Press Release  Updates: Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles

Updates: Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles

Registry locations closed for Veterans Day on Saturday, November 11

Pittsfield RMV adding customer appointments; closing on Saturdays as of 12/2/2023

Number of driving licenses issued July-October has doubled from same time a year ago

BOSTON - The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is announcing customer service updates, including that RMV centers and road test locations will be closed on Saturday, November 11, in observance of the Veterans Day holiday.  In addition, the RMV center in Pittsfield will be closed on Saturdays effective on December 2 due to a low volume of customers coming to the location on Saturdays. Customer service adjustments continue to be made due to the increased demand for driving licenses, with the number of licenses issued July 1 through October 28 more than doubling from the same time a year ago.

“We’re very pleased at how we’ve kept up with the increased demand for driving licenses since July by providing additional customer service options,” said Registrar Colleen Ogilvie. “In addition to hiring Registry employees this calendar year, we’ve added road test locations, offered Saturday service hours, and expanded the number of languages available for residents who need transactions. We’re grateful to our partners and to our employees for their ideas and flexibility in helping us meet the increased demand this year for credentials.”

Since July 1, when thousands of additional new customers became eligible to apply for a driving credential in Massachusetts under the Work and Family Mobility Act, the RMV has added additional hours, staff, and service locations.  During the summer and fall, service hours, road test locations, and other adjustments have been made according to the demand for transactions in specific regions of the state.

From July 1 to October 28 of this year, 57,058 driving licenses were issued, twice as many as for the same period in 2022, when 25,007 licenses were issued.  And from July 1 to October 28 of this year, 59,262 driving permits were issued, a tremendous increase from last year when 19,168 permits were issued for the same time.

In addition, the Pittsfield Customer Service Center began to offer Saturday hours to those individuals with appointments on Saturday, September 16.  Due to the low demand from the public for transactions on Saturdays since that time, effective on December 2, the Pittsfield center will no longer be offering Saturday hours.  The RMV in Pittsfield will continue to offer weekday hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and add additional appointments on Mondays. 

The expansion of customer services stemmed from the new Work and Family Mobility Act (WFMA), which took effect on July 1, and which has led to a higher number of customers needing RMV transactions.

Under the new law, eligible Massachusetts residents can apply to obtain a Standard (Class D or M) driver's license, regardless of immigration status, as the WFMA removes the requirement that residents provide proof of lawful presence in the U.S.  During 2023, the RMV identified and created informational resources specifically to help guide new customers as they begin the process to secure a Standard License credential. To further support this effort, the RMV has also worked directly with immigration advocacy groups, stakeholders, and impacted communities to facilitate and coordinate public outreach and to solicit feedback on implementation efforts so that best practices can be adopted.   

Members of the public should visit Mass.Gov/RMV to schedule appointments for services and to learn more about credential requirements, service hours, and other information.

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