Alcohol, Drugs & Graduated Licensing
Impaired driving causes many serious Minnesota crashes, so the state enforces firm BAC limits, with a true zero-tolerance rule for young drivers, and phases in privileges through graduated licensing.
BAC limits and implied consent
A driver 21 or older is guilty of DWI at a BAC of 0.08 or higher; drugs, including some prescriptions, can also impair you. By driving you give implied consent to chemical testing, and refusal carries penalties.
'Not a Drop' law for under 21
Minnesota's 'Not a Drop' law makes it illegal for anyone under 21 to drive after consuming any amount of alcohol, a strict zero-tolerance standard that brings license penalties.
Graduated licensing stages
Minnesota teens earn an instruction permit at 15 after driver education, then a provisional license at 16. In the first six months, no more than one passenger under 20 (besides family) is allowed and driving from midnight to 5 a.m. is restricted; the passenger limit rises to three in the second six months.