MN Permit Practice Test

How to use this MN practice test

1. Take the full practice test above once, untimed, to find your weak topics.
2. Work through the numbered 20 question sets below. Each one is fixed, so a second attempt is a fair comparison.
3. Read the explanation on every miss. The wording comes from the Minnesota Driver's Manual, which is what the examiners use.
4. When you pass three sets in a row at the score your state requires, book the real test.

MN practice tests, 20 questions each

Fixed sets in a fixed order so you can retake one and compare your score.

1. Test 1
2. Test 2
3. Test 3
4. Test 4
5. Test 5
6. Test 6
7. Test 7
8. Test 8
9. Test 9
10. Test 10

Printable MN practice test with answer key

40 sample questions from the MN bank

Every question below comes from the Minnesota question bank on this page. Open a question to see the correct answer and the explanation. Nothing here is hidden behind a signup.

1. 1. What is the recommended response to Minnesota warning signs?

   1. Ignore them until a traffic signal changes
   2. Recognize and react to the possible hazards they identify
   3. Use them only to locate motorist services
   4. Assume they prohibit every movement ahead
   Show answer

   Recognize and react to the possible hazards they identify. Minnesota says drivers must recognize and react to warning signs for their own safety and the safety of others. Full explanation in Test 1

2. 2. When approaching an oncoming vehicle within 1,000 feet, what beam setting is required?

   1. No lights until the vehicles meet
   2. High beams plus hazard flashers
   3. Parking lights only
   4. Low beam headlights
   Show answer

   Low beam headlights. Minnesota requires headlights to remain on low beam when you are within 1,000 feet of an oncoming vehicle. Full explanation in Test 2

3. 3. When must Minnesota drivers use their headlights according to the vehicle-equipment section?

   1. Only between midnight and dawn on rural roads
   2. From sunset until sunrise and whenever the road ahead cannot be seen for at least 500 feet
   3. Only during rain, never during snow or fog
   4. Whenever another driver flashes headlights
   Show answer

   From sunset until sunrise and whenever the road ahead cannot be seen for at least 500 feet. The manual says to turn headlights on at sunset and keep them on until sunrise. Full explanation in Test 3

4. 4. What happens to a Minnesota driver who drives over 100 mph?

   1. A $25 surcharge only
   2. Driving privileges are revoked for at least six months
   3. A warning on a first offense
   4. A 30 day suspension
   Show answer

   Driving privileges are revoked for at least six months. Minnesota fines drivers who exceed the posted limit, adds extra fines at 20 mph or more over, and revokes driving privileges for at least si Full explanation in Test 4

5. 5. When a vehicle is used to violate Minnesota’s school-bus stopping law, who may be penalized as the owner?

   1. The owner automatically receives five license points
   2. The owner or leaseholder may be guilty of a petty misdemeanor
   3. The owner is never involved if another person was driving
   4. The owner must surrender the vehicle permanently
   Show answer

   The owner or leaseholder may be guilty of a petty misdemeanor. Minnesota allows the owner or leaseholder to be guilty of a petty misdemeanor when the vehicle is used to violate the school-bus stopping st Full explanation in Test 5

6. 6. When is driving below a posted minimum speed limit illegal under normal conditions?

   1. Whenever the driver is traveling below that posted minimum
   2. Only when a police officer is directing traffic
   3. Only on roads with a 55 mph maximum
   4. Never, because minimum limits are advisory
   Show answer

   Whenever the driver is traveling below that posted minimum. The manual says some roads have minimum speed limits and that it is illegal to drive slower than the posted minimum under normal conditions. Full explanation in Test 6

7. 7. A Minnesota driver commits a second DWI within 10 years of the first. What is the minimum revocation?

   1. 90 days
   2. Three years
   3. One year
   4. Six months
   Show answer

   One year. A second offense within 10 years of the first brings a minimum one-year license revocation, possible required ignition interlock, one year i Full explanation in Test 7

8. 8. What right-of-way consequence follows when a driver approaches a Minnesota intersection at an unlawful speed?

   1. The driver loses the privilege associated with lawful speed
   2. The driver gains priority over vehicles traveling legally
   3. The driver may disregard all yielding rules
   4. The driver keeps every right-of-way privilege unchanged
   Show answer

   The driver loses the privilege associated with lawful speed. A driver who approaches an intersection at an unlawful speed loses the right-of-way privilege that would have been associated with driving l Full explanation in Test 8

9. 9. At what alcohol concentration does a Minnesota ignition interlock device prevent the vehicle from starting?

