Minnesota's version: form PS35016, signed by the company
Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) asks for its own Insurance Certification, form PS35016. DVS requires it before a revoked license can be reinstated. An authorized representative of the insurance company completes and signs it, and the form says plainly: not the agent.
The certificate shows your policy number, its effective date, and the vehicle's year, make, plate and VIN. It goes by mail to DVS at 445 Minnesota Street in St. Paul, or by fax to (651) 297-5574. The DVS forms page lists it as the way to provide proof of auto insurance.
Caught uninsured: revocation under section 169.797
Minnesota treats driving without insurance as a crime with a license penalty. Under Minnesota Statutes 169.797, a conviction revokes your license for not more than 12 months. If you own the vehicle, its registration is revoked for up to 12 months as well.
Before either one comes back, you file the written certificate of an insurer authorized in Minnesota. The statute lets the commissioner require that certificate to be noncancelable for up to one year. The commissioner can also demand certificates for every vehicle you own that must carry insurance.
One calendar year, with a 12-month cap in the rules
The PS35016 form states that insurance must be maintained for one calendar year. State rule 7503.0100 defines the certificate as coverage noncancelable for a period not over 12 months.
That same rule helps drivers who arrive from elsewhere. It accepts an equivalent certification from an authorized carrier covering a vehicle registered in another state or a Canadian province.
A DWI revocation costs $680 to clear
Reinstatement fees follow the reason you lost the license. The DVS fee table lists $680 for revocations tied to alcohol, drugs or criminal vehicular operation. Other revocations, including one for no-fault insurance, cost $30, and a suspended license costs $20.
Rule 7503.1200 adds the other steps after a DWI or implied consent revocation. The revocation period must expire, and you apply for a new license and pass the exam. The DVS driver compliance page takes fee payments online from a bank account and routing number. Cards are not accepted, and you need the Letter ID printed on a DVS notice.
No vehicle in your name
Owning no car does not excuse the certificate. The PS35016 form gives two ways around it. You can be named as a driver on an existing insurance policy, or you can buy a non-owner's or operator's policy. Our non-owner guide explains how that kind of policy works.
Limits behind the Minnesota certificate
The Commerce Department auto insurance guide lists the coverage every Minnesota-licensed vehicle carries. Liability is $30,000 for injuries to one person, $60,000 for two or more, and $10,000 for property. Personal Injury Protection, the no-fault part, is $40,000 per person per accident. Uninsured and underinsured coverage are each $25,000 for one person and $50,000 for two or more.