30 hours of classroom instruction and be enrolled in 6 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, and pass the written knowledge test in order to receive your Minnesota instruction permit.
• To receive your Minnesota Driver's license you must complete 6 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, log 50 hours of supervised driving, have held your instruction permit for at least 6 months, and pass the road test.

If you are 19 years of age or older . . . 

• You are not required to complete driver's education, however, you must pass the written knowledge test to receive your Minnesota instruction permit.
• To receive your Minnesota Driver's license you must hold your instruction permit for at least 3 months, and pass the road test.

• You must be at least 15 years old to take the class D knowledge test and hold a learner's permit.
• If you are under 18 years of age, you must have a certificate of completion (Blue Card) proving classroom instruction is completed and you are registered for behind-the-wheel instruction in order to take the knowledge test.
• If you are under 18 years of age, your parent or guardian must sign and approve your application.
• You must receive a score of 80% or higher to pass the written knowledge test.
• You may take only one test per day.
• You must present two forms of I.D. to take the test. Refer to Minnesota Rules Parts 7410.0100 to 7410.0600 for more information on acceptable forms of ID.
• After passing the knowledge test, you need to pass a vision screening, have your photograph taken, complete the driver's permit application form and pay all associated fees before being issued a valid Minnesota driver's permit.

• You must be at least 16 years old to take the road test. Refer to Chapter 1 of the Minnesota Driver's Manual for information on exceptions to the minimum age requirement.
• If you are under 18 years of age, you must have held a valid Minnesota Instruction permit for at least six months with no convictions for a moving violation or an alcohol or controlled substance violation.
• If you are 18 years of age or older, you must have held a valid Minnesota Instruction permit for at least three months with no convictions for a moving violation or an alcohol or controlled substance violation.
• If you are under 18 years of age you must present the following four items when taking the road test: Valid MN Learner's Permit, White Card, Proof of Insurance, and Printed Minnesota Supervised Driving Log
• If you are under 18 years of age, your parent or guardian must sign and approve your application.
• After passing the road test, you need to pass a vision screening, have your photograph taken, complete the driver's license application form and pay all associated fees before being issued a valid Minnesota driver's license.

If you are under 18 years of age, for the first six months of licensure: Driving is prohibited from midnight - 5 a.m. unless you are:

• Driving when accompanied by a licensed driver age 25 or older.
• Driving between home and place of employment.
• Driving to or from home and a school event for which the school does not provide transportation.
• Driving for employment purposes.

If you are under 18 years of age, the following passenger limitation apply.

For the first six months of licensure: Only one passenger under the age of 20 is permitted unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. Members of the driver's immediate family are exempt from this limitation.

For the second six months of licensure: No more than three passengers under the age of 20 are permitted unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. Members of the driver's immediate family are exempt from this limitation.

It's illegal for drivers under age 18 to use a cell phone, whether hand-held or hands-free - except to call 911 in an emergency.

It's illegal for drivers of all ages to compose, read, or send text messages or access the Internet while the vehicle is in motion or a part of traffic.

Visit the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services online registration page.

Visit the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services online registration page.

In the box titled "Appointments", click the "Schedule an Appointment" link. Select the "Driver Services" box and then select the service you wish to schedule and complete all prompts.

• Class D Knowledge Exam: Required to apply for a learner's permit.
• Class D Skill Exam - First Time: Required to apply for a class D driver's license.
• Class D Skill Exam - Retest: Use this to schedule an additional skill exam after failing your previous exam.

Complete all prompts as you progress through the registration form.

You can get by with three cones and three poles. All of which may be purchased at local stores. The poles should be between 3 and 4 feet long. I suggest using a medium sized cone, they tend to blow over less on windy days. Other ideas for boundary markers are listed below, but if you use your imagination, there really is no limit to what a person can come up with:

• Garbage and recycling containers 
• Workhorse or saw bench 
• Folding sidewalk signs 
• Brooms stuck in a large flowerpot
• And for the confident driver . . . real cars! (We don't endorse that one.) 

Keep in mind that it is important to respect the rights of others. Try to find out-of-the-way locations where you will not be a nuisance.

Our practice is to drop cones in an empty parking lot, leaving them in place only as long as our student is practicing. We try to get permission in advance and will not use a parking lot if the owner lets us know they don't want us there. Here are some ideas on locations to set up your cones:

• On the street 
• In your driveway 
• Your church parking lot 
• A city parking lot (They are there for public use after all.)
• A parking lot for a building that is not occupied

Never practice using cones that were set out by an examiner. They are on a tight schedule and do not have time to wait for you to get out of their way.

The following simulates backing into a standard 10-foot-wide parking space.

The two front cones represent the corner of the cars on either side of the open parking space. Place the cones 12 inches to the outside of the line marking the left and right boundary of the parking space.

The third cone is a reference point to help gauge how far to back into the space. There are two common practices, but the idea is to back far enough into the parking space, so the front of your vehicle does not stick out past the front cones.

• Place the third cone on the left side of the parking space, about halfway back. With the cone in this position, the driver should stop backing into the space when their shoulders are even with the cone.This is the most common placement with examiners today.
• The other is "more old school." Place the cone 12 inches behind the back line of the parking space. In this position, the cone represents the vehicle in the space behind you.

If you don’t want to go to a parking lot, you can always use your driveway. The standard parking space in the U.S. is generally considered to be 10 feet wide and 18 feet deep. Place the two front cones at the street end of the driveway, 10 feet apart from one another. Place the third cone either to the side of the driveway or to the rear.

Now it's time to practice:

The front cone represents the back corner of the car in front of the open parking space. Place a single cone, 7 feet from the curb.

The two back cones represent the front corners of the car behind the open parking space. Place one cone 12 inches from the curb and the second 7 feet from the curb.

The distance between the front and rear cones is 24 feet.