Minnesota Permit Waiting Period Before the Road Test: Age-Based Hold Rules and Earliest Test Date

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Minnesota law requires 6 hours of professional behind-the-wheel training for teens under 18. Adults 18+ have no state requirement for professional instruction.

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How Many Behind-the-Wheel Hours Does Minnesota Require for Teen Drivers?

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Minnesota law requires 6 hours of professional behind-the-wheel training for all applicants under 18. Adults 18 and older face no state requirement for professional instruction.

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• Teens Under 18: Must complete exactly 6 hours with a certified instructor. This training happens in three 2-hour sessions typically.
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• 40-Hour Option Available: Parents can complete an approved supplemental class to reduce supervised practice from 50 to 40 hours total.
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• Adults 18+: No professional driving instruction required by law. Must hold instruction permit for 6 months (age 18) or 3 months (age 19+).
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A Rochester teen thought 50 parent practice hours replaced the 6-hour professional requirement. They got turned away at DVS for missing their completion certificate, delaying their test by weeks.

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Can Minnesota Parents Teach Behind-the-Wheel Instead of a Driving School

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Parents can teach the supervised practice hours, but the 6-hour professional instruction requirement for under-18 drivers must come from a DPS-licensed school. Homeschool families still need a licensed school for BTW training.

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• Approved Instructor Requirements: The 6 hours must be completed with a state-licensed commercial driving school or school district program using dual-control vehicles.
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• No Parent-Taught Option: Minnesota does not allow parents to teach the mandatory 6 hours, unlike some other states.
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• Homeschool Exception: Homeschool parents can teach the 30-hour classroom portion but must still use a commercial school for behind-the-wheel training.
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A family moving from Texas to Edina asked about Parent Taught programs. They learned Minnesota requires commercial schools for behind-the-wheel hours - a key difference from Texas rules.

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Parents who complete the supplemental class can reduce supervised practice to 40 hours instead of 50.

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What Certificate Does Minnesota DVS Require from Behind-the-Wheel Training?

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DPS-licensed schools issue a Certificate of Completion for the BTW component. This certificate, combined with the Blue Card, is required at your DVS permit appointment if you are under 18.

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• Electronic Certificate: After June 30, 2025, driving schools email electronic completion proof instead of physical White Cards. Show this at your road test.
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• DVS Test Maneuvers: Training teaches specific test requirements like 90-degree backing and parallel parking using exact grading criteria.
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• Worth It for Adults: Most adult beginners need 6-10 hours to learn safety skills and pass confidently, even though not required.
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Training Type	Typical Cost	Best For
Full Teen Bundle (Class + Drive)	$400 - $550	Teens needing both classroom and behind-the-wheel certificates
Behind-the-Wheel Only	$250 - $400	Teens who finished classroom elsewhere
Adult Lessons	$60 - $90/hour	Adults seeking optional safety skills

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An 18-year-old in Minneapolis skipped lessons, thinking permit holding time was enough practice. They failed parallel parking twice at Eagan, paying extra fees and waiting months for retests.

The Minnesota learner's permit guide has full eligibility details.

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Study the Minnesota Driver's Manual for specific road test maneuvers and safety requirements.

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What Paperwork Do Minnesota Behind-the-Wheel Students Need Before DVS

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Bring the BTW certificate, your Blue Card, Form PS33100, identity documents, and $29.50. Pre-apply at drive.mn.gov to cut counter time at your exam station appointment.

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• Supervised Driving Log: Present a printed, signed log showing 40 or 50 hours practice (15 at night). Digital phone logs often get rejected at the counter.
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• Pre-Apply Online: Complete the pre-application at drive.mn.gov before your DVS visit to skip hand-filling forms in busy lobbies.
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• Electronic Completion Proof: Ensure your driving school emails the electronic certificate after training completion.
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Book Tuesday or Wednesday mornings at Plymouth exam station to avoid long afternoon waits that cause rushed, mistake-prone tests.

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Test your vehicle's brake lights, turn signals, and horn before the exam. A burned-out brake light causes automatic failure at St. Cloud DVS, requiring immediate rescheduling fees.

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Pay the $11 instruction permit fee online after pre-applying. Show payment confirmation at DVS to skip the payment line and cut office visit time in half.

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Download the supervised driving log form PS33202 to track your practice hours properly. Check approved homeschool materials if teaching classroom portions yourself.