How to get a driver's license in Massachusetts
This page explains, step by step, how to get a Massachusetts driver’s license for a regular car and which documents to bring. In Massachusetts, the Registry of Motor Vehicles (the RMV) issues licenses at its RMV Service Centers and gives the learner’s permit exam and the road test. This guide is based on the RMV’s website pages, read in October 2026, and on the revised April 2026 edition of the Massachusetts Driver’s Manual. Where those sources do not say the same thing, this guide leaves the point out or tells you to check the RMV’s page. Requirements change, so check the RMV website before you go. This site is independent and is not a government agency.
Independent educational site · not affiliated with any government agency or DMV
Checked against the official sources on 2026-10-20. Requirements can change: always confirm with Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles before you go.
How it works
Who does what
In Massachusetts, the Registry of Motor Vehicles (the RMV) issues driver’s licenses to residents. It issues five license classes (A, B, C, D and M) with different privileges and restrictions. A Massachusetts resident who is at least 16 and has not had a license or the right to operate revoked may begin the process for a Class D or Class M license with a reservation at any RMV Service Center. The learner’s permit exam can be taken at a Service Center during your permit appointment or online.
Which license this guide covers
This guide covers the Class D license, which is the most common license and is for passenger vehicles, vans and small trucks. It also covers the learner’s permit that comes first and, for drivers under 18, the Junior Operator License (JOL). Any driver between 16 1/2 and 18 is considered a Junior Operator.
Source: [1]
The learner’s permit comes first
No person under 16 may drive in Massachusetts. You must get a learner’s permit before you can apply for any license. Your permit does not become a license until you pass the road test and pay all license fees, and passing the road test alone does not make you a licensed driver.
Under 18, or an adult
If you are under 18, you must meet all the Junior Operator License requirements, which include driver education. If you are over 18, the RMV says you do not need to complete a driver’s education program for the Class D road test.
One license at a time
You may hold only one driver’s license or ID card at a time, and you cannot hold a driver’s license in more than one state. A Massachusetts driver’s license is valid for a maximum of five years and typically expires on your birthday.
Source: [1]
Fees and online services
Fees apply to the learner’s permit, the road test and the license. This guide gives no amounts because they change; see the RMV’s fees page, linked below. You may pay your road test and license fees online.
If you are under 18
Get your learner’s permit
You must be at least 16 years old to apply for a learner’s permit, and you must not hold a driver’s license or learner’s permit in any other state. Start your application online (you log in with a MyMassGov Personal account if you have been issued a Massachusetts license, permit or ID card before) and make an appointment to visit an RMV Service Center or, if you are an AAA member, an AAA location. If you are under 18, you need written consent from a parent or legal guardian. To get a permit you complete an application, present identification, pay a fee, pass a vision exam and pass the learner’s permit exam. A permit is valid for up to two years; if it expires, you need to reapply and retake the exam.
Take driver education
Completion of a driver’s education program is required of all Class D and M license applicants under 18. It is offered at public high schools and by professional driving schools licensed by the RMV. The program has a minimum of 30 hours of classroom instruction and 18 hours in a training vehicle: at least 12 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction and 6 hours of observing another student who is driving. You must complete the program within 2 years of the first session, and before you may take part in on-road instruction you must have a valid learner’s permit and be 16. A parent or guardian must take part in 2 hours of the driver’s education course, unless they have completed one within the past 5 years. The RMV says the fact that you completed driver education will be available on your RMV record at the time of your road test.
Practice with a supervising driver
With a Class D permit, a licensed operator must sit in the seat next to you. That person must be at least 21 years old, hold a valid driver’s license from Massachusetts or another state and have at least one year of driving experience. You must carry your learner’s permit whenever you drive. For the JOL you must also complete at least an additional 40 hours of supervised, behind-the-wheel driving, shown by a certified statement by a parent or guardian. The RMV accepts 30 hours of driving supervised by a parent or guardian if you complete a driver skills development program.
Hold your permit and keep a clean record
You must have a valid learner’s permit for at least 6 consecutive months before taking the road test. Any suspension invalidates the permit, and the 6 months start again when the suspension ends. You must also keep a clean driving record for at least 6 consecutive months before taking the road test. If you are under 18, the clean record must cover the six consecutive months immediately before the date you apply for the test.
Pass the road test
For a Class D road test you need a valid learner’s permit, a sponsor and a completed Class D road test application. If you are under 18, your parent or guardian must complete the parental consent section on the application. You may not receive a Class D license until you are at least 16 1/2. See “The tests” below for how the road test works.
