Moving to Massachusetts: License, Registration, Inspection, Excise and Voting

Moving to Massachusetts comes with a short list of deadlines, and most of them run through the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). The big surprise for many newcomers: there’s no grace period for switching your license or registration [1][9]. Here’s what to do, in order.

Your driver’s license

The RMV says new residents must get a Massachusetts license, with no grace period [1]. If your out-of-state license is valid, you can usually transfer it without a test. If it’s been expired more than a year, you’ll need a written test, a road test and an eye test [1].

You can start the application online but have to finish it in person at an RMV Service Center, usually by appointment. For a REAL ID you’ll need proof of lawful presence, your Social Security number, two proofs of Massachusetts residency and your old license. You turn in the old license, and your previous state cancels it [1].

Registering your car

Register your car in Massachusetts as soon as you move; the RMV says there’s no grace period [9]. State law also says a car registered in another state can’t be driven here once a Massachusetts resident has had it for more than 30 days in a calendar year, unless it’s registered here. The fine is $100 to $250 [2].

Have your Massachusetts auto insurance lined up first; you’ll need coverage to drive here legally [4].

Inspection sticker

After you register, you have 7 days to get the car inspected [3]. Inspections are done every year at licensed stations around the state, and cost $35 for most vehicles [3]. The sticker shows the month you were inspected and is good for one year [3].

Auto insurance

Massachusetts requires auto insurance. For policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2025, the minimum bodily injury coverage is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident [4]. Those are minimums; one serious accident can cost far more.

Motor vehicle excise tax

Every registered vehicle owes a yearly excise tax , billed by your city or town. The rate is $25 for every $1,000 of value. The value isn’t what you paid; it’s a share of the manufacturer’s list price that drops each year [5]:

Example: a car with a $40,000 list price, in its second year, is valued at 60%, or $24,000. The excise is $25 x 24 = $600. The minimum bill is $5 [5].

Registering to vote

You can register to vote in Massachusetts if you’re a U.S. citizen, a Massachusetts resident, 18 or older, and not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction. 16- and 17-year-olds can preregister [7].

• Online: if you have a signature on file with the RMV, you can register online through the Secretary of the Commonwealth [7].
• Automatically: when you apply for or renew a license at the RMV, or apply at MassHealth or the Health Connector, you can be registered automatically [8].
• Deadline: registration closes at 5 p.m. on the 10th day before an election [6].

Moving checklist

1. Get Massachusetts auto insurance for your car.
2. Register the car with the RMV and get Massachusetts plates [9].
3. Get the inspection sticker within 7 days [3].
4. Transfer your driver’s license at an RMV Service Center [1].
5. Register to vote, or check that the RMV did it for you [7][8].
6. Watch for your town’s excise bill [5].
7. If you’re 65 or older, see our guide to the Senior Circuit Breaker tax credit.