Coronavirus: Minnesota Driver's License, Vehicle Tabs, And More

William Bornhoft
·2 min read

TWIN CITIES, MN — The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services division has closed all exam stations to follow the "stay at home" new coronavirus order. Offices will stay closed through April 10, when the executive order is set to expire.

Independently owned and operated deputy registrar and driver’s license agent offices that provide driver and vehicle services will also be closed during this time. Many offices have already closed due to COVID-19 concerns.

Minnesotans will not have access to a number of services, including renewing their driver’s licenses or ID cards, during this time.

Driver’s Licenses and ID Cards

Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill into law March 28 that provides an extension for Minnesotans whose driver's licenses or ID cards expire during the peacetime emergency.

The law extends the expiration date for any valid driver's license, instruction permit, provisional license, operator's permit, limited license, and farm work license that would expire during the peacetime emergency. The expiration dates for these licenses will be extended for two months after the month the peacetime emergency ends.

Vehicle Registration

Minnesotans will still be able to renew vehicle registrations online and by mail during the peacetime emergency. As such, there are no extensions for expired or expiring vehicle registrations.

  • Renew vehicle registration for a car, pickup under 1 ton or SUV online at drive.mn.gov.

  • Mail your vehicle registration by sending the bottom half of your renewal notice with your check or money order made payable to DVS Renewal to: DVS RenewalPO Box 64587St. Paul, MN 55164-0587

Minnesotans have until the last day of the expiration month to renew their vehicle registration. They must display their registration stickers by the 10th of the following month.

For example, Minnesotans whose vehicle registration expires in April have until April 30 to renew their registration and until May 10 to display the new stickers on their license plates.

DVS will continue to receive and process mailed renewals, deposit checks and mail license plates and stickers to customers.

Road Tests

Anyone who has a class D, commercial driver’s license (CDL) or motorcycle road test appointment scheduled during this time will receive a cancellation notice by email or text message. DPS-DVS is committed to making sure anyone affected by these road test cancellations is able to obtain a new appointment as soon as possible. Once normal operations resume, DPS-DVS will call, email or text those affected to offer the first available day and time for their road test.

Submitted Applications

Some DVS staff will continue teleworking and processing previously submitted driver’s license and ID card applications, including REAL ID and enhanced driver’s license and ID card applications.

This article originally appeared on the Southwest Minneapolis Patch