   1. 0.08 percent or above
   2. 0.04 percent or above
   3. 0.02 percent or above
   4. Any amount above zero
   Show answer

   0.02 percent or above. The ignition interlock is connected to the vehicle's starter, and the driver must blow into it to start the car. Full explanation in Test 9

10. 10. What must you do before entering a roundabout?

    1. Stop inside the circle before selecting an exit
    2. Yield to vehicles already circulating from the left
    3. Enter first because circulating traffic must yield
    4. Change lanes after entering to reach any exit
    Show answer

    Yield to vehicles already circulating from the left. Entering traffic must yield to vehicles already in the roundabout and wait until traffic from the left has cleared. Full explanation in Test 10

11. 11. What is the alcohol content of 80-proof whiskey?

    1. 40 percent
    2. 80 percent
    3. 8 percent
    4. 20 percent
    Show answer

    40 percent. Proof measures a drink's strength and equals twice the percentage of alcohol it contains. So 80-proof whiskey is 40 percent alcohol. Full explanation in Test 1

12. 12. If you cannot move one lane away from a stopped emergency vehicle, how should you pass it?

    
    1. Maintain speed because the shoulder is separate
    2. Slow down and pass with caution
    3. Stop in the travel lane until the vehicle leaves
    4. Pass on the shoulder without reducing speed
    Show answer

    Slow down and pass with caution. Minnesota's Move Over guidance requires a driver who cannot move a lane away, or who has only one lane in that direction, to slow down and p Full explanation in Test 2

13. 13. Two drivers reach an intersection without traffic lights at the same time. Which driver must yield in Minnesota?

    1. The larger vehicle always proceeds first
    2. The driver on the right yields to the driver on the left
    3. The driver traveling faster proceeds first
    4. The driver on the left yields to the driver on the right
    Show answer

    The driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. At an intersection without traffic lights or signals, Minnesota assigns the yield duty to the driver on the left when both drivers arrive at Full explanation in Test 3

14. 14. What does a green arrow allow a driver to do?

    1. Turn in any direction without checking the roadway
    2. Turn safely in the direction of the arrow, subject to people already in the intersection
    3. Treat the arrow exactly like a flashing yellow signal
    4. Wait until the arrow changes to red before moving
    Show answer

    Turn safely in the direction of the arrow, subject to people already in the intersection. A green arrow authorizes movement in the arrow’s direction and protects the turn from oncoming or crossing traffic. Full explanation in Test 4

15. 15. How close may an ordinary vehicle follow a firefighting vehicle on an emergency run?

    1. It may follow within 100 feet during daylight
    2. It may follow within 50 feet if its lights are on
    3. It may not follow within 500 feet
    4. It may follow at any distance if traffic is light
    Show answer

    It may not follow within 500 feet. Only vehicles on official emergency business may follow within 500 feet of a firefighting vehicle on an emergency run. Full explanation in Test 5

16. 16. What do Minnesota sign shapes and colors help a driver do before reading a sign up close?

    
    1. Know that the sign applies only during construction
    2. Identify the exact fine for violating the sign
    3. Determine the distance to the nearest service station
    4. Get a general idea of what the sign means
    Show answer

    Get a general idea of what the sign means. Minnesota codes sign shapes and colors so drivers can get a general idea of a sign's meaning before reading its wording up close. Full explanation in Test 6

17. 17. Which of these can get a Minnesota license suspended?

    1. Renewing your license early
    2. Driving 5 mph under the limit in rain
    3. Letting someone use your license to buy alcohol for a person under 21
    4. Carrying a passenger in the back seat
    Show answer

    Letting someone use your license to buy alcohol for a person under 21. Minnesota's suspension list includes using, or allowing someone else to use, your license, permit or ID card to buy tobacco for someone unde Full explanation in Test 7

18. 18. After two consecutive failures of the Minnesota written test, what applies to the third and later attempts?

    1. A $10 fee is charged
    2. A six-month testing ban begins
    3. The applicant must take a road test instead
    4. The applicant permanently loses testing eligibility
    Show answer

    A $10 fee is charged. Minnesota charges a $10 fee for the third written-test attempt and every subsequent attempt after two consecutive failures. Full explanation in Test 8

19. 19. About how fast does the body eliminate alcohol, according to the Minnesota manual?

    1. About three drinks per hour
    2. About one drink per hour
    3. Faster after coffee or a cold shower
    4. About one drink every 15 minutes
    Show answer

    About one drink per hour. The only way to reduce alcohol concentration is to wait. Full explanation in Test 9

20. 20. When must headlights be turned on for the normal daily cycle?

