DPS will soon issue $20 fine to driver's test no-shows

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Starting Nov. 1, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety will fine anyone $20 who fails to show up for their driver’s license road test. 

The new fine is an effort to get people to cancel their appointments ahead of time instead of just not showing up without notice. Appointments cancelled more than 24 hours out will not be fined. 

DPS said over 15% of people failed to show up to scheduled road tests between July and September of this year. Had DPS been able to fill those slots and additional 6,000 would have had the chance to take a road test. 

"We hope we don’t have to collect any fees. Our preference is to administer every test available," the Director of the Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services division (DPS-DVS) Pong Xiong, said in a release. "There are thousands of customers who could take a test each month if they keep their scheduled appointment or cancel so another customer can make a road test appointment."

The fine for the no-show will be paid when the customer applies for their driver’s license.

Three days prior to a customer’s appointment, DPS will send them a reminder. DPS also said it will be able to issue refunds for customers on a case-by-case basis depending the reason for the no-show.