Minnesota DWI Laws change August 1st, 2025

Minnesota's DWI Laws change August 1, 2025, and are getting much stricter.

MANKATO, MN, UNITED STATES, July 31, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Starting August 1, 2025, Minnesota will enact the most sweeping overhaul of its DWI (Driving While Impaired) laws in decades. These new changes will affect every aspect of a DWI case from the moment of arrest to license reinstatement and beyond.

“This isn’t just a minor update to the law, it’s a full rewrite,” said Thomas K. Hagen, criminal defense attorney and author of Arrested for DWI in Minnesota. “Drivers now face longer revocation periods, mandatory treatment, stricter ignition interlock rules, and harsher criminal penalties for noncompliance.”

Key Changes Effective August 1, 2025:

Longer Revocation Periods: First-time offenders will now lose their licenses for up to one year. Repeat offenders may be required to use ignition interlock devices for 6, 10, or even 15 years, depending on prior history and injury outcomes.

Mandatory Treatment: Anyone seeking to reinstate full driving privileges must now complete a licensed substance use disorder treatment or rehabilitation program, even for some first-time offenses.

New Ignition Interlock Rules: Minnesota will now impose gross misdemeanor charges on drivers who violate interlock terms. Lifetime interlock is possible for the most serious cases, such as repeat DWIs involving fatalities.

Expanded Judicial Review Rights: Drivers can now challenge ignition interlock extensions in court under Minnesota Statute §171.19, which offers new legal review that didn’t exist before.

Temporary License Period Doubled: After a DWI arrest, drivers now have 14 days (up from 7) to legally drive with a temporary license and decide how to respond and get other transportation lined up.

Tougher Plate Impoundment Rules: Law enforcement may now permanently sticker plates instead of seizing them. Tampering with these stickers is a crime. Drivers must surrender plates within 14 days or face criminal penalties.

Public Safety Meets Rehabilitation

Unlike previous years that emphasized punishment, the 2025 reforms pivot toward rehabilitation and structured monitoring. “The law now recognizes that long-term sobriety and treatment are essential to preventing future DWIs,” Hagen explained. “But it’s also less forgiving. One mistake can extend your restrictions by years or lead to permanent license loss.”


About Kohlmeyer Hagen Law Office

With offices in Mankato and Rochester, Kohlmeyer Hagen Law Office is one of Minnesota’s leading criminal defense firms. The firm’s attorneys have defended thousands of DWI cases and are known for their trial experience, strategic defense work, and deep knowledge of Minnesota DWI law.



For media interviews, legal analysis, or educational presentations about the new DWI laws, contact Thomas K. Hagen at (507) 625-5000 or thagen@khmnlaw.com

Thomask K. Hagen, Esq.
Kohlmeyer Hagen, Law Office Chtd
+1 507-625-5000
thagen@khmnlaw.com
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