You need 80% to pass the Minnesota permit knowledge test; the official Minnesota sources we checked do not state a fixed question count. Official source. Page updated 2026-10-22.
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Key Minnesota DMV rules and numbers
These are key rules and numbers from the Minnesota handbook, a few per topic so they fit on one printed page. We favor rules that state a specific number. Every fact below comes from our free Minnesota DMV practice test question bank, which has 500 questions across 9 topics, checked against the Minnesota handbook (last verified 2026-09-07).
Speed limits
- Minnesota adds additional fines when a driver travels 20 mph or more above the posted speed limit. (Handbook, p. 27)
- Minnesota permits the 10 mph increase only while lawfully passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway whose speed limit is 55 mph or higher. (Handbook, p. 26)
- Minnesota fines drivers who exceed the posted limit, adds extra fines at 20 mph or more over, and revokes driving privileges for at least six months for anyone driving over 100 mph. (Handbook, p. 27)
- Minnesota requires you to slow down when approaching or passing a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing emergency lights, and a surcharge of at least $25 is added to the speeding fine for breaking this law. (Handbook, p. 27)
- Minnesota sets a 10 mph limit for alleys under ideal conditions unless a sign says otherwise. (Handbook, p. 26)
Right of way
- At an intersection without traffic lights or signals, Minnesota assigns the yield duty to the driver on the left when both drivers arrive at the same time. (Handbook, p. 43)
- Passing a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian is prohibited because the stopped vehicle may be shielding someone in the crosswalk from your view. (Handbook, p. 47)
- A driver who approaches an intersection at an unlawful speed loses the right-of-way privilege that would have been associated with driving lawfully. (Handbook, p. 26)
- A flashing red traffic light must be treated as a stop sign. (Handbook, p. 41)
- A left-turning driver must yield to vehicles approaching from the opposite direction when they are in the intersection or close enough to pose a risk of a crash. (Handbook, p. 43)
Alcohol and DUI
- For a person in control of a moving or parked vehicle, Minnesota identifies 0.08 percent as the ordinary alcohol-concentration threshold for a DWI arrest. (Handbook, p. 93)
- The manual gives commercial-vehicle driving a 0.04 percent alcohol-concentration threshold. (Handbook, p. 93)
- Minnesota places a commercial driver out of service for 24 hours when the alcohol concentration is below 0.04 percent but still detectable. (Handbook, p. 95)
- Minnesota lists 0.16 percent or greater as a threshold that can remove the option of receiving a work permit after a first offense. (Handbook, p. 94)
- The manual lists a fourth DWI arrest within a 10 year period as one basis for a felony DWI charge. (Handbook, p. 95)
Signals and markings
- Minnesota requires headlights to remain on low beam when you are within 1,000 feet of an oncoming vehicle. (Handbook, p. 73)
- When you are following a vehicle at a distance of 200 feet or less, keep the headlights on low beam. (Handbook, p. 73)
- The manual sets a clear advance warning for turns: activate the signal at least 100 feet before turning, then keep signaling until the turn or lane change is complete. (Handbook, p. 27)
- Blue lights are limited to snowplows, road maintenance equipment, and authorized emergency vehicles under the manual's prohibited-lights section. (Handbook, p. 23)
- The manual names school buses, snow removal equipment, and rural mail carrier vehicles as vehicles that can use strobe lamps. (Handbook, p. 23)
Parking
- After parallel parking, the wheels closest to the side of the road should be no more than 12 inches from the curb. (Handbook, p. 35)
- Minnesota bans parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection. (Handbook, p. 35)
- If you park on the highway at night, or any time lights are needed, at least one white or amber light in front and one red taillight in back must be on, and both must be visible from at least 500 feet away. (Handbook, p. 37)
- After parallel parking, turn the front wheels toward the curb or shoulder, shift into park, and set the parking brake. (Handbook, p. 35)
- When the front of your car points uphill and there is a curb, turn the wheels away from the curb. (Handbook, p. 36)
Safe driving
- A U-turn is illegal near the top of a hill or on a curve when other drivers cannot see your vehicle from 1,000 feet away. (Handbook, p. 33)
- Minnesota adds a $300 fine to the regular speeding ticket when a driver disobeys the speed limit in a work zone. (Handbook, p. 54)
- An average passenger car traveling at 55 mph can stop within 130 to 140 feet, while a fully loaded tractor trailer may need more than 400 feet to stop completely. (Handbook, p. 52)
- Minnesota requires you to finish a pass and return to the right side of the road before you come within 100 feet of an oncoming vehicle. (Handbook, p. 34)
- You must not pass within 100 feet of an intersection, underpass, tunnel, or railroad crossing. (Handbook, p. 34)
Road signs
- The slow-moving vehicle emblem must be shown on vehicles that travel 30 mph or less on a public road, such as farm implements or animal-drawn vehicles. (Handbook, p. 61)
- Every highway-rail crossing has an Emergency Notification System sign with a 24/7 phone number for reporting problems or emergencies at that location, such as a stalled car or a broken gate. (Handbook, p. 54)
- The slow-moving vehicle emblem must be shown on all vehicles that travel at 30 mph or less when they use a public road, such as farm equipment and animal-drawn vehicles. (Handbook, p. 61)
- A Minnesota STOP sign requires a complete stop and continued waiting until pedestrians and vehicles with the right of way have cleared the intersection. (Handbook, p. 57)
- The YIELD sign directs a driver to slow down or stop if necessary, then give the right of way to all other vehicles and pedestrians until it is safe to proceed. (Handbook, p. 57)
Laws and paperwork
- A Class D license permits NEV operation only on streets whose speed limit is 35 mph or less. (Handbook, p. 51)
- The Class D written test requires a score of 80 percent to pass. (Handbook, p. 10)
- Minnesota charges a $10 fee for the third written-test attempt and every subsequent attempt after two consecutive failures. (Handbook, p. 10)
- You have 60 days once you become a Minnesota resident to get your Minnesota license or permit, and commercial drivers have only 30 days. (Handbook, p. 6)
- Your normal or corrected vision must be at least 20/40 and your peripheral vision must be at least 105 degrees. (Handbook, p. 10)
Emergencies
- Only vehicles on official emergency business may follow within 500 feet of a firefighting vehicle on an emergency run. (Handbook, p. 44)
- At a crash you give the investigating officer your insurance carrier and agent, and if you do not have the information with you, you must provide it within 72 hours. (Handbook, p. 39)
- If you have flares or reflectors, place them from 100 to 500 feet behind your vehicle on the right edge of the main road. (Handbook, p. 77)
- Minnesota warns that 6 inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, which can cause loss of control or stalling. (Handbook, p. 85)
- Minnesota's flooding advice says 2 feet of moving water can carry away most vehicles, including SUVs and pickup trucks. (Handbook, p. 85)
Want the reasoning behind these rules? Study the handbook, chapter by chapter, in 22 short lessons quoted from the Minnesota manual.
Signs
Sign shape and color carry meaning before you even read the words. A red octagon always means stop, a red-bordered triangle pointing down means yield, and yellow diamonds warn of a hazard ahead. For every sign image used in our practice test, with the exact meaning and explanation, see the full road sign glossary.
Keep studying
This cheat sheet is a summary, not a substitute for practice. Test yourself with the free Minnesota DMV practice test, which explains the reasoning behind every answer, or see Minnesota DMV facts and fees before test day.