    1. At sunset and continuously until sunrise
    2. Only at midnight and during the morning commute
    3. Only when driving on an unlit freeway
    4. From sunrise until sunset
    Show answer

    At sunset and continuously until sunrise. Minnesota requires headlights from sunset through sunrise, so the normal cycle begins when daylight ends and continues until it returns. Full explanation in Test 10

21. 21. What must a driver do at a flashing red traffic light before proceeding?

    1. Come to a complete stop, yield, and proceed when the intersection is clear
    2. Slow down but continue without stopping if no car is close
    3. Treat it as a green light for the major roadway
    4. Stop only when a pedestrian is already crossing
    Show answer

    Come to a complete stop, yield, and proceed when the intersection is clear. A flashing red light has the same stopping behavior as a stop sign. Full explanation in Test 1

22. 22. Where may a person with a Minnesota Class D license drive a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle?

    1. On streets with speed limits of 35 mph or less
    2. On any street where the driver can reach 35 mph
    3. Only on private property
    4. Only on roads posted at 55 mph or higher
    Show answer

    On streets with speed limits of 35 mph or less. A Class D license permits NEV operation only on streets whose speed limit is 35 mph or less. Full explanation in Test 2

23. 23. How many licensed drivers does Minnesota have, according to the manual?

    1. About 10 million
    2. About 500,000
    3. About 1 million
    4. More than 4.5 million
    Show answer

    More than 4.5 million. The Commissioner's message in the Minnesota Driver's Manual says there are more than 4. Full explanation in Test 3

24. 24. Which group may use strobe lamps under the Minnesota vehicle-equipment rules?

    1. Any truck weighing more than 10,000 pounds
    2. All delivery vans making a daytime stop
    3. Passenger vehicles with a roof-mounted warning sticker
    4. School buses, snow removal equipment, and rural mail carrier vehicles
    Show answer

    School buses, snow removal equipment, and rural mail carrier vehicles. The manual names school buses, snow removal equipment, and rural mail carrier vehicles as vehicles that can use strobe lamps. Full explanation in Test 4

25. 25. How many supervised driving hours must a Minnesota teen log if a parent completes the parent class?

    1. At least 40 hours including 15 nighttime hours; 50 hours without the parent class
    2. 10 hours
    3. 100 hours
    4. 20 hours with no night driving
    Show answer

    At least 40 hours including 15 nighttime hours; 50 hours without the parent class. Parents or guardians have two options: complete a parent class from a Minnesota approved driver education program and submit a log showing a Full explanation in Test 5

26. 26. What does a steady downward green arrow over a reversible lane tell you?

    1. You must leave that lane immediately
    2. The lane is reserved for emergency vehicles
    3. You may drive in the lane below it
    4. Traffic may use the lane only to pass
    Show answer

    You may drive in the lane below it. A steady downward green arrow authorizes travel in the lane directly beneath the signal. Full explanation in Test 6

27. 27. Which of these is listed as grounds for revoking a Minnesota license?

    1. One parking ticket
    2. Failing to renew registration for one week
    3. A single speeding ticket 10 mph over
    4. Pleading guilty to three violations in one year of traffic laws that require a jail sentence
    Show answer

    Pleading guilty to three violations in one year of traffic laws that require a jail sentence. The revocation list includes pleading guilty or forfeiting bail for three violations in a single year of any Minnesota traffic law or ordina Full explanation in Test 7

28. 28. When may a Minnesota driver use hand and arm signals instead of the vehicle's turn signals?

    1. At night whenever the road has streetlights
    2. During daylight hours, when the hand signal can be seen
    3. Only while driving on a freeway
    4. Any time the vehicle's signal bulbs work
    Show answer

    During daylight hours, when the hand signal can be seen. Minnesota permits hand and arm signals during daylight, either in addition to or instead of the vehicle's turn signals. Full explanation in Test 8

29. 29. A Minnesota driver gave false information on a license application. How long is the license canceled?

    1. Permanently
    2. 30 days, whichever comes first
    3. 60 days or until the correct information is provided, whichever is longer
    4. Until age 21
    Show answer

    60 days or until the correct information is provided, whichever is longer. Cancellation applies when a driver has no legal right to the license. Full explanation in Test 9

30. 30. If your headlights suddenly go out on a dark road, which action is recommended first?

    1. Stop in the traffic lane and turn off every electrical system
    2. Use the parking lights, hazard warning lights, or turn signals and guide the vehicle off the road
    3. Accelerate until another vehicle illuminates the roadway
    4. Open the hood immediately while the vehicle is moving
    Show answer

    Use the parking lights, hazard warning lights, or turn signals and guide the vehicle off the road. A sudden loss of headlights does not mean you should remain exposed in a travel lane. Full explanation in Test 10

31. 31. When driving in bad weather or poor road conditions, what speed choice is required?

