Massachusetts RMV Opening 8 Locations Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

PLYMOUTH – The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles has announced that eight of its 30 customer service center locations will be open during the COVID-19 pandemic under new protocols.

Only the following RMV centers will be open until further notice: Boston/Haymarket, Brockton, Fall River, Lawrence, Pittsfield, Plymouth, Springfield, and Worcester.

The RMV is asking the customers who do not have immediate needs for required in-person services delay their visits as they will prioritize only transactions that cannot be completed online, over the phone, or by mail.

To assist with social distancing and reducing facility volume, customers are asked to not bring multiple individuals with them.

Under the new RMV protocols, customers visiting the open centers will be issued tickets on a first come, first serve basis with priority given to those customers with transactions that cannot be completed online.

“What we are doing is giving tickets on a first come first basis with priority to those customers who cannot complete their transaction online,” said Acting Registrar Jamey Tesler.

“Due the COVID-19 outbreak, in-person transactions will be conducted in keeping with guidelines from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Commonwealth’s COVID-19 Response Command Center.”    

Tickets will designate for customers whether they will be served in the morning timeframe [9 a.m. to 12 p.m.] or the later timeframe [12 p.m. to 5 p.m.] in groupings.

Limited tickets will be issued based on the service center capacity and number of customers that can be served realistically though the course of the day.

Any remaining customers will be asked to leave and return another day.

The steps are being taken following Governor Charlie Baker’s declaration of a State of emergency to complement the work that has been underway across the state to keep residents safe and healthy.

“While we will have eight Registry of Motor Vehicles Service Centers open to address the needs of residents and business customers, we ask the public to respect the new protocols – that only those customers visit who do not have a credential extension, who have an immediate deadline, or who cannot conduct their business online, by phone, or by mail,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack.

“Customers who do visit the eight centers will need to take a ticket and understand that new protocols are intended to keep them and other members of the public safe and healthy.”

Hearings will be conducted at Boston/Haymarket, Brockton, Fall River, Lawrence, Pittsfield, Plymouth, Springfield, and Worcester and hearings at the Pittsfield RMV occur weekly on Wednesdays and are scheduled to resume on March 25.

No hearings will be conducted in Plymouth.

Road tests for permit holders are postponed at all locations.

Class D and M road tests will resume only after cleaning, personal protective equipment and social distancing protocols have been put in place to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission for permit holders, road test examiners and others who accompany permit holders for their tests.

Because the governor’s Executive Order provides that Learner’s Permits dated between March 1 and April 30 will continue to have an active status until 60 days after the printed expiration date.

Earlier this week, the RMV began helping residents with social distancing by reducing the need for some customers to physically come into a service center for certain transactions.

Residents with Class D and Class DM driver’s licenses, ID cards, and Learner’s Permits that have an expiration date between March 1 and April 30 will have a 60 day extension applied to that customer’s credential.

This deadline extension does not apply to customers with commercial Driver’s Licenses or those who end of stay in the U.S. is the same as the expiration date on their driver’s license, ID card, or Learner’s Permit.

“If anybody has a March or April license expiration we have given them 60 days from their date of expiration for their license to stay valid,” continued Tesler.  

Customers eligible for this extension should wait to visit an RMV service center or AAA office and renew credentials after the State of Emergency is over.

AAA locations will continue to offer select RMV services to AAA members.

More than 40 Registry transactions may be conducted online at Mass.gov/rmv.

The Baker-Polito Administration will continue to update the public on COVID-19 response and precautionary measures: Mass.gov/coronavirus.com.

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