Senator Newman celebrates statewide launch of MNDRIVE, the state’s MNLARS replacement

The state of Minnesota on Monday officially launched MNDRIVE, the new driver’s license and vehicle registration system that is the highly-anticipated replacement for MNLARS. MNLARS, or Minnesota License and Registration System, launched in 2017 as an intended upgrade and overhaul of the way Minnesota processes vehicle registrations and driver’s licenses, but it was almost immediately plagued with unworkable errors and problems. 

After MNLARS’ failures became apparent, Governor Walz and the legislature contracted with a private sector firm, FAST Enterprises, to work with Driver and Vehicle Services within the Department of Public Safety on a replacement program. A joint legislative committee co-chaired by Representative Frank Hornstein (DFL-Minneapolis) and Senator Scott Newman (R-Hutchinson) has provided oversight on the development and implementation of the new system.

“It’s great to be able to officially put the MNLARS disaster behind us,” said Senator Newman, who chairs the Senate’s Transportation Committee. “I think Minnesotans will be quite satisfied with MNDRIVE, if for no other reason than it actually works — no more headaches, no more hassles.

“MNLARS was a failure from the get-go. We dug into it, figured out what the problems were, and then the legislature and the governor worked together to come up with a solution. Now we have a replacement that functions smoothly and effectively. This is how the process is supposed to work — the branches of government cooperating on a solution that will serve the best interests of Minnesotans.”

The MNDRIVE system makes a number of improvements, including:

  • MNDRIVE will accurately calculate registration taxes and fees so drivers can be confident they are paying the correct amount.
  • Individuals can now upload and submit their documents for some services online rather than being required to visit a DVS office.
  • The new system replaces the yellow 21-day temporary permit that drivers stick in their window with a new temporary license plate. This temporary license plate is printed on a special paper at the dealership, and it attaches to the vehicle where the permanent plate goes.
  • The disability parking certificate has been redesigned.