How to Pass the Minnesota Driving Test After Failing It

Failing the Minnesota road test is more common than people think — especially on the parallel-parking and 90-degree backing maneuvers — and the second, third, and fourth attempts get expensive fast. This guide walks through exactly what the DVS examiner checks, what counts as an automatic fail, and the twelve things that move the pass rate the most.

Quick answer: The MN road test has three parts (safety equipment, vehicle control, driving performance). Failing 2 times costs $20 per retest. Failing 4 times forces you into 6 hours of paid behind-the-wheel instruction before you can try again. Most failures are caused by the same three errors: rolling stops, missed mirror checks, and not looking far enough ahead.

What the test actually measures

Minnesota's road test is run by an examiner from the Department of Public Safety — Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS). It has three parts and they happen in this order:

1. Safety equipment demonstration. Before you leave the parking lot the examiner will ask you to point to and operate: seat adjustment, seat belts, parking brake, headlights (high and low beams), four-way flashers, horn, windshield wipers, defroster and fan, mirrors, and the fuel gauge. None of this is a trick — but if you fumble for the rear defrost or the high-beam toggle, you start the test rattled.

2. Vehicle-control skills (the closed-course portion). This is where most failures happen. You will be asked to perform parallel parking, parking on a hill, and a 90-degree backing maneuver that simulates backing into a 10-foot-wide driveway or parking spot. Curbing the wheels — even lightly — usually counts as a fail. Hitting a cone is an automatic fail.

3. Driving performance test (on the road). The examiner will direct you through a route that includes intersections, lane changes, right and left turns, residential streets, and (depending on the location) one or two short stretches of higher-speed road. They are scoring you on how you observe pedestrians and other drivers, your use of marked and unmarked lanes, your speed control, and how you respond to signs and signals.

The seven mistakes that cause an automatic fail

These are listed directly in the Minnesota Class D Driver's Manual:

1. Disobeying any traffic law (running a stop sign, missing a red light, illegal lane change).
2. Driving dangerously, carelessly, or recklessly.
3. Inability to control the vehicle without examiner assistance.
4. Causing a crash that could have been avoided.
5. Refusing to follow the examiner's instructions.
6. Hitting a curb hard during parking maneuvers (some examiners count any curb contact).
7. Asking the examiner to help you operate the controls (turn signals, wipers, etc.).

If any of these happen, the examiner ends the test on the spot — even if you only made it five minutes in.

What you bring on test day

You will be turned away if any of these are missing:

• Your valid instruction permit (not expired).
• Current proof of insurance in your name on the test vehicle (the original card or policy — not a screenshot, photo, or expired card).
• A vehicle that meets the requirements: doors open from inside and outside, working seat belts, headlights, taillights, turn signals, and brake lights. No NEVs (neighborhood electric vehicles).
• Under-18 only: the supervised driving log (40 hours, or 50 if a parent did not take the parent-awareness class) and the certificate of behind-the-wheel completion ("White Card").
• Backup camera is allowed but cannot be your only way of looking behind you.

You will be turned away during the test if:

• A passenger is in the car (no parents, no friends, no pets, no interpreters).
• You smoke in the vehicle, use a phone, or run a parking-assist feature for parallel parking.
• The dashboard or floor has loose objects.

Retake fees and the 4-failure rule

Minnesota's DVS does not cap the number of attempts, but it does increase the cost and the prerequisites:

Attempt	Cost	Extra requirements
1st & 2nd	Standard road test fee	None
3rd & beyond	$20 per retest	None
5th and beyond	$20 per retest	Must complete 6+ hours of behind-the-wheel with a licensed instructor before scheduling

The 6-hour requirement after the 4th failure is the one that catches people off guard. A licensed BTW instructor in the Twin Cities typically charges $80–$120 per hour, so the practical cost of a 5th attempt is closer to $500–$700, not $20.

Twelve practical tips that actually move the needle

These are ranked by how often they show up in failure reports — top of the list = biggest impact:

1. Come to a full, complete stop. A "rolling stop" at a stop sign is the single most common failure cause. Stop, count to one, then go.
2. Check mirrors every 5–8 seconds and visibly turn your head before lane changes. The examiner is watching your head, not your eyes.
3. Do a full 360° check before backing. Look over both shoulders, then watch through the rear window — not just the camera.
4. Practice the 90-degree backing maneuver in a real parking lot. Set up two cones 10 feet apart and back in until you can do it without looking at the camera.
5. Keep both hands on the wheel at the 9-and-3 (or 8-and-4) positions. Hand-over-hand turns are fine; one-hand cruising is not.
6. Signal early — at least 100 feet before any turn or lane change. Forgetting the signal is the second most common point loss.
7. Don't curb the wheels during parallel parking. It's better to take an extra forward-and-back correction than to hit the curb once.
8. Drive 3–5 mph under the limit only when necessary. Driving too slow is graded almost as harshly as too fast — match traffic.
9. Look 12–15 seconds ahead on the road, not just at the bumper in front of you. Examiners can tell.
10. Narrate the action mentally: "Mirror, signal, blind spot, turn." Forgetting steps is the killer.
11. Take the same test-day route a few times beforehand in your practice car, especially around the test station (Hastings, Plymouth, Eagan, Arden Hills, etc.). Familiarity removes 80% of the panic.
12. Sleep 8 hours and eat before the test. Tired and hungry brains fail tests they would otherwise pass.

What to do specifically after a failure

The examiner will hand you a score sheet listing every error with a number-coded reason. Don't throw it away — it is the single most useful tool for the next attempt. Group the errors into three buckets:

• Maneuver-specific (e.g. parallel parking, hill parking) → drill those exact maneuvers in the same lot for a few hours.
• Observation (mirrors, head checks) → fix this with a friend riding along and calling "mirror!" every 8 seconds for an entire 30-minute drive.
• Rule-based (signals, stop lines, speed) → re-read Chapters 3 and 4 of the Minnesota Driver's Manual.

Schedule the retest only when you can pass each maneuver three times in a row in your own practice. Showing up sooner is usually wasted money.

A note on the location

Test stations in the Twin Cities differ in route difficulty. Many drivers find Hastings, Faribault, and Plymouth (Pilgrim Lane) easier than Eagan or Arden Hills (Town Square), and some students travel an hour for a test station with a less-trafficked route. There is no rule against this — you can take the test at any station that has appointments.

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This article is based on the official 2025 Minnesota Class D Driver's Manual (May 2025 edition, pages 15–17) and the Minnesota DVS public website at dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs. It is informational and does not replace the manual or DVS guidance. Fees and rules change — always confirm at dps.mn.gov before your appointment.