Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services Division

The Minnesota written test, explained

People say written test, DVS paperwork says knowledge test. Same exam. Nobody hands you a pencil anymore: you answer on a screen. What matters is the scoring, and here it is with nothing rounded off.

40
Questions
Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor, Driver Examination Stations evaluation report (2021), page 12, verified 2026-08-28
32
Correct to pass
32 of 40 (80%)
Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor, Driver Examination Stations evaluation report (2021), page 12, verified 2026-08-28

What the questions cover

Everything comes back to the Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 171 (Drivers' Licenses and Training Schools), with testing rules in Minnesota Rules Chapter 7410: traffic signals and signs, right of way, speed rules, passing and lane use, parking, alcohol limits, and the licensing rules that apply to new drivers. The exam is multiple choice with one correct answer per question.

How to prepare without wasting evenings

Reading rules is passive; retrieval is what sticks. Take a full-length run in the real format, read the explanation on every miss, and let the review deck bring your weak spots back tomorrow. Most people are consistently passing practice runs within a week of short daily sessions.

Take the free Minnesota practice test