MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Minnesota recorded nearly 18,000 DWI arrests in the first ten-plus months after a major new DWI law took effect on August 1, 2025, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s DWI Dashboard. Minneapolis criminal defense firm Lundgren & Johnson, PSC is sharing a plain-language summary of the law to help the public understand how it changes license and ignition interlock consequences, particularly for drivers who have a prior offense on record.
Repeat offenders make up a large share of the impaired driving the law targets. According to figures cited by the bill’s authors, about 43% of Minnesota DWI convictions involve repeat offenders, the group most affected by the changes below.
The legislation, enacted in 2025 as Laws 2025, Chapter 29 (House File 2130), represents one of the most significant updates to Minnesota’s impaired driving statutes in recent years. The most consequential change for everyday drivers is the expanded “lookback” period.
The 20-year lookback applies to license and interlock consequences, not criminal charging
Under the new law, Minnesota now counts prior impaired-driving incidents going back 20 years, up from 10 years, when it decides driver’s license revocation length and ignition interlock requirements. A driver who believed an older offense was long behind them may now face longer administrative consequences on a new arrest.
It is important to understand what the change does and does not do. The 20-year window applies to the administrative side of a DWI: license revocation, the ignition interlock program, license plate impoundment, and vehicle forfeiture. It does not change how prior offenses are counted when prosecutors decide the criminal charge, which continues to use a 10-year window, with a separate rule for prior felony DWIs.
Longer interlock periods and a new treatment requirement
The updated law also sets the license revocation and ignition interlock participation periods together. A driver with one qualifying prior within the past 20 years now receives a two-year revocation and two years in the ignition interlock program. That period rises to six years for a person with two prior incidents and to 10 years for a person with three or more. The law also requires repeat offenders to complete a licensed substance use disorder treatment or rehabilitation program before full driving privileges can be reinstated.
Other notable changes include:
- The temporary license a driver receives after a test failure or refusal is now valid for 14 days, up from 7 days, giving people more time to respond.
- A person in the interlock program who drives a vehicle without a required device now faces a gross misdemeanor rather than a misdemeanor.
- Drivers no longer have to pay the $680 in reinstatement fees and surcharges up front before getting a restricted license and entering the interlock program, though those costs must be paid before full reinstatement.
- If a participant registers a breath alcohol reading of 0.02 or higher, the interlock period can be restarted, with partial credit for time already served.
A reminder to act early
“Many people assume an old DWI no longer matters,” said David Lundgren, attorney at Lundgren & Johnson, PSC. “Under the new law, a prior from up to 20 years ago can change the license and interlock consequences a person faces today. Our goal is to help drivers understand these rules and the deadlines that come with them before they make decisions about their case.”
The firm notes that the license consequences can catch people off guard even when the criminal charge stays the same. “The part that surprises people most is that the license and interlock side of a case can be more serious than they expect, even when the charge itself has not changed,” said Adam Johnson, attorney at Lundgren & Johnson, PSC. “We want anyone dealing with a DWI to understand both sides of their case so they can make informed decisions.”
Drivers facing a DWI in Minnesota have a limited time to challenge a license revocation, and the firm encourages anyone affected to learn their rights promptly.
About Lundgren & Johnson, PSC
Lundgren & Johnson, PSC is a Minneapolis criminal defense firm founded in 2016. Attorneys David Lundgren and Adam Johnson bring more than 30 years of combined experience to a practice that includes DWI defense, felony and misdemeanor criminal defense, and consumer rights matters. The firm serves clients throughout Minnesota and is available 24/7, including holidays. More information is available at lundgrenjohnson.com.
Email: david@lundgrenjohnson.com
Media Contact
Name
Lundgren & Johnson, PSC, Criminal Defense Attorneys
Contact name
David Lundgren
Contact phone
(612) 767-9643
Contact address
121 South 8th St, Suite 893
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
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55402
Country
United States
Url
https://lundgrenjohnson.com/