Follow the Junior Operator rules
Once you have your JOL, you must follow the Junior Operator restrictions in the next section. They include limits on passengers, night driving and mobile devices, and breaking some of them brings a license suspension.
Source: [1]
Rules for young drivers
Learner’s permit: night driving
If you are under 18 and have a learner’s permit, you may not drive between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless you are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who is a validly licensed operator with at least one year of driving experience. This is a different rule from the JOL night hours below, which start at 12:30 a.m.
JOL: passengers
For the first six months after you receive your JOL, you may not drive while any person under 18, other than you or an immediate family member, is in the vehicle. The exception: a person sits in the seat beside you who is at least 21 years old, has at least one year of driving experience and holds a valid driver’s license from Massachusetts or another state. The passenger restriction ends when you complete the six-month period (or the part that applies to you) or when you reach 18, whichever happens first.
Source: [1]
JOL: night driving
With a JOL, you may not drive between 12:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless you are accompanied by one of your parents or your legal guardian. Between 12:30 and 1:00 a.m. and between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m., police enforce the rule only if a Junior Operator has been lawfully stopped for a violation or another offense, but it is still illegal to drive during those times without a parent present.
Source: [1]
Phones and devices
Drivers under 18 may not use any mobile electronic device for any reason while driving. The only exception is for reporting an emergency.
Source: [1]
Penalties for breaking the rules
If you break the JOL passenger restriction or the night restriction, you are subject to a license suspension of 60 days for a first offense, 180 days for a second offense and one year for later offenses.
Source: [1]
If you are an adult
Start with a learner’s permit
Adults need a learner’s permit first too. You must obtain a permit before you can apply for any license, and it becomes a license only after you pass the road test and pay all license fees. The steps to get a permit are the same ones described in the previous section: an application, identification, a fee, a vision exam and the learner’s permit exam.
Source: [1]
No driver education required
If you are over 18, you do not need to complete a driver’s education program for the Class D road test. If you are under 18, you must meet all the JOL requirements.
Who can sit beside you
Whatever your age, with a Class D permit, a licensed operator must sit in the seat next to you. That person must be at least 21 years old, hold a valid driver’s license from Massachusetts or another state and have at least one year of driving experience. You must carry your learner’s permit whenever you drive.
Source: [1]
The road test
You need a valid learner’s permit, a sponsor and a completed road test application. The rest of the road test rules are in “The tests” below.
Source: [4]
Moving to Massachusetts
Get a Massachusetts license
If you become a resident of Massachusetts, you must obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license to retain your driving privileges. There is no grace period.
Source: [1]
A license from another state
If you have a driver’s license from another state, you need to convert it to a Massachusetts license when you become a resident. You must make an appointment at an RMV Service Center for this. If your license is active or has been expired for less than 1 year, you do not need a written or road test. If it has been expired for more than 1 year, you need a full test (written and road) and an eye test. The RMV takes part in the State-to-State (S2S) Verification Service, which checks electronically whether you hold a license or ID card in another state and tells the state you are leaving to invalidate it.
If you do not have the license card
If you do not have your out-of-state license to turn in to the RMV, you need an acceptable photo ID from the RMV’s list of acceptable documents and a certified copy of your driving record, not more than 30 days old.
Source: [9]
Drivers under 18
If you are under 18, you must convert your driver’s education certificate or complete driver’s education in Massachusetts. Converting a license as a Junior Operator requires a certified copy of your driving record from the state you are leaving, a Massachusetts driver’s education certificate on file with the RMV, and an additional 40 hours of supervised driving (30 hours if you completed a driver skills development program), shown by a certified statement from a parent or guardian. A driver education certificate from another state is converted with an Application to Convert Out-of-State Driver Education Certificate.
A learner’s permit from another state
An out-of-state learner’s permit must have been issued less than two years ago to be eligible for conversion, and you must provide a certified driving record from the state you are converting from, not more than 30 days old. If your permit is converted, you will not be required to take the learner’s permit exam, but you will need to pay the applicable fee. The converted permit is dated to the issue date of your original permit, so that time counts toward the six-month permit requirement for applicants under 18.
A license from another country
Whether a foreign license can be converted depends on the country: the RMV has arrangements with certain countries, so check its page on converting a foreign license, linked below. If your license is from a country that does not have an established arrangement with the RMV, you cannot convert it. Once you are a Massachusetts resident, you can apply for a driver’s license: you must meet all identification requirements and take the learner’s permit exam and the road test. An international driving permit cannot be converted to a Massachusetts driving permit. If you have a license from Canada, Mexico or a U.S. territory (including Puerto Rico), you must present a driving record not more than 30 days old, and a test may be required if your license has been expired for more than 1 year.
