Office of the Revisor of Statutes
Minnesota Session Laws - 1996, Regular Session
Key: (1) language to be deleted (2) new language
KEY: stricken = old language to be removed
underscored = new language to be added
CHAPTER 275-H.F.No. 2114
An act relating to drivers' licenses; changing codes
for two types of driver's license; amending Minnesota
Statutes 1994, sections 171.02, subdivision 2; 171.04,
subdivision 2; 171.05, subdivision 1; 171.06,
subdivision 3; 171.07, subdivisions 1b, 2, and 3a;
171.165, subdivision 5; and 171.321, subdivision 1;
Minnesota Statutes 1995 Supplement, sections 171.02,
subdivision 2a; 171.06, subdivision 2; and 171.30,
subdivision 3.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.02,
subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. [DRIVER'S LICENSE CLASSIFICATIONS, ENDORSEMENTS,
EXEMPTIONS.] Drivers' licenses shall be classified according to
the types of vehicles which may be driven by the holder of each
type or class of license. The commissioner may, as appropriate,
subdivide the classes listed in this subdivision and issue
licenses classified accordingly. No class of license shall be
valid to operate a motorcycle, school bus, tank vehicle,
double-trailer or triple-trailer combination, vehicle
transporting hazardous materials, or bus, unless so endorsed.
There shall be four general classes of licenses as follows:
(a) Class C D; valid for:
(1) all farm trucks operated by (i) the owner, (ii) an
immediate family member of the owner, (iii) an employee of the
owner not primarily employed to operate the farm truck, within
150 miles of the farm, or (iv) an employee of the owner employed
during harvest to operate the farm truck for the first,
continuous transportation of agricultural products from the
production site or on-farm storage site to any other location
within 50 miles of that site;
(2) fire trucks and emergency fire equipment, whether or
not in excess of 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, operated by
a firefighter while on duty, or a tiller operator employed by a
fire department who drives the rear portion of a midmount aerial
ladder truck;
(3) recreational equipment as defined in section 168.011,
subdivision 25, that is operated for personal use; and
(4) all single unit vehicles except vehicles with a gross
vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds, vehicles designed to
carry more than 15 passengers including the driver, and vehicles
that carry hazardous materials.
The holder of a class C D license may also tow vehicles if
the combination of vehicles has a gross vehicle weight of 26,000
pounds or less.
(b) Class CC C; valid for:
(1) operating class C D vehicles;
(2) with a hazardous materials endorsement, transporting
hazardous materials in class C D vehicles; and
(3) with a school bus endorsement, operating school buses
designed to transport 15 or fewer passengers, including the
driver.
(c) Class B; valid for all vehicles in class C, class CC D,
and all other single unit vehicles including, with a passenger
endorsement, buses. The holder of a class B license may tow
only vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or
less.
(d) Class A; valid for any vehicle or combination thereof.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 1995 Supplement, section
171.02, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
Subd. 2a. [EXCEPTIONS.] Notwithstanding subdivision 2, (1)
a hazardous materials endorsement is not required to operate a
vehicle having a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or less
while carrying in bulk tanks a total of not more than 200
gallons of petroleum products and (2) a class CC C license or
hazardous materials endorsement is not required to operate a
farm vehicle as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title
49, section 390.5, having a gross vehicle weight of 26,000
pounds or less while carrying in bulk tanks a total of not more
than 1,500 gallons of liquid fertilizer.
Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.04,
subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. [DISQUALIFIED OPERATORS OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.]
During the period of disqualification, the department shall not
issue a class CC C, class B, or class A driver's license to a
person who has been disqualified from operating a commercial
motor vehicle under section 171.165.
Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.05,
subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. [PERSONS 18 OR MORE YEARS OF AGE.] Any
person who is 18 or more years of age and who, except for a lack
of instruction in operating a motor vehicle, would otherwise be
qualified to obtain a Class C D driver's license under this
chapter, may apply for an instruction permit and the department
shall issue such permit entitling the applicant, while having
such permit in immediate possession, to drive a motor vehicle
for which a Class C D license is valid upon the highways for a
period of one year, but such person must be accompanied by an
adult licensed driver who is actually occupying a seat beside
the driver. Any license of a lower class may be used as an
instruction permit for a higher class for a period of six months
after passage of the written test or tests required for the
higher class and when the licensee is accompanied by and
receiving instruction from a holder of the appropriate higher
class license. A copy of the record of examination taken for
the higher class license must be carried by the driver while
using such lower class license as an instruction permit.
Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 1995 Supplement, section
171.06, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. [FEES.] (a) The fees for a license and Minnesota
identification card are as follows:
Classified Driver License C-$18.50 CC-$22.50 B-$29.50 A-$37.50
D-$18.50 C-$22.50
Classified Under 21 D.L. C-$18.50 CC-$22.50 B-$29.50 A-$17.50
D-$18.50 C-$22.50
Instruction Permit $ 9.50
Duplicate Driver or Under 21 License or
duplicate identification card $ 8.00
Minnesota identification card other than duplicate,
except as otherwise provided in section 171.07,
subdivisions 3 and 3a $12.50
Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.06,
subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. [CONTENTS OF APPLICATION; OTHER INFORMATION.] An
application must state the full name, date of birth, sex and
residence address of the applicant, a description of the
applicant in such manner as the commissioner may require, and
must state whether or not the applicant has theretofore been
licensed as a driver; and, if so, when and by what state or
country and whether any such license has ever been suspended or
revoked, or whether an application has ever been refused; and,
if so, the date of and reason for such suspension, revocation,
or refusal, together with such facts pertaining to the applicant
and the applicant's ability to operate a motor vehicle with
safety as may be required by the commissioner. An application
for a Class CC C, Class B, or Class A driver's license also must
state the applicant's social security number. An application
for a Class C D driver's license must have a space for the
applicant's social security number and state that providing the
number is optional, or otherwise convey that the applicant is
not required to enter the social security number. The
application form must contain a space where the applicant may
indicate a desire to make an anatomical gift. If the applicant
does not indicate a desire to make an anatomical gift when the
application is made, the applicant must be offered a donor
document in accordance with section 171.07, subdivision 5. The
application form must contain statements sufficient to comply
with the requirements of the uniform anatomical gift act (1987),
sections 525.921 to 525.9224, so that execution of the
application or donor document will make the anatomical gift as
provided in section 171.07, subdivision 5, for those indicating
a desire to make an anatomical gift. The application form must
contain a notification to the applicant of the availability of a
living will designation on the license under section 171.07,
subdivision 7. The application must be in the form prepared by
the commissioner.
The application form must be accompanied by a pamphlet
containing relevant facts relating to:
(1) the effect of alcohol on driving ability;
(2) the effect of mixing alcohol with drugs;
(3) the laws of Minnesota relating to operation of a motor
vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled
substance; and
(4) the levels of alcohol-related fatalities and accidents
in Minnesota and of arrests for alcohol-related violations.
The application form must also be accompanied by a pamphlet
describing Minnesota laws regarding anatomical gifts and the
need for and benefits of anatomical gifts.
Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.07,
subdivision 1b, is amended to read:
Subd. 1b. [COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE.] Each class CC C,
class B, or class A driver's license must be clearly marked
"Minnesota Commercial Driver's License."
Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.07,
subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2. [LIMITATIONS ON ISSUING LICENSES.] The department
shall not issue a Class B or Class A license to anyone who does
not have or has not qualified for a Class C D license. A Class
A license shall not be issued to anyone under 18 years of age.
Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.07,
subdivision 3a, is amended to read:
Subd. 3a. [IDENTIFICATION CARDS FOR SENIORS.] A Minnesota
identification card issued to an applicant 65 years of age or
over shall be of a distinguishing color and plainly marked
"senior." The fee for the card issued to an applicant 65 years
of age or over shall be one half the required fee for a class C
D driver's license. A Minnesota identification card or a
Minnesota driver's license issued to a person 65 years of age or
over shall be valid identification for the purpose of qualifying
for reduced rates, free licenses or services provided by any
board, commission, agency or institution that is wholly or
partially funded by state appropriations.
Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.165,
subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5. [RULES.] The commissioner shall adopt rules to
administer this section. The rules must include procedures for
issuing class C D licenses to persons who have been disqualified
from operating commercial motor vehicles but whose drivers'
licenses have not otherwise been revoked, suspended, canceled,
or denied.
Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 1995 Supplement, section
171.30, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3. [CONDITIONS ON ISSUANCE.] The commissioner shall
issue a limited license restricted to the vehicles whose
operation is permitted only under a Class A, Class B, or Class
CC C license whenever a Class A, Class B, or Class CC C license
has been suspended under section 171.18, or revoked under
section 171.17, for violation of the highway traffic regulation
act committed in a private passenger motor vehicle. This
subdivision shall not apply to any persons described in section
171.04, subdivision 1, clauses (4), (5), (6), (8), (9), and
(11), or any person whose license or privilege has been
suspended or revoked for a violation of section 169.121 or
169.123, or a statute or ordinance from another state in
conformity with either of those sections.
Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.321,
subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1. [ENDORSEMENT.] No person shall drive a
school bus when transporting school children to or from school
or upon a school related trip or activity without having a valid
class A, class B, or class CC C driver's license with a school
bus endorsement except that a person possessing a valid driver's
license but not a school bus endorsement may drive a vehicle
with a seating capacity of ten or less persons used as a school
bus but not outwardly equipped or identified as a school bus.
Presented to the governor February 20, 1996
Signed by the governor February 21, 1996, 10:19 a.m.
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes