How To Get Your Minnesota Driving Record Expunged?

People searching for how to “expunge their driving record” are usually trying to fix one of three problems: a job that requires driving, high insurance, or a background check. The honest answer is that Minnesota treats your driving record very differently from your criminal record, and knowing which one is actually causing your problem is the key to fixing it.

Can you expunge your driving record in Minnesota?

In most cases, no. Minnesota courts generally cannot order your driving record to be expunged, because the record is maintained by DVS, not the courts. You can ask a judge to seal a criminal or court record, but that order does not control what a separate state agency keeps in its files.

That is why the Minnesota Judicial Branch itself advises that the court may not be able to expunge a driving record and recommends getting legal advice before trying. If your problem is insurance or a commercial driver’s license, the issue is usually your DVS driving record, and the first step is to contact Minnesota DPS Driver and Vehicle Services directly to ask what, if anything, can be changed.

Why can’t a court expunge your DVS driving record?

It comes down to jurisdiction. When a judge grants an expungement, the order seals records held by the courts and criminal-justice agencies. The judge does not have authority to tell DVS, a separate executive-branch agency, what to do with its records.

So even a successful criminal expungement leaves the driving record untouched. The two systems run in parallel, and an order in one does not automatically change the other. You can read more about how sealing works in our explainer on the difference between expungement and sealing.

What stays on your Minnesota driving record, and for how long?

Minnesota does not use a points system, so there are no “points” to remove. Instead, DVS records convictions and license actions directly. Minor violations may age off over time, but serious offenses tend to stay.

DWI is the clearest example. A DWI stays on your driving record long-term, often permanently, and it counts under Minnesota’s lookback period for enhancing future DWI charges, which is why even an expunged DWI can still increase penalties on a later offense. Criminal vehicular operation and similar serious offenses can also remain for life. For the full picture, see our complete guide to Minnesota DWI law.

What can you actually do about your record?

Start by identifying which record is hurting you, because the fix is different for each. The table below lays it out.

Your goal	Record involved	Can expungement help?
Pass an employment or housing background check	Criminal court record	Yes — criminal expungement seals it from public view
Remove a conviction from public criminal records	Criminal court record	Often, if you are eligible
Fix an error or wrong entry on your driving record	DVS driving record	Yes — dispute it directly with DVS
Lower insurance or clear a CDL problem	DVS driving record	Usually no — contact DVS; serious offenses stay
Remove a DWI from your driving record	DVS driving record	No — DWI stays long-term, often permanently

Get a copy of both records first: your driving record from DVS and your criminal history from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). Reviewing them side by side is the only way to know which one is actually causing the problem you want solved.

The real fix: expunge the underlying criminal record

For most people, the record that does the damage on a background check is the criminal one, and that is the record Minnesota law lets you seal. Expunging the underlying criminal case removes it from the view of most employers, landlords, and the public, even though the DVS driving record stays as is.

Eligibility and waiting periods depend on the offense, and some cases now qualify for automatic expungement under Minnesota’s newer laws. Our guides on Minnesota expungement laws and the expungement waiting periods explain who qualifies. If a dismissed case is still showing up, see why dismissed charges still appear on background checks.

Can you expunge a DWI in Minnesota?

You can sometimes expunge the criminal record of a DWI, but never the DWI on your driving record. Misdemeanor DWIs can generally be petitioned for expungement after two years and gross misdemeanors after four, while felony DWIs are not eligible. Even when granted, the seal applies only to the criminal record.

Because courts are cautious with DWI expungements, a well-supported petition matters. Our page on whether you can get a DWI expunged covers the standard and the process in detail.

How do you start?

Request your driving record from DVS and your criminal history from the BCA, then have an attorney review which record is causing the harm and whether the criminal case qualifies for expungement. If it does, the process runs through a petition in the county where the case occurred and typically takes about four to six months.

Because the driving-record and criminal-record systems are separate and each has its own rules, this is an area where good legal advice saves time and avoids dead ends. Our Minnesota expungement attorneys can tell you quickly what is realistic in your situation.

FAQs

Can you expunge a Minnesota driving record?

Usually not. Driving records are maintained by DVS, and Minnesota courts generally cannot order them sealed. You can ask DVS to correct errors, but offenses like DWI typically remain. The record you can usually seal is the criminal court record.

Does a criminal expungement remove a DWI from my driving record?

No. A criminal expungement seals the court record only. The DWI remains on your DVS driving record and can still count toward enhancing penalties on a future DWI.

How long does a DWI stay on a Minnesota driving record?

Long-term, often permanently. Minnesota keeps DWI on the driving record and uses it under the lookback period for enhancing later DWI charges, so it does not simply disappear after a few years.

Does Minnesota have a points system I can clear?

No. Minnesota does not use a driver points system, so there are no points to remove. DVS records convictions and license actions directly instead.

What can I do if my driving record is hurting my job or insurance?

Contact DVS to confirm what is on the record and whether anything can be corrected, and have an attorney check whether the underlying criminal case can be expunged. The criminal expungement is often what actually helps with background checks.