Visiting with a foreign license
For driving as a visitor, your foreign license must be valid and not suspended or revoked. If it is not in English and has no English translation, you need an English translation with it; the RMV’s page on driving on a foreign license, linked below, lists the forms it accepts.
Documents to bring
How many documents
For a REAL ID driver’s license, bring 1 document proving you are in the U.S. legally, 1 proving your full 9-digit Social Security number and 2 proving you live in Massachusetts. For a Standard license, only 1 document proving residency is needed.
Where the list is
Your identification documents must come from the RMV’s Acceptable Identification Document list and be satisfactory to the RMV. Use the RMV’s ID requirements page, linked below, for the documents that are accepted; this guide does not give a complete list.
Source: [1]
Originals only
REAL ID documents must be originals, and they cannot be laminated. The manual adds that photocopies and laminated documents are not accepted.
If your name is different
If the name on your documents is different, you must present documents proving you changed your name, like a marriage certificate or other court document.
Source: [6]
Social Security number
You must meet the Social Security Number (SSN) requirement to apply for any permit, license or ID, including a replacement or a renewal. If you applied for an SSN with the Social Security Administration and were denied, you must present the written Denial Notice (not more than 60 days old) with proof of your current visa status, an I-94 Record of Arrival and Departure and your current non-U.S. passport.
Source: [1]
Other things to know
You will be asked for a list of the states where you have been licensed in the past ten years. Eyeglasses, including reading or prescription glasses, are not allowed in your license photo, even if you normally wear them.
Source: [1]
Standard license visit
To get a Standard Class D or a Class M driver’s license, you must make an appointment at an RMV Service Center to present documents proving your identity and your state residency.
Source: [6]
REAL ID
How to recognize one
A Massachusetts REAL ID has a star in the top right corner. A standard driver’s license or Mass ID does not.
Source: [7]
Why people want one
People 18 and older need a REAL ID driver’s license or ID card, or another ID accepted by the TSA, to board domestic flights or enter certain federal facilities.
Source: [7]
What a Standard license does
A Standard Massachusetts driver’s license offers the same driving privileges as a REAL ID driver’s license, and the driver licensing requirements (age, operator fitness, and written and road testing) are the same for both. A Standard license will always be valid for five years. Decide which license you want before you visit a Service Center.
Who can get one
To get a REAL ID, you must be living in the United States legally; the manual gives the minimum acceptable period of lawful presence as 12 months. Non-U.S. citizens and permanent residents can apply for a limited-term REAL ID driver’s license or REAL ID Mass ID that is effective for the length of their stay.
How to apply
Gather your documents and apply online, then schedule an in-person appointment to verify your documents at an RMV Service Center or an AAA branch (if you are a member). The temporary paper REAL ID the RMV gives you while your card is mailed will not be accepted by the TSA.
Source: [7]
At the RMV Service Center
Make an appointment first
If you have to visit an RMV Service Center, you must make an appointment first. For your learner’s permit visit, you make it with the Make or Cancel a Reservation transaction on myRMV. If a customer walks in without an appointment and cannot be helped immediately, a staffer will see if another time slot is available later in the day or over the next several days.
Finish the online application
Complete the online application and continue until you get a confirmation page with a QR code. The code is scanned at the Service Center to fill in your information and speed up your visit.
Source: [17]
AAA locations
If you are an AAA member, you can make a reservation at an AAA branch to provide the identification documents for your learner’s permit, and you may be able to do select license and registration transactions there.
Busy days
The RMV advises you to avoid going to a Service Center on Fridays, Mondays or the day after a holiday.
Source: [17]
Look-alike websites
Several similar-looking third-party websites claim to offer RMV services and information, and may charge extra fees.
Source: [1]
The tests
Vision screening
When you apply for a permit or license, you will be screened for visual acuity, color vision and peripheral vision. If you normally wear contact lenses or corrective lenses to see at a distance, you must wear them during the screening. For a license, the vision standards include at least 20/40 distant visual acuity, with or without corrective lenses, at least 120 degrees of horizontal peripheral vision, and being able to distinguish the colors red, green and amber. If you fail or cannot take the screening, you may submit an original RMV Vision Screening Certificate completed by your ophthalmologist or optometrist. If your corrected vision is between 20/50 and 20/70, you may be eligible for a daylight-only license.
