Today, the Minnesota Senate passed legislation aimed at improving wait times for Minnesotans taking driver’s tests and written permit tests. The bill, Senate File 4, would allow written permit tests to be offered at deputy registrar offices, high schools, libraries, or other third-party locations. Providing permit tests at these additional locations will cut down on lines at Department of Vehicle Services (DVS) locations, reduce scheduling at testing centers, and allow DVS to focus on scheduling the thousands of people waiting to get their driver’s license.

“I consistently hear from frustrated parents who have been trying, sometimes for months, to get their children in for a permit test or driver’s license test,” said Senator Karin Housley (R-St. Marys Point), chair of the Senate Family Care and Aging Committee and the author of the bill. “Before COVID-19 there was a backlog, and now it is even worse. As I have said before, a family from Stillwater shouldn’t have to drive to Grand Rapids just to take a driver’s test. By increasing the number of testing locations, this bill will alleviate wait times so our kids can take this exciting step toward independence!”

The legislation awaits action by the House of Representatives. If it is signed into law, the legislation will take effect on November 1, 2020.