DVS Exam Stations Reopen; Changes in Place

Minnesotans will once again be able to access the majority of driver and vehicle services starting May 19, but office visits will look different with changes made to protect the health and safety of customers and staff in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services division (DPS-DVS) is implementing a plan to efficiently and effectively address road tests that were cancelled during the governor’s stay at home order and those whose driver’s license or identification card expired during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency. DPS-DVS is planning to resume class D road tests on May 26, with those who had their appointments canceled during the stay at home order given priority. New class D road test appointments are not available to the public at this time. 

“Thank you for your patience during this uncertain and stressful time for all Minnesotans. DPS-DVS has been working very hard to find safe, fair solutions to resume services that have been unavailable during the stay at home order,” Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services Director Emma Corrie said. “We are prioritizing the needs of Minnesotans who couldn’t take their knowledge or road test during the past several weeks by allowing DPS-DVS exam station staff to focus on testing services.”

Exam Stations and DVS Offices Reopening
DPS-DVS is reopening 16 exam stations to serve customers statewide and extending hours of operation at each location to offer dedicated time for road retests. The locations are: St. Paul, Arden Hills, Anoka, Eagan, Plymouth, Rochester, Mankato, Fairmont (road test only, opening May 26), Marshall, Willmar, Detroit Lakes, St. Cloud, Brainerd, Duluth, Grand Rapids, and Bemidji. 

The First Bank and Trust Deputy Registrar in New Prague is NOT open at this time. 

• From May 19-22, these exam stations will be open 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to serve customers.
  • Available services: knowledge tests, permit applications, motorcycle and commercial driver’s license (CDL) road tests. 
• ​Exam stations are closed May 25 for Memorial Day. 
• Beginning May 26, these exam stations will begin offering class D road tests in addition to other services 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.
  • Available services: knowledge tests, class D road tests, motorcycle and CDL road tests, and permit and driver’s license applications that require a test. Note: The St. Paul Exam Station does not offer road tests. Fairmont only offers road tests.
  • All road tests are by appointment only. Priority will be given to those who had their appointments canceled during the stay at home order. New class D road test appointments are not available to the public at this time.
  • DPS-DVS exam stations will add an extra hour to the beginning and end of each business day to administer road retests. These will be done by appointment only from 7-8 a.m. and 4:30-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

The remaining exam stations will remain closed in order to be more efficient and expand the number of tests offered on a daily basis. The exam stations that aren’t reopening only offered road tests several times per week, requiring examiners to travel to exam stations within the region in order to conduct tests. Focusing on the 16 regional exam stations allows examiners to remain at one exam station and use the time they would have spent traveling conducting more tests. 

Independently owned and operated deputy registrar and driver’s license agent offices can reopen to offer their normal driver and vehicle services at their counters beginning May 18. Visit the DVS locations page to find a list of offices and services.

What to Expect During Your Office Visit
DPS-DVS is following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines to implement social distancing and sanitizing strategies to stop the spread of COVID-19. These include: 

• Wellness screenings for staff and customers:  
  • DVS staff will be asked health-screening questions before starting their workday. DVS staff will ask customers the same series of health-screening questions before they enter the exam station including: 
    • ​Have you been in close and prolonged physical contact (within less than 6 feet for at least 10 minutes) with an individual who has tested positive for or been diagnosed with COVID-19, or exposed to their cough or sneeze, within the last 14 calendar days; or have you tested positive for or been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 14 calendar days?
    • Have you had a fever or felt feverish in the past 72 hours? 
    • Have you taken any fever-reducing medication to reduce a fever in the past 72 hours? 
    • Have you had cough, shortness of breath, or any other symptoms of COVID-19 (muscle aches, headache, sore throat, diarrhea, or loss of taste or smell) within the last 72 hours? 
  • DVS staff will conduct a temperature check optional).
  • If the DVS staff or a customer has a fever of 100.4 or higher, answers “yes” to any of the health screening questions, or refuses to answer the questions they will not be allowed to enter the exam stations. 
• Social distancing: 
  • Exam stations will have social distancing signs and floor decals to help customers and staff maintain the recommended six feet social distance.
  • Plexiglass is installed at counters to provide a barrier between customers and exam staff. 
  • Lines may be longer and extend outside at exam stations due to the required six feet between customers. Customers should dress for the elements and plan accordingly.
• Personal Protective Equipment:
  • DVS staff will wear a face mask inside exam stations. DVS recommends customers wear face masks while inside exam stations for the safety of staff and customers. Face masks are required for class D road tests.
  • DVS staff will wear gloves. 
  • DVS will provide hand sanitizer to use while inside exam stations and will have sanitizing wipes to disinfect the counter area in between customers. 
• Virtual Lobby: The DVS exam stations in Arden Hills, St. Paul and Mankato are offering a virtual lobby. You can check in virtually when you arrive and receive a text message when it’s your turn at the counter. This is a pilot program that DPS-DVS is working to expand to other open exam stations as well. 
  • Deputy registrar and driver’s license agent offices are independently owned and operated, so they may not have this feature.
• Only the applicant is allowed inside the exam station unless they are younger than 18, in which case a parent or guardian must accompany them. This will help customers and staff maintain social distance.

Independently owned and operated deputy registrar and driver’s license agent offices will be implementing their own social distancing and sanitizing strategies based on CDC and MDH guidelines. 

To see the full list go to: http://ow.ly/iibR50zHg5E