The learner’s permit exam
The exam has 25 multiple-choice questions. You must answer 18 questions correctly within the allotted time of 25 minutes. It covers rules of the road, the consequences of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the Junior Operator Law, and sharing the road with the visually impaired, bicyclists and pedestrians. You cannot use the Driver’s Manual or other reference materials in the testing area, and once the exam is started you may not pause.
Where and in which languages
You can take the exam at the Service Center during your learner’s permit appointment or online. For the online exam the computer must have a working camera, which must be enabled during the session, and you cannot take it on a smartphone or tablet. The RMV says the Class D exam is available in 37 languages, and if English is not your primary language you may ask to take it in a foreign language. Anyone can choose to take an audio exam. If you have a cognitive or physical disability that would prevent you from taking the standard exam, you may request an alternative extended-time, paper or person-to-person oral exam.
If you do not pass the exam
If you took the exam in person and failed, you can make another appointment to take the permit exam at an RMV Service Center. To retake it online, you pay the required exam fee again in myRMV. If you are found responsible for cheating, you will not be allowed to hold any type of driver’s license or permit for 60 days.
Scheduling the road test
The fastest and easiest way to schedule a road test is online; you log in with a MyMassGov Personal account. Road tests are scheduled 60 days in advance and fill up quickly. If you cancel or reschedule with more than 72 hours notice, there is no additional fee.
Your sponsor
You must bring a sponsor to a Class D road test; if you are not accompanied by a sponsor, you will not be given the test. A sponsor must be 21 years of age or older, have at least 1 year of driving experience and hold a valid driver’s license issued by their home state. Holders of foreign driver’s licenses are not eligible to be sponsors. An operator may not sponsor more than three applicants in a 1-year period without approval from the RMV Road Test Program.
Your vehicle
Unless your test is scheduled through a driving school, you must supply your own vehicle. It must have a valid registration and a current inspection sticker, adequate seating next to the driver for the examiner and a rear seat behind the driver for the sponsor. A vehicle that does not allow the examiner unobstructed access to the parking brake cannot be used. If the vehicle is registered out of state, you will have to show the examiner proof of insurance coverage equal to Massachusetts’ minimum limits.
Source: [4]
On test day
Road tests are scheduled close together, so you must be on time for your test, and you should arrive approximately 15 minutes early. Only you, the examiner and your sponsor are allowed in the vehicle during the test. Trained service animals are allowed in the vehicle, but emotional support animals are not. You are encouraged to bring your own interpreter if you need one; if you cannot, you can ask the RMV to provide an interpreter when you schedule your test. On the application you must disclose whether you have a physical, mental or medical condition, or are taking any medications, that might affect your ability to operate a motor vehicle.
What the test covers
In the road test you will, among other things, use hand signals, start the engine, start and stop the vehicle, parallel park, back the vehicle approximately 50 feet, and make left and right turns. Backup cameras and parking aids will not need to be disabled, but your driving skills without relying only on these features will be tested. One reason for failing is violating a motor vehicle law, rule or regulation.
Source: [1]
If you do not pass the road test
If you fail a road test, you must wait 2 weeks before taking another test; the manual says to wait at least 14 days after failing or not appearing for your scheduled test. You may attempt no more than 6 Class D road tests in a 12-month period.
After you pass
Passing is not the last step
Passing the road test alone will not make you a licensed driver. You remain a learner’s permit holder until you have passed the road test, paid all fees and provided the required documentation. You may pay your road test and license fees online before or after the test.
Apply at a Service Center
If you do not prepay for your road test, you only have 60 calendar days from the date you pass your road test to apply for a driver’s license at an RMV Service Center. If you do not, you will have to take and pass a new road test at your own expense.
Source: [5]
Your license comes by mail
Massachusetts driver’s licenses are produced at a secure location and are generally mailed to you within 10 to 14 business days after you visit the RMV Service Center. The law requires you to carry a valid driver’s license on your person or within easy reach inside your vehicle.
Source: [1]
If you are a Junior Operator
The JOL passenger restriction ends when you complete the six-month period or reach 18, whichever happens first. Other JOL restrictions, such as the night-driving hours and the ban on mobile devices, are listed in the section on rules for young drivers above.
Source: [1]
Keeping your license
When to renew
You can renew your driver’s license up to 1 year before it expires, and up to 2 years after it expires. If your license has been expired for more than 2 years, you will be required to take the learner’s permit exam and the road test.
