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Fact Sheet: Driver’s Licenses for All – March 2023
Posted on Mar 15 2023
Current as of March 14, 2023
On March 7, 2023, Governor Tim Walz signed Driver’s Licenses for All into law. The law will go into effect on October 1, 2023. This fact sheet summarizes the new law only.
Over the next few months, the Department of Public Safety (DPS), ILCM, and our partners will be preparing other resources to help you prepare to apply for a driver’s license. For the latest resources, please visit www.ilcm.org.
To make this fact sheet easier to read, we refer to “driver’s licenses” throughout, but state identification cards are also available under the new law.
Who can obtain a driver’s license under the new law?
Starting October 1, all Minnesotans can obtain a driver’s license regardless of immigration status. To obtain a driver’s license, an applicant who is 21 or older must prove their identity, pass the vision test, and pass the written and driving tests. The requirements for applicants who are between 16 and 21 are different.
What kind of driver’s license is available under the Driver’s Licenses for All law?
Starting October 1, all Minnesotans will be eligible for a standard Class D driver’s license regardless of immigration status. There will be no markings on the license indicating citizenship or immigration status. There are two other licenses available in Minnesota: enhanced and Real ID driver’s licenses. To obtain an enhanced or Real ID license, an applicant must prove citizenship or a qualifying immigration status.
What kind of documents can be used to prove identity?
Applicants for standard Class D driver’s licenses are already able to use the identity documents listed here to prove their identity. Starting October 1, applicants will also be able to use several foreign and immigration documents to prove their identity. These documents include the following, and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) will publish a longer list of acceptable documents closer to October 1:
- Foreign passport
- Foreign birth certificate
- Foreign adoption certificate
- Certain immigration filing and approval notices
Do I need to provide proof of citizenship or immigration status to obtain a Class D driver’s license?
Starting October 1, applicants for standard Class D driver’s licenses do not need to provide proof of citizenship or immigration status to obtain a driver’s license. In fact, DPS is not allowed to ask applicants for Class D driver’s licenses about their citizenship or immigration status.
What are the privacy protections in the Driver’s Licenses for All law?
Starting October 1, there will be strict restrictions on DPS’s ability to share information outside the agency about someone who holds a Class D driver’s license.
First, DPS is not allowed to share any information about an individual’s citizenship or immigration status. There is one exception: DPS can share this data with the Minnesota Secretary of State (SOS) to improve voter registration records.
Second, DPS is not allowed to share any information about individuals who have applied for or received a Class D driver’s license with ICE unless DPS is ordered by a court to do so.
Third, if DPS shares any information outside the agency about individuals who have applied for or received a Class D driver’s license, the receiving agency must sign a certification that they will not share the information with ICE or use the information to enforce immigration laws.
Printable PDF of this fact sheet.
Hoja informativa de ILCM: Licencias de conducir para Todos – Español/Spanish