MINNESOTA – State law doesn’t say Minnesotans need to provide proof of an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis to get an identifier on a drivers license, Real ID or identification card.
A Minnesota Department of Public Safety document to apply for an Autism identifier shows an S can be put on identification so law enforcement agencies can be aware of a person’s diagnosis and reach out to emergency contacts or caretakers they put into Driver and Vehicle Services record.
Reporter Austin Erickson tried to give employees at the Norman County License Center in Ada documentation to prove he has been diagnosed with Autism. They told him that wasn’t needed.
“The Autism identifier (indicator) on a license does not need any documentation. It is self-reported. Thus, the office you visited did not need to scan any documents, they just needed you to fill out the related form,” a DPS communications specialist emailed Erickson.