Source: [12]
How to renew
If you are renewing an existing REAL ID or Standard driver’s license, you can complete the process online. Limited-term driver’s license renewals require an in-person visit. If you renew your license before your 21st birthday, you will receive a vertical license with the words “Under 21” on it. The RMV sends your new license to the mailing address on record in 10 to 14 business days.
Source: [12]
What can block a renewal
You cannot renew your driver’s license if it is suspended or revoked, or if you have unpaid parking tickets, excise tax or EZ-Pass violations. Check the status of your license before renewing.
Source: [12]
Drivers 75 and older
If you are 75 or older, you have to follow certain guidelines when renewing your Class D or M license. You either appear in person by appointment at an RMV Service Center or AAA office and pass a vision test given by RMV or AAA staff, or present a completed vision screening certificate during your appointment.
Source: [16]
Replacing a license
The quickest and easiest way to order a replacement driver’s license is online. If your license will expire in less than a year, you can renew it instead of replacing it. You can also renew or replace your REAL ID online.
Changing your address
By law, you must notify the RMV of a change of address within 30 days of moving. If you are only changing your address, you can update your information in the RMV’s Online Service Center.
Source: [14]
Changing your name
Name change requests must be completed at an RMV Service Center, and an in-person visit is required to capture your new signature; a name change cannot be done online. For a Standard license or ID card, the RMV says you may change your name with no documentation as long as there is no attempt to defraud. For a REAL ID, if your name differs from your documents, you must present documents proving the change.
The Massachusetts ID card
Who can get a Mass ID
To get a Mass ID you must be at least 14 years old, must not hold a valid license in Massachusetts or another state or jurisdiction, and must be a resident of Massachusetts.
Source: [19]
How to apply
You must make an appointment at an RMV Service Center to get a Mass ID. You may hold only one driver’s license or ID card at a time. A Mass ID can be a REAL ID or a Standard ID; a REAL ID has a star in the top right corner.
Official links
- RMV home (Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles) (mass.gov)
- Passenger (Class D) driver’s licenses (RMV hub) (mass.gov)
- First Time Driver? Start here (mass.gov)
- Apply for a Class D learner’s permit (mass.gov)
- Junior Operator License (JOL) requirements (mass.gov)
- Driver’s education programs (mass.gov)
- Massachusetts identification (ID) requirements (mass.gov)
- REAL ID in Massachusetts (mass.gov)
- Passenger (Class D) road tests (mass.gov)
- Schedule your road test (mass.gov)
- RMV road tests (mass.gov)
- Transfer an out-of-state license to Massachusetts (mass.gov)
- Transfer an out-of-state learner’s permit (mass.gov)
- Transfer a license from a foreign country (mass.gov)
- Converting certain foreign driver’s licenses (mass.gov)
- Driving on a foreign driver’s license (mass.gov)
- Renew your driver’s license (mass.gov)
- Replace your driver’s license (mass.gov)
- Change information on your license or ID (mass.gov)
- Change your address with the RMV (mass.gov)
- Medical standards for Class D and M licenses (mass.gov)
- Apply for a Mass ID (mass.gov)
- Tips for RMV success (mass.gov)
- RMV and AAA locations (mass.gov)
- Driver’s manuals (mass.gov)
- Pay your road test and/or driver’s license fees (mass.gov)
Practice-hours log · A free log for supervised driving practice: add each session, see your total and night hours, and print it. Saved only on your device.
Ready for the knowledge test?
Practice free with questions from the Massachusetts driver's manual.
Sources
- Massachusetts Driver’s Manual (revised April 2026) (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Apply for a passenger (Class D) learner’s permit (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Junior Operator License (JOL) requirements (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Passenger (Class D) road tests (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Schedule your road test (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Massachusetts identification (ID) requirements (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- REAL ID in Massachusetts (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- First Time Driver? Start here... (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Transfer your REAL or standard out-of-state driver’s or motorcycle license to Massachusetts (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Transfer your driver’s license from a foreign country (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Information for converting certain foreign driver’s licenses (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Renew your REAL or standard passenger (Class D) or motorcycle (Class M) driver’s license (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Replace your driver’s license (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Change information on your driver’s license or ID card (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Driver’s education programs (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Medical standards for passenger (Class D) and motorcycle (Class M) driver’s licenses (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Tips for RMV Success (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Transfer your REAL or standard out-of-state learner’s permit to Massachusetts (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Apply for a Massachusetts Identification Card (Mass ID) (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
- Driving in Massachusetts on a Foreign Driver’s License (mass.gov) — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)