According to chapter 169 of the Minnesota statutes, "every driver shall have in possession at all times when operating a vehicle." The driver needs to produce, on demand, proof of insurance in force covering the vehicle being operated. If the driver does not produce the required proof of insurance then he or she is guilty of a misdemeanor.

statute 169.791 goes on to say that a driver who is not the vehicle owner may not be convicted unless the driver knew or had reason to know that the owner did not have proof of insurance, provided that the driver gives the officer the name and address of the owner at the time of the demand or at a later date produce this information.

If the driver is not the owner of the vehicle, the driver shall, no later than the date and time specified on the citation for the driver's first court appearance, provide district court administrator with proof of insurance for the vehicle or the name and address of the owner.

If the driver is unable to comply with proof of insurance for the vehicle or information on the owner or drove the car without insurance knowingly, penalties can be imposed. The court may sentence jail time or community service, a fine of not less than $200 and/or revoked their license.

If your friend can get proof that the owner of the vehicle had insurance on it at the time that he was driving it, he should take this proof along with information on the owner to the court administrator to see if the charge can be dismissed. For more information regarding MN statutes you can go through the Driver and Vehicle Services website.