Massachusetts road test: requirements, scheduling, and what to bring

The short answer

• Cost: $35, paid online in myRMV before or after the test.
• Bring: your learner’s permit, a completed road test application, a sponsor 21 or older, and a registered, inspected car.
• Schedule: online in myRMV, up to 60 days ahead.
• Under 18: 6 months with a permit, driver’s ed, and 40 hours of supervised driving first.
• Fail: wait 2 weeks and pay again. Up to 6 attempts in 12 months.

Who can take the road test

If you’re 18 or older, you need a valid learner’s permit. Driver’s ed isn’t required.

If you’re under 18, you also have to meet the Junior Operator requirements before your test:

A parent or legal guardian signs the road test application for anyone under 18.

What to bring on test day

• Your learner’s permit. The paper permit has to be readable, or you need a duplicate.
• A completed road test application.
• A sponsor. They must be 21 or older with a valid U.S. license from their home state or territory and at least a year of driving experience. They show the physical license, not a photo of it. A foreign license doesn’t qualify.
• A car that passes the examiner’s check. See the next section.

Only you and your sponsor can be in the car, plus an interpreter or trained service animal if you need one. No children. Know your hand signals for turns and stops: the examiner asks you to show them at the start.

Car requirements

Unless a driving school schedules your test, you bring the car. It must:

• Be in good working condition and pass a safety check
• Have a valid registration and a current inspection sticker
• Have a front passenger seat for the examiner and a rear seat behind you for your sponsor
• Let the examiner make an emergency stop with the parking brake. A center console without a parking brake, or a brake the examiner can’t reach, means the car can’t be used.

Out-of-state registration: bring a policy showing Massachusetts minimum coverage of $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury and $30,000 property damage. Rental car: bring the rental agreement and a signed letter on the rental company’s letterhead allowing the road test.

Full list: Mass.gov Class D and M road test information sheet (PDF).

How to schedule your road test

• Times open up to 60 days ahead and are added each business day, throughout the day. If nothing is open, check again later.
• Mass.gov estimates 20 to 30 days to get a road test appointment. More on RMV wait times.
• Want an earlier date? You have to cancel your current test first, and your old time isn’t held for you.
• Cancel or reschedule at least 72 hours ahead, or you pay the fee for both tests.

Fees and refunds

The road test fee is $35. You don’t get it back if you:

• Fail the test
• Aren’t prepared, for example your car fails the examiner’s check
• Don’t bring a qualified sponsor
• Are late or don’t show up
• Cancel or reschedule with less than 72 hours’ notice

If the RMV cancels your test for weather, you can reschedule for free. You also pay your driver’s license fee, online or by phone, before or after the test. See the RMV’s schedule of fees for the amount.

After the road test

• You pass and your fees are paid: your permit is stamped and works as your temporary license. Your license arrives by mail in 7 to 10 days.
• You pass but haven’t paid: pay the license fees online within 60 days, or you have to pass a new road test.
• You fail: wait 2 weeks before your next test. You can take up to 6 Class D road tests in 12 months.