    1. Drive exactly at the posted limit regardless of visibility
    2. Reduce speed as conditions require
    3. Increase speed to spend less time on the wet pavement
    4. Use the shoulder to avoid slowing in the travel lane
    Show answer

    Reduce speed as conditions require. The posted limit is a maximum, not a command to maintain that speed when conditions become hazardous. Full explanation in Test 1

32. 32. Which stopped vehicles are covered by Minnesota's move-over rule when their warning lights are activated?

    1. Only private passenger vehicles with a flat tire
    2. Only police cars displaying blue lights
    3. Only ambulances on interstate shoulders
    4. Stalled vehicles and listed service, maintenance, utility, construction, postal, and recycling vehicles
    Show answer

    Stalled vehicles and listed service, maintenance, utility, construction, postal, and recycling vehicles. The move-over protection covers stalled or disabled vehicles as well as stopped service patrol, road maintenance, utility, construction, pos Full explanation in Test 2

33. 33. What does this DO NOT ENTER sign mean when it faces your vehicle?

    
    1. Parking is prohibited only during business hours
    2. Enter slowly because cross traffic must yield
    3. Do not enter that lane or road
    4. The road is open in the opposite direction only after dark
    Show answer

    Do not enter that lane or road. A DO NOT ENTER sign means the driver must not enter the lane or road when the sign is facing the vehicle. Full explanation in Test 3

34. 34. When a school bus displays flashing red lights on a divided highway, which traffic is excepted from stopping?

    
    1. Traffic approaching behind the bus on the same roadway
    2. Traffic following the bus in its lane
    3. Traffic traveling in the opposite direction on the other side of the divider
    4. Every vehicle because the roadway is divided
    Show answer

    Traffic traveling in the opposite direction on the other side of the divider. The school-bus exception is narrow: on a divided highway, a driver traveling in the opposite direction is not required to stop for the bus o Full explanation in Test 4

35. 35. What does a green arrow at a Minnesota intersection mean?

    1. You may travel in any direction from the lane
    2. You must stop until a circular green light appears
    3. You may turn only after yielding to every vehicle behind you
    4. You may safely turn in the direction of the arrow
    Show answer

    You may safely turn in the direction of the arrow. A green arrow authorizes travel in the direction it points and protects the turn from oncoming or crossing traffic. Full explanation in Test 5

36. 36. If the vehicle behind you is following too closely, what response does the manual recommend?

    1. Speed up until you are beyond its headlights
    2. Brake sharply to force it to increase space
    3. Slow down slightly and allow that vehicle to pass
    4. Move into the oncoming lane to block the driver
    Show answer

    Slow down slightly and allow that vehicle to pass. A tailgater creates a stressful situation, but retaliation can turn it into a crash. Full explanation in Test 6

37. 37. A Minnesota applicant under 18 has no living parents or guardian. Who may sign the license application?

    1. A close family member, an employer, or a spouse who is at least 18
    2. Only a court-appointed guardian named later
    3. A 16 year old sibling
    4. Nobody, so the teen must wait until 18
    Show answer

    A close family member, an employer, or a spouse who is at least 18. Normally a parent, court-appointed guardian, county foster parent or transitional living program director approves a minor's application. Full explanation in Test 7

38. 38. When must Minnesota drivers turn on their headlights?

    1. Only after midnight on roads outside cities
    2. At sunset until sunrise, and during listed weather or visibility conditions
    3. Only while driving in snow
    4. Only when another driver flashes headlights first
    Show answer

    At sunset until sunrise, and during listed weather or visibility conditions. Minnesota requires headlights from sunset through sunrise, but the obligation also covers rain, snow, hail, sleet, fog, and any time the roa Full explanation in Test 8

39. 39. When may a driver exceed a 55 mph posted limit by up to 10 mph under Minnesota's speed rule?

    1. While lawfully passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway
    2. Whenever the road is empty
    3. When merging onto any freeway
    4. Whenever the driver is late
    Show answer

    While lawfully passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway. Minnesota permits the 10 mph increase only while lawfully passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway whose speed limit is 55 mph or highe Full explanation in Test 9

40. 40. What action is prohibited inside a Minnesota roundabout?

    1. Changing lanes
    2. Yielding to vehicles already circulating
    3. Following the lane selected before entry
    4. Exiting when the driver's route is reached
    Show answer

    Changing lanes. Once inside a Minnesota roundabout, a driver must not stop, pass, or change lanes. Full explanation in Test 10