Our DWI lawyers have compiled a list of the top 10 things Minnesotans should know about the recent 2025 DWI law changes that took effect on July 1 and August 1 of this year.  This is not meant to be a comprehensive list.  If you are facing DWI charges, you should contact a lawyer for legal advice about your specific circumstances.

1) A big-picture reset: one statutory section for revocations and interlock requirements

Minnesota consolidated most driver’s license revocation time frames, ignition interlock participation, and reinstatement requirements into one new section so people, lawyers, and the courts aren’t searching across multiple statutes. Instead of spreading revocation lengths across Minn. Stat. §§ 169A.52, 169A.54, and 171.177, the new law cross-references a single section laying out the time periods. This structural change is meant to reduce confusion about “how long” and “under which law.”

2) The lookback period for license consequences doubles from 10 years to 20

Minnesota now evaluates prior impaired driving incidents over a 20-year “lookback” window.  A “lookback” window is the period in which administrative penalties are enhanced or increased – essentially a tally that is used to determine the length of a person’s license revocation. The new period significantly expands who counts as a repeat offender, which in turn lengthens revocations,  ignition interlock time, and heightens reinstatement criteria. If you had one qualifying incident 19 years ago, for example, it now counts.

Why this matters: Priors that were too old under the old 10-year window may now enhance today’s penalties. If you’re unsure whether something from long ago counts, talk to a DWI lawyer promptly.

3) New Standard Revocation Durations: 2 / 6 / 10 years

The timing rules for DWI revocation and ignition interlock participation are generally now:

• 1 prior within 20 years: 2 years

• 2 lifetime priors: 6 years

• 3+ lifetime priors: 10 years

These time frames apply to most repeat DWI offenders and are designed to run in tandem with ignition interlock participation. First time offenders’ periods are essentially unchanged by the 2025 DWI law.

4) Treatment is no longer optional on the way back to full privileges

Everyone in the ignition interlock program who had a prior (as described in the new 2025 DWI law) must complete a licensed substance use disorder treatment or rehabilitation program before the state will restore full driving privileges. Previously, not all participants faced this requirement.

Practical tip: If required, start treatment early and keep documentation. Completion is now a prerequisite to getting back to an unrestricted license; not just a suggestion.  Consulting with a DWI lawyer early on can save a much bigger headache later.

5) The penalty got tougher for driving a non-interlock vehicle while in the program

If you’re in the ignition interlock program, driving any vehicle that isn’t equipped with a certified device is now a gross misdemeanor.  Prior to the 2025 DWI, this was a misdemeanor offense. The change appears in the ignition interlock and driver license restriction provisions and ties the criminal penalty to violating those restrictions.

Related: Driving after revocation is elevated to a gross misdemeanor if you were legally required to use interlock at the time. This raises the stakes for people that decide to take the risk of driving outside of the ignition interlock program.

6) Program violations can restart your interlock time

If your interlock logs a breath alcohol concentration of 0.02 or higher, the period can restart, though you may get credit for part of the time you already completed, depending on the situation. Alcohol-related license actions while in the program can trigger a full restart with no credit.

Bottom line: Violations add up. Strict compliance protects your ignition interlock clock.

Helpful tip: Choosing a trusted and reliable ignition interlock provider is now more important than ever.  Make sure to do your due diligence about your provider before moving forward.

7) Temporary licenses after an implied-consent revocation last 14 days (not 7)

When an officer serves you with a notice of license revocation under the implied-consent law for refusal or a test failure, the temporary license should now run for 14 days. That’s double the prior window and gives you a bit more time to make decisions about work, childcare, and scheduling next steps, such as the installation of the ignition interlock device.  Receiving a temporary license presumes that your license was valid at the the time of the current DWI incident.

Action item: Use those 14 days wisely.  Deadlines for arranging ignition interlock remain critical.

8) Plate impoundment rules are updated under the 2025 DWI law

Minnesota updated its plate impoundment process. Arresting officers can invalidate plates using a permanent sticker rather than seizing and destroying them on the spot, and time periods related to temporary permits and plate surrender doubled from seven to 14 days. It’s a misdemeanor to intentionally remove or damage the invalidation sticker.

There’s also a helpful tweak on vehicle forfeiture: if you join ignition interlock in any vehicle, forfeiture for the vehicle that was used in the offense is stayed so long as you become a program participant and satisfy the other procedural prerequisites, which can help families keep a needed car on the road.

Tip: The forfeiture process can get complicated and lengthy.  Contacting a DWI lawyer immediately can start the process of getting your car back right away, alleviating the burden on you and your family.

9) CVO and CVH revocations get tougher, but interlock eligibility expands

Criminal Vehicular Operation (CVO) and Criminal Vehicular Homicide (CVH) now carry increased revocation and interlock participation periods. The lookback for these offenses expands beyond the old 10-year window—to lifetime in key scenarios. For example, a CVH conviction with one prior can bring a 15-year revocation; with two or more priors, revocation can be for life. The law also makes CVH offenders eligible for ignition interlock where alcohol was involved, creating a path back to restricted driving.

Interpretation tip: These changes align the most serious harms with the longest revocations and most intensive monitoring, while still offering a driving incentive for verified sobriety.

10) Fees and access: You may be able to start interlock before paying reinstatement fees under the 2025 DWI Law

Under the old system, you typically had to pay the $680 reinstatement fee and surcharge before getting a restricted license to begin interlock. The new 2025 DWI law allows you to enter the program first.  You still need to pay the fees before full reinstatement, but you’re not blocked from starting interlock because of an immediate inability to pay. Effective dates vary by section, but this change is part of the 2025 DWI law.

Additional information about the new 2025 DWI law:

• Judicial review of program extensions. If the Department of Public Safety extends your revocation because of an ignition interlock program violation, you now have an avenue to petition the court for review of that extension. That’s important due-process clarity if you disagree with an administrative decision.

For a comprehensive synopsis about the new 2025 DWI law, the Minnesota Senate Counsel, Research & Fiscal Analysis provided a summary of the act.

What the 2025 DWI law means if you’re facing charges in July of 2025 and beyond

1. Expect longer tails. With a 20-year lookback and standardized multi-year interlock tracks, the license portion of your case will often matter as much as the criminal disposition. Early strategy around implied consent, interlock enrollment, and treatment can change your timeline meaningfully.

2. Compliance is king. The state can extend—or restart—your interlock period for violations, including a 0.02 interlock reading. That means even low alcohol positives can be costly in time and money. Rigid adherence to device rules, service appointments, and reporting is essential.

3. Plate and vehicle rules have teeth. Sticker tampering is a crime, and driving without interlock when required is now a gross misdemeanor. Family members lending vehicles to an interlock participant should understand the rules before handing over keys.

4. You have a say if DPS extends your time. The new judicial-review avenue gives you a forum to challenge program-based extensions—an important safeguard if something in your data or device reporting is wrong.

Contact A Minnesota DWI Lawyer Today

Minnesota’s 2025 overhaul mostly tightens the long-term administrative consequences of impaired driving while offering a clearer path back to lawful driving for those who demonstrate sobriety and complete treatment. The stakes are higher if you cut corners; the roadmap is clearer if you do it right.

If you or a loved one is navigating a DWI, early advice matters, especially now that the lookback is 20 years and interlock noncompliance can restart your clock. An attorney can help you navigate this complex system and minimize surprises later.