Massachusetts Online Permit Test 2026: Rules and Steps

How do you take the Massachusetts online permit test?

The steps, from the RMV’s First Time Driver guide and permit page:

Start your application online and book a learner’s permit appointment at a Service Center.
At the appointment, tell staff you plan to take the exam online. Once your documents are checked, you get login instructions.
Log in to myRMV with your S or SA number and the personal details you used at the appointment, such as your Social Security number. Keep the S or SA number private.
Look for the notice “You have a permit exam that can be taken” and select it.
Make sure your camera is on, then start. The clock runs from the first question.

Computer requirements

The RMV lists these:

A computer with a working camera, turned on for the whole exam
Google Chrome 97, Microsoft Edge 94 or Internet Explorer 11, or a later version. The troubleshooting sheet says Firefox and Safari won’t work
No smartphone or tablet, even if the start screen opens on one
Your consent to photos before, during and at the end of the exam
Speakers are optional

If your computer doesn’t qualify, or you don’t want your picture taken, take the exam at a Service Center instead. If you said no to the camera and changed your mind, the troubleshooting sheet says clearing your browser cache lets you try again.

Room rules and automatic fails

For the room and the exam, the RMV asks you to:

Use a quiet room with nobody else in it: no other adults, children, babies or pets
Leave your phone, smartwatch and other electronics in another room
Close other browser windows and turn off pop-ups
Keep your face clear: no baseball cap, mask or sunglasses, and nothing blocking the camera
Stay off the Driver’s Manual and the internet

The troubleshooting sheet lists three automatic fails: going idle on one question for too long, switching to another window or browser tab, and running past the time limit.

Penalties for cheating online

The RMV checks that the person in each photo is the person who applied. The troubleshooting sheet says that if it finds cheating, you may face a hearing, a permit revocation and a $100 reinstatement fee, and all later permit applications and exams must be done at a Service Center. The RMV says it can start that process even after your permit or license is issued.

After the online exam

Pass, and myRMV shows you how to print your permit, with no second trip to the Service Center. It prints on one full letter-size page and looks a little different from a Service Center permit. If you can’t print it, call the RMV Contact Center at 857-368-8110 and the RMV mails it to you.

Fail, and you can try again from myRMV: choose More Options, then Retake Knowledge Exam, and pay the exam fee by debit card, credit card or bank account. The exam link then shows up on your profile again.

Rules once you hold the permit →How the exam works →

Exams you can