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Minnesota Vehicle Registration

Minnesota Vehicle Registration

Minnesota Vehicle Registration: Everything You Need to Know

If you have recently moved to Minnesota or have purchased a vehicle, you must register your vehicle with the state of Minnesota. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about Minnesota vehicle registration.

Why Register Your Vehicle in Minnesota?

Registering your vehicle in Minnesota is mandatory to ensure compliance with state laws. It also helps in keeping a record of your vehicle’s ownership, maintaining road safety, and ensuring timely renewal of necessary documents.

Documents Required for Registration

To register your vehicle in Minnesota, you need to provide the following documents:

1. The vehicle’s title

2. Valid proof of auto insurance

3. Odometer reading

4. Payment of registration fees and taxes

5. Personal identification proof, such as a driver’s license

6. A completed registration application form

If you are transferring ownership of a used vehicle, you also need to provide a transfer of title form signed by the previous owner.

How to Register Your Vehicle in Minnesota

Here’s a step-by-step guide to registering your vehicle in Minnesota:

1. Get your vehicle’s title notarized and complete the registration application form available on the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) website.

2. Provide proof of insurance and submit the completed forms to the local DPS office.

3. Pay the registration fees, which include a plate fee, filing fee, registration tax, and wheelage tax.

4. If your vehicle is older than ten years or has over 100,000 miles, you need to provide an emission test report.

Once the registration process is complete, you will receive your license plates and registration documents.

Renewal of Vehicle Registration

Vehicle registration expires every year on the same month as the vehicle’s initial registration. You must renew your vehicle’s registration before or on the expiration date to avoid paying additional fees. Renewal can be done in-person, online, or via mail.

In Conclusion

Registering your vehicle in Minnesota is mandatory and helps in maintaining road safety. It also ensures timely renewal of necessary documents, as well as keeps an updated record of your vehicle’s ownership. With the step-by-step guide and the required documents mentioned above, you are now equipped to register your vehicle with the state of Minnesota.


Minnesota vehicle registration laws state that motor vehicle owners have to register their motor vehicle with the Division of Driver and Vehicle Services before being able to take the vehicle out on the road. Both new and used vehicles have to be registered with the Division of Driver and Vehicle Services, regardless of whether the vehicles are purchased from a dealership or an individual.

In addition, any new Minnesota residents who have previously registered in another state must apply for a MN registration. The initial MN vehicle registration has to be done in person. Any subsequent MN vehicle registration renewals must be done once a year, either online, in person, or by mail. If you plan to complete a MN registration, you must do so within 10 days of purchasing the vehicle. New residents must register their vehicles within 60 days.

Initial Minnesota Vehicle registration

If you need to complete a MN vehicle registration for a vehicle in Minnesota for the very first time, the first step is to complete the Application for Title and MN Registration. Once you do, you can visit your local Division of Driver and Vehicle Services office, and provide the completed title and MN vehicle registration form. In addition, an MN registration will also require an odometer reading for vehicles less than ten years old and proof of insurance.

For motor vehicles that are registered in a different state, you will need to bring the original, out-of-state title to the Division of Driver and Vehicle Services.  If the title is not available, you can bring the registration document with proof of sales tax payment.

Minnesota Vehicle Registration Fees

When you are registering your motor vehicle at the Division of Driver and Vehicle Services office, you will need to pay the MN vehicle registration fee which depends on the vehicle, and a title fee.

Minnesota Vehicle Registration Renewal

Minnesota Vehicle registrations at the Division of Driver and Vehicle Safety can be renewed before the registration’s expiration date either by mail, through the Division of Driver and Vehicle Services’ online service, or in person. MN Registration fees vary for different categories of motor vehicles in Minnesota. For each MN vehicle registration renewal, there is always a filing fee of $6, a technology surcharge of $1.75and wheelage charge of $5 for vehicles that are in Carver, Anoka, Washington, Scott,  and Denver counties. There is also a passenger class vehicle registration tax, which varies based on the age and base value.