What you pay to reinstate a suspended license in Minnesota
Minnesota charges a reinstatement fee of $680 to restore a suspended driver's license. This is a flat fee regardless of why your license was suspended — whether for unpaid traffic tickets, DWI, accumulating too many points, or failure to appear in court. You must pay this fee before the Minnesota Department of Public Safety will process your reinstatement.
The $680 covers only the reinstatement itself. You may owe additional money separately: unpaid fines from traffic tickets, court costs, DWI program fees, or restitution ordered by a judge. These are separate debts and do not go away if you pay the reinstatement fee. You need to know what you owe before you start the reinstatement process, because some debts must be paid or arranged before the state will reinstate you.
If your license was suspended for unpaid child support or unpaid taxes, you cannot reinstate it until those debts are resolved. The state will not process your reinstatement request if a hold from the Department of Human Services or the Department of Revenue is on your record. You will need to contact those agencies directly to clear the hold.
Key Takeaways
- The reinstatement fee in Minnesota is $680, paid directly to the Department of Public Safety.
- You may owe additional fines, court costs, or restitution beyond the reinstatement fee, and some of these must be paid before reinstatement is approved.
- If you have unpaid child support or tax debt, the state will not reinstate your license until those debts are cleared by the responsible agency.
- You can pay the reinstatement fee by mail, online, or in person at a Driver and Vehicle Services office.
- After paying, allow 5 to 10 business days for processing before your license is active again.
How to pay the reinstatement fee
You have three ways to pay the $680 reinstatement fee to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. The fastest is online through the state's Driver and Vehicle Services website, where you can pay by debit card or credit card and receive when ready confirmation. You will need your driver's license number and the reason code for your suspension to complete the online payment.
You can also pay by mail. Send a check or money order for $680 to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services, 445 Minnesota Street, Suite 1500, St. Paul, MN 55101. Include a letter stating your name, date of birth, and driver's license number. Mail payments take 7 to 10 business days to process after they arrive.
A third option is to pay in person at any Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services office. You can bring cash, check, debit card, or credit card. Find your nearest office on the state website. In-person payments are processed the same day, so your reinstatement request moves forward when ready.
What happens after you pay
Once the Department of Public Safety receives your $680 payment, they will verify that no other holds are on your record — such as unpaid child support, unpaid taxes, or outstanding court fines that block reinstatement. This verification takes 5 to 10 business days. If no holds exist, your license is reinstated and you will receive a new physical license in the mail within 7 to 14 days.
If a hold is found during verification, the state will not reinstate your license and will send you a letter explaining what debt must be cleared first. You will not get a refund of the $680. Instead, that payment is held in your account and applied to reinstatement once the hold is cleared. You must contact the agency holding the debt — the Department of Human Services for child support, the Department of Revenue for taxes, or the court for outstanding fines — to resolve it.
You can drive legally once your license is reinstated, even if you have not yet received the new physical card in the mail. The state's system is updated when ready after reinstatement is approved, and law enforcement can see your status in their database. However, you should carry your old license or a printed confirmation of reinstatement until the new card arrives.
When you owe more than just the reinstatement fee
If your suspension was triggered by unpaid traffic fines or court costs, you must pay those debts before reinstatement is approved. The amount varies depending on your tickets and the court that issued them. Contact the court listed on your suspension notice to find out the exact amount owed and whether you can set up a payment plan instead of paying in full.
Many Minnesota courts allow you to pay fines in installments. If you arrange a payment plan with the court, the state will reinstate your license once the plan is in writing and your first payment is made. You do not have to pay the entire fine upfront. However, you must still pay the separate $680 reinstatement fee to the Department of Public Safety.
If your suspension was for a DWI conviction, you may also owe fees for a required alcohol assessment or treatment program. These fees go to the treatment provider, not to the state, and must be paid or a payment plan arranged before the state will reinstate you. Your DWI case paperwork will list which programs you are required to complete and their costs.
Holds that block reinstatement
Three types of holds can prevent reinstatement even after you pay the $680 fee: unpaid child support, unpaid state income taxes, and outstanding warrants. If the Department of Human Services has reported unpaid child support to the state, your license will remain suspended until you contact DHS and either pay the debt or enter a payment agreement. The same applies to the Department of Revenue if you owe back taxes.
If there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you cannot reinstate your license. You must resolve the warrant through the court that issued it — usually by appearing in court or arranging a surrender with law enforcement. Once the warrant is cleared, you can proceed with reinstatement.
To check whether a hold exists on your record before you pay, contact the Minnesota Department of Public Safety at 651-296-6911 or visit a Driver and Vehicle Services office in person. They can tell you when ready whether your suspension can be lifted or whether other debts must be cleared first.
Reinstating a license suspended for points or multiple violations
If your license was suspended because you accumulated too many points on your driving record, the reinstatement process is the same: pay the $680 fee and wait for processing. However, you may also be required to complete a driver improvement course before reinstatement is approved. The state will notify you in the suspension letter whether this course is mandatory.
If a course is required, you must complete it through an approved provider and submit proof to the Department of Public Safety before your reinstatement is finalized. The course typically costs $30 to $50 and takes 4 to 6 hours to complete. Many are offered online. Once you submit proof of completion along with your $680 fee, reinstatement usually takes 5 to 10 business days.
For suspensions due to multiple traffic violations within a short time, the state may also impose a waiting period before you can reinstate. This period is usually 30 to 90 days from the suspension date. You cannot shorten this waiting period by paying the fee early; you must wait until the period ends before submitting your reinstatement request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund if I pay the reinstatement fee but then find out I have a hold on my record?
No, the $680 is not refunded. Instead, it is held in your account and applied toward reinstatement once the hold is cleared. You will not have to pay the fee again. However, you must still resolve the underlying debt — unpaid child support, taxes, or court fines — before the state will reinstate your license.
What if I cannot afford to pay the $680 all at once?
The Department of Public Safety does not offer payment plans for the reinstatement fee itself. However, if you also owe court fines, you can contact the court and request a payment plan for those fines. Once the fines are on a payment plan, you can pay the $680 reinstatement fee separately. Some Driver and Vehicle Services offices may be able to discuss your situation, so call 651-296-6911 to ask.
How long does it take to get my license back after I pay online?
Online payments are processed when ready, but the Department of Public Safety still needs 5 to 10 business days to verify that no holds are on your record. Once verification is complete and approved, your license is reinstated that day. You can drive legally when ready, and your new physical license arrives in the mail within 7 to 14 days.
Do I have to pay the reinstatement fee if my license was suspended by mistake?
If you believe your suspension was an error, contact the Department of Public Safety before paying. They can review your case and may lift the suspension without requiring the fee. However, if the suspension is confirmed as valid, you will need to pay the $680 to reinstate. Call 651-296-6911 to dispute a suspension.
Can I reinstate my license if I still owe money on old traffic tickets?
It depends on whether the court has reported those tickets to the state as a reason for suspension. If they have, you must pay or arrange a payment plan with the court before reinstatement. If the tickets are old and the court has not suspended your license for them, you can reinstate now and address the old debt separately. Contact the court that issued the tickets to confirm your status.