Minnesota Traffic Laws: Points, Tickets, License Suspension and DUI
Minnesota driving rules: point system, speeding points, traffic school, how to pay or fight a ticket, license suspension, DUI limits and penalties.
Quick answers for Minnesota
- Point system
- Minnesota's official driver materials do not describe a point system. Instead, DVS can suspend a license for repeated violations; Minnesota DPS, Driver compliance limited license; Minnesota Driver's Manual ch. 7
- Points for speeding
- No points are assigned. By law, DVS does not keep on a driver's record a conviction for speeding in a 55 mph zone unless it was more than 10 mph over, or in a 60 mph zone unless it was more than 5 mph over. Minn. Stat. § 171.12, subd. 6
- Legal BAC limit
- 0.08 for most drivers; 0.04 for commercial vehicle drivers. A driver can be arrested for DWI at 0.04 if alcohol caused driving errors. Drivers under 21 may not drive while consuming or after consuming alcohol ('Not a Drop' law). Minn. Stat. §§ 169A.20, 169A.33; Minnesota Driver's Manual ch. 8
- First-offense DUI penalties
- A first DWI without aggravating factors is fourth-degree DWI, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. Minn. Stat. §§ 169A.27, 609.02, 171.178; Minnesota Driver's Manual ch. 8
Last verified: 2026-10-27
Tickets and points
| Point system | Minnesota's official driver materials do not describe a point system. Instead, DVS can suspend a license for repeated violations; DPS lists 'habitual violations' (four or five violations in 12 months, or five or more in 24 months) as grounds for suspension. No official page was found that expressly states 'Minnesota has no point system.' |
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| Points for speeding | No points are assigned. By law, DVS does not keep on a driver's record a conviction for speeding in a 55 mph zone unless it was more than 10 mph over, or in a 60 mph zone unless it was more than 5 mph over. This exception does not apply to commercial vehicles or CDL holders. Source: Minn. Stat. § 171.12, subd. 6 |
| Traffic school | No statewide traffic school that removes points was found. In Hennepin County, a Hearing Officer may offer options such as a continuance for dismissal with payment of prosecution costs, community work service, or a driving class to pay off a fine, depending on the case and violation history. This describes one county's practice; options vary by county. |
| Paying or fighting a ticket | Paying the fine on a payable citation is a guilty plea, and certain offenses are then reported to the DPS driving record. A driver who believes they are not guilty can meet with a court Hearing Officer (by video or walk-in in Hennepin County) and, if the case does not settle, ask for a court hearing. A person has 30 days to respond to a citation from the date it is entered in the court's system; after that, fees are added, and for a petty misdemeanor the right to a court hearing is waived if the person does not appear within 30 days (Minn. Stat. § 169.91). An unpaid citation may lead to license suspension or collections. Procedures are described on the Hennepin County page; other counties may differ. |
License suspension
| License suspension | DVS may suspend a license for repeated traffic violations, a violation contributing to a serious crash, failing to appear in court or pay a fine on a motor vehicle violation, a misdemeanor traffic conviction, unpaid child support, and (for drivers under 21) driving after consuming alcohol, among other reasons. A license is revoked for failing or refusing an alcohol test. Driving without insurance brings a 30–365 day revocation upon conviction. |
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| Hardship or restricted license | DVS may issue a limited license during some suspensions or revocations, once mandatory waiting periods are met. It allows driving only for work, chemical dependency treatment or counseling, and school. Only one limited license is allowed in a 24-month period. For DWI/implied consent, a limited license is available for a first offense on record (or a second with the first more than 10 years old) only if the test was 0.15 or below or the person refused the test. |
| Checking and reinstating a license | Check your status with the driving privilege lookup on the Department of Public Safety's online services site, by contacting Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), or at a local exam station. DVS mails a notice of withdrawal to the address on your record listing the requirements to reinstate. Reinstatement fees: $680 for revocations involving alcohol, drugs or criminal vehicular operation; $30 for other revocations, including no-fault insurance revocation; $20 for a suspended license, a no-fault insurance suspension, or a CDL disqualification. Pay online through the Reinstatement Fee Payment service with your license, permit or ID number, a bank account and routing number (credit and debit cards are not accepted), and a DVS letter issued after October 1, 2018 with a Letter ID. Fees: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/license-and-id/dl-and-id-card-fees |
DUI / DWI
| Legal BAC limit | 0.08 for most drivers; 0.04 for commercial vehicle drivers. A driver can be arrested for DWI at 0.04 if alcohol caused driving errors. Drivers under 21 may not drive while consuming or after consuming alcohol ('Not a Drop' law). |
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| First-offense DUI penalties | A first DWI without aggravating factors is fourth-degree DWI, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. For a test failure with no prior incidents in 20 years, the license is revoked for at least 90 days (at least 180 days if under 21 and below twice the legal limit; at least 1 year at twice the legal limit or more). The DVS manual says the revocation may be 30 days with a guilty plea, a work permit is not available until 15 days have passed (and not at 0.16 or above), and ignition interlock is optional for first offenders. Reinstatement after an alcohol-related revocation costs $680. Aggravating factors (a prior incident within 10 years, BAC of 0.16 or more, or a child under 16 in the vehicle) raise the degree of the offense. |
| When a DUI is a felony | First-degree DWI is a felony (up to 7 years in prison and/or a $14,000 fine, plus mandatory penalties). It applies when the person: (1) commits DWI within 10 years of the first of three or more 'qualified prior impaired driving incidents' (prior DWI convictions or impaired-driving license revocations), so it is generally a fourth DWI incident within 10 years; (2) has a previous felony DWI conviction; or (3) has a previous felony conviction for substance-related criminal vehicular homicide or injury. |
| Refusing a breath test | A driver an officer has probable cause to believe is impaired must submit to a blood, breath or urine test; refusing is a crime. Refusal with no qualified prior impaired driving incident in the past 20 years results in a license revocation of at least one year; with a prior incident, revocation lasts until the person completes the required ignition interlock period. The DVS manual says refusal leads to revocation of one to six years depending on the number of offenses. |
| DUI lookback period | 10 years for criminal penalties: a qualified prior impaired driving incident within the ten years immediately before the current offense is an aggravating factor that raises the degree of DWI; a fourth DWI within 10 years is a felony. License revocation periods count prior incidents within the past 20 years. |
| How long a DUI stays on your record | Minnesota law requires the driving record for alcohol-related offenses and licensing actions — prior impaired driving convictions and impaired driving-related license revocations — to be kept permanently. Most other convictions must be kept at least five years. The alcohol concentration test result is also recorded on the driving record for a DWI conviction or revocation. Whether and when a DWI can be sealed from the criminal record under Minnesota's expungement law was not confirmed for DWI specifically. |
| Sobriety checkpoints | No. In Ascher v. Commissioner of Public Safety (1994), the Minnesota Supreme Court held that police could not conduct sobriety checkpoints, reasoning that they were an unlawful invasion of privacy and that officers must have reasonable suspicion of a violation before stopping a motorist. Source is a 2005 state agency report (Invasive Species Annual Report for 2004) describing the ruling; the court opinion itself was not read. |
Phones and distracted driving
| Phone and texting laws | Minnesota is hands-free: while a vehicle is moving or part of traffic, a driver may not hold a wireless device in one or both hands, or use it to send or read messages, make calls (including video calls), or access video, audio, images, games or apps. Exceptions include voice-activated or hands-free calls and messages, GPS and audio that do not require typing or scrolling while driving (without holding the device), emergencies, and authorized emergency vehicles. A second or later violation carries a $275 fine. Source: Minn. Stat. § 169.475 |
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Where to get help in Minnesota
Traffic Tickets & DUI FAQ
How does the driver point system work in Minnesota?
Minnesota's official driver materials do not describe a point system. Instead, DVS can suspend a license for repeated violations; DPS lists 'habitual violations' (four or five violations in 12 months, or five or more in 24 months) as grounds for suspension.
How many points is a speeding ticket in Minnesota?
No points are assigned. By law, DVS does not keep on a driver's record a conviction for speeding in a 55 mph zone unless it was more than 10 mph over, or in a 60 mph zone unless it was more than 5 mph over. This exception does not apply to commercial vehicles or CDL holders.
Can traffic school remove a ticket or points in Minnesota?
No statewide traffic school that removes points was found. In Hennepin County, a Hearing Officer may offer options such as a continuance for dismissal with payment of prosecution costs, community work service, or a driving class to pay off a fine, depending on the case and violation history.
How do I check if my license is suspended and get it reinstated in Minnesota?
Check your status with the driving privilege lookup on the Department of Public Safety's online services site, by contacting Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), or at a local exam station. DVS mails a notice of withdrawal to the address on your record listing the requirements to reinstate. Reinstatement fees: $680 for revocations involving alcohol, drugs or criminal vehicular operation; $30 for other revocations, including no-fault insurance revocation; $20 for a suspended license, a no-fault insurance suspension, or a CDL disqualification. Pay online through the Reinstatement Fee Payment service with your license, permit or ID number, a bank account and routing number (credit and debit cards are not accepted), and a DVS letter issued after October 1, 2018 with a Letter ID.
How do you pay or contest a traffic ticket in Minnesota?
Paying the fine on a payable citation is a guilty plea, and certain offenses are then reported to the DPS driving record. A driver who believes they are not guilty can meet with a court Hearing Officer (by video or walk-in in Hennepin County) and, if the case does not settle, ask for a court hearing. A person has 30 days to respond to a citation from the date it is entered in the court's system; after that, fees are added, and for a petty misdemeanor the right to a court hearing is waived if the person does not appear within 30 days (Minn. Stat. § 169.91). An unpaid citation may lead to license suspension or collections.
What gets your license suspended in Minnesota?
DVS may suspend a license for repeated traffic violations, a violation contributing to a serious crash, failing to appear in court or pay a fine on a motor vehicle violation, a misdemeanor traffic conviction, unpaid child support, and (for drivers under 21) driving after consuming alcohol, among other reasons. A license is revoked for failing or refusing an alcohol test. Driving without insurance brings a 30–365 day revocation upon conviction.
What is the legal blood alcohol limit in Minnesota?
0.08 for most drivers; 0.04 for commercial vehicle drivers. A driver can be arrested for DWI at 0.04 if alcohol caused driving errors. Drivers under 21 may not drive while consuming or after consuming alcohol ('Not a Drop' law).
What is the penalty for a first DUI in Minnesota?
A first DWI without aggravating factors is fourth-degree DWI, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. For a test failure with no prior incidents in 20 years, the license is revoked for at least 90 days (at least 180 days if under 21 and below twice the legal limit; at least 1 year at twice the legal limit or more). The DVS manual says the revocation may be 30 days with a guilty plea, a work permit is not available until 15 days have passed (and not at 0.16 or above), and ignition interlock is optional for first offenders. Reinstatement after an alcohol-related revocation costs $680.
What happens if you refuse a breathalyzer in Minnesota?
A driver an officer has probable cause to believe is impaired must submit to a blood, breath or urine test; refusing is a crime. Refusal with no qualified prior impaired driving incident in the past 20 years results in a license revocation of at least one year; with a prior incident, revocation lasts until the person completes the required ignition interlock period. The DVS manual says refusal leads to revocation of one to six years depending on the number of offenses.
How long does a DUI count as a prior offense in Minnesota?
10 years for criminal penalties: a qualified prior impaired driving incident within the ten years immediately before the current offense is an aggravating factor that raises the degree of DWI; a fourth DWI within 10 years is a felony. License revocation periods count prior incidents within the past 20 years.
Can you get a hardship license in Minnesota?
DVS may issue a limited license during some suspensions or revocations, once mandatory waiting periods are met. It allows driving only for work, chemical dependency treatment or counseling, and school. Only one limited license is allowed in a 24-month period. For DWI/implied consent, a limited license is available for a first offense on record (or a second with the first more than 10 years old) only if the test was 0.15 or below or the person refused the test.
Is it illegal to hold your phone while driving in Minnesota?
Minnesota is hands-free: while a vehicle is moving or part of traffic, a driver may not hold a wireless device in one or both hands, or use it to send or read messages, make calls (including video calls), or access video, audio, images, games or apps. Exceptions include voice-activated or hands-free calls and messages, GPS and audio that do not require typing or scrolling while driving (without holding the device), emergencies, and authorized emergency vehicles. A second or later violation carries a $275 fine.
Is a DUI a felony in Minnesota?
First-degree DWI is a felony (up to 7 years in prison and/or a $14,000 fine, plus mandatory penalties). It applies when the person: (1) commits DWI within 10 years of the first of three or more 'qualified prior impaired driving incidents' (prior DWI convictions or impaired-driving license revocations), so it is generally a fourth DWI incident within 10 years; (2) has a previous felony DWI conviction; or (3) has a previous felony conviction for substance-related criminal vehicular homicide or injury.
How long does a DUI stay on your record in Minnesota?
Minnesota law requires the driving record for alcohol-related offenses and licensing actions — prior impaired driving convictions and impaired driving-related license revocations — to be kept permanently. Most other convictions must be kept at least five years. The alcohol concentration test result is also recorded on the driving record for a DWI conviction or revocation. Whether and when a DWI can be sealed from the criminal record under Minnesota's expungement law was not confirmed for DWI specifically.
Are DUI checkpoints legal in Minnesota?
No. In Ascher v. Commissioner of Public Safety (1994), the Minnesota Supreme Court held that police could not conduct sobriety checkpoints, reasoning that they were an unlawful invasion of privacy and that officers must have reasonable suspicion of a violation before stopping a motorist.
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.