Where to Take the Written Permit Test and Eye Test in Minnesota

The first administrative hurdle on the road to a Minnesota driver's license is the written knowledge test plus the vision screening. Both are given at DVS exam stations — and importantly, not at every license center or deputy registrar. This guide explains the difference, lists the stations that have testing, and walks through what to bring so you don't waste a trip.

Quick answer: Both the written test and the vision screening are administered at DVS exam stations operated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (Driver and Vehicle Services). You must book an appointment at dps.mn.gov or by calling 651-284-1234. The test is multiple-choice and true-or-false, available in seven languages on computer, and you must score 80% to pass.

Exam stations vs. deputy registrars vs. license centers — what's the difference?

Minnesota's DVS network can be confusing because three different kinds of office serve drivers, and only one of them gives the test:

• Exam station (run by the state). These are the DVS-operated offices that give the written knowledge test, vision screening, and the actual road test. Examples: Arden Hills, Plymouth (Pilgrim Lane), Eagan, Lakeville, Rochester, Duluth.
• License center. These are larger DVS-affiliated offices that often combine an exam station with title and tab services. They may or may not test on a given day — always check ahead.
• Deputy registrar. Local offices, sometimes county-run, that do plate tabs, vehicle title transfers, registration, and (in some cases) license renewals. Deputy registrars do not give the written or road test. Showing up to a deputy registrar to take your test is one of the most common rookie mistakes.

When in doubt, search for "DVS exam station" rather than "DMV" — the search results will be cleaner.

Stations across the Twin Cities and Minnesota

This list reflects long-standing DVS exam-station locations. Hours, services, and whether a given location accepts walk-ins change frequently — always confirm at dps.mn.gov before going.

Twin Cities metro:

• Arden Hills (Town Square area)
• Plymouth (Pilgrim Lane)
• Eagan
• Anoka
• Maple Grove
• Lakeville
• Hastings
• Faribault

Outstate Minnesota:

• Rochester
• Duluth
• St. Cloud
• Mankato
• Brainerd
• Marshall
• Bemidji
• Fergus Falls
• Detroit Lakes
• Worthington
• Owatonna
• Albert Lea

The full and current list, plus same-day appointment availability, is at dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs → "License & ID" → "Find a location."

How to book an appointment

Two routes:

1. Online (faster). Go to dps.mn.gov and choose "Schedule a knowledge or skills test." Pick a station, pick a service ("written test," "vision screening," or both at once), and pick a slot. You'll need a valid email address.
2. Phone. Call 651-284-1234 (or 1-800-657-3000 outside the metro). The DVS phone line has long hold times in mid-2026 — most days 30–60 minutes — but can book at stations that don't show online availability.

A few stations have walk-in vision screenings during slow periods, but you cannot count on this for the written test.

What you bring on test day

Showing up without these means you will be turned away:

• An accepted form of identification. For a standard license: a current or recently expired Minnesota license/ID/permit OR two documents that together prove your full name and date of birth (birth certificate, U.S. passport, Social Security card). For REAL ID, the requirements are stricter — see the DVS website for the full list.
• Proof of Minnesota residency (two documents) if you're applying for REAL ID.
• Driver education enrollment certificate (the so-called "blue card" or "pink card") if you are under 18.
• Glasses or contact lenses if you wear them. The vision screening tests your corrected vision, so wear what you would wear behind the wheel.
• Application fee. Roughly $11.25 for a standard instruction permit application. Card or cash; some stations don't accept checks.

You do not need to bring your own pen, pencil, or scratch paper.

What the written test is actually like

• Format: A mix of multiple-choice and true-or-false questions.
• Number of questions: 40 questions on the most recent statewide format. (The state has reduced and expanded the count over the years, so always defer to what the DVS shows on the day.)
• Pass mark: 80% — meaning you can miss 8 out of 40 and still pass.
• Time limit: None in practice. Most people finish in 20–35 minutes.
• Format options: Computer (most common) or paper. Computer tests in English, Spanish, Somali, Russian, Vietnamese, Hmong, and Karen, with optional audio headphones.
• Retakes: One per day. The third and subsequent retakes carry a $10 fee.
• Topics: Roughly 60% traffic laws and rules of the road; 25% road signs (you should be able to identify each shape and color and know what action they require); 15% safe-driving practices including alcohol and impaired driving.

If you study the manual once cover to cover, take two practice tests, and review the road-sign chapter, the typical first-time pass rate in Minnesota is around 70%. People who study only the practice tests without reading the manual tend to hover around 45%.

The vision screening, step by step

1. The technician asks you to remove sunglasses (but keep prescription glasses or contacts on).
2. You look into a viewer and read a row of letters or numbers — usually two attempts, one per eye, then both together.
3. You look at a peripheral-vision indicator that flashes lights at the edges; you press a button when you see them.
4. They check that you can identify red and green color blocks (basic color recognition for traffic lights).

The whole thing takes 90 seconds. The standards are 20/40 corrected and at least 105° of peripheral vision. If your peripheral vision is below 105°, DVS will issue a "DVS-43" form for you to take to an eye doctor. The eye doctor's report decides whether you can be licensed.

After you pass

Passing the written test plus the vision screening means you can apply for an instruction permit the same day at the same station (in most stations). The permit is a paper card that lets you practice driving with a supervising driver age 21 or older. It is valid for two years.

You cannot drive home from the exam station alone with a permit — you need an adult licensed driver in the passenger seat for the return trip.

Common reasons people are turned away

• Showed up to a deputy registrar by mistake.
• Forgot the parental signature (under 18).
• No valid ID for REAL ID applications.
• Brought sunglasses but not prescription glasses, then can't see the eye chart.
• No appointment, and the station has no walk-in slots that day.
• Tried to test in a language not offered at that station — call ahead if you need a non-English test.

A short checklist the night before saves a wasted trip: appointment confirmed, ID in wallet, glasses with me, fee available, station address (not a deputy registrar) saved.

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This article is based on the 2025 Minnesota Class D Driver's Manual (May 2025 edition, page 15) and the Minnesota DVS public website at dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs. Station locations, hours, and fees change — always confirm at dps.mn.gov before traveling.