Driver’s Licenses Ending In April Extended To June 30; Road Tests Cancelled Through May 4

The following is a press release from MassDOT and submitted to SOURCE media. It is published as received.

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BOSTON – The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) continues to thoroughly review its licensing protocols and credential requirements to identify additional measures that can be implemented to reduce non-essential travel, reduce the need for customers to visit RMV Service Centers, and ensure proper “social-distancing” can take place under Governor Charlie Baker’s declaration of a State of Emergency the week of March 9.

The following new changes to service delivery and organizational protocols are now or are about to be in place as follows:

• Professional credentials for School Bus Certificates, School Pupil Transport Licenses (7D), Inspector Licenses, Driving Instructor Licenses and Driving School Licenses that have expired or are expiring, between March 10 and April 30, will be extended for 90 days after the State of Emergency is lifted. These credentials should all be considered “active” as the RMV implements the system changes to reflect that status in the near future.

• Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) holders are now able to renew their licenses online if they are self-certified in the Non-Excepted Interstate (NI) category for medical certification.

• All passenger and motorcycle road tests (Class D and Class M) have been cancelled through Monday, May 4, 2020.

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Reminders About Other Previously Announced Changes:

• Driver’s licenses, ID cards, and Learner’s Permits, including Commercial Driver’s Licenses & Permits (CDL/CLP), that have expired or are expiring between March 1, 2020, and April 30, 2020, have had a 60-day extension applied to the current expiration date and do not need to be renewed at this time. Customers holding a license or ID marked “Limited-Term” that expired between March 1 to April 30 should visit Mass.gov/RMV for more information and to check the validity of their credential. CDL Medical Certificates that expire on or after March 1 until April 30will be extended until June 30 to prevent license downgrades and elective medical visits, as well as alleviate demand on medical providers.

• Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the RMV has implemented a strict no walk-in policy at a limited number of Service Centers that remain open to the general public. Service for necessary in-person transactions are available by appointment only. Customers should visit Mass.Gov/RMV to make a reservation at an open Service Center or find information on over 40 transactions that can be conducted online, by phone, or by mail.

• Non-Classroom Drivers Education – through a temporary policy, the RMV is allowing driving schools to offer online driver education training and written testing during this emergency period only. The RMV will continuously monitor the current emergency and will keep you informed about the timeframe in which driving schools can offer alternative training.

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• Effective April 1, 2020, all of the passenger plate registrations that have expired in March or will be expiring in April have been extended for 60 days. Registrations that expired in March have been extended until May 31and registrations that expire in April have been extended until June 30.  Registration renewals can continue to be performed online at Mass.Gov/RMV during this time. Customers seeking to do so in-person will not be able to make an appointment and should delay their visit to a Service Center at this time.

• The annual motor vehicle safety and emissions inspection stickers that expire on March 31 and April 30 have been extended 60 days and all motorcycles with inspection stickers originally set to expire on May 31 must be inspected by June 30. The RMV is also extending the time during which newly registered vehicles must be inspected based on the purchase date.

• Class D and M Learner’s Permits knowledge exams have been suspended through May 4. Commercial Learner’s Permit tests are available to be taken at the Milford and Wilmington RMV Service Centers during normal business hours and commercial road tests continue to be conducted by the Massachusetts State Police.

• Massachusetts State Police are still conducting road tests for Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs), but require anyone taking these road tests to bring and wear a mask or face covering for the entirety of the test.

• The National Safety Council (NSC) and the RMV have previously announced the cancellation, through May 4, of the following Massachusetts in-person classroom driver safety classes: 8-hour Driver Retraining Program, 4-hour Driver Attitudinal Retraining Program and the 4-hour State Courts Against Road Rage (SCARR) Program.  The RMV has temporarily approved an alternative way to deliver the statutorily required content in the form of an online course. For a limited time, participation in the online course will fulfill the in-person class requirement. Additional information is available at http://drive.nsc.org and impacted customers can expect to receive specific instructions directly from NSC.

For details on all of these extensions and additional information on RMV services and the RMV’s response to COVID-19, visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/rmv-covid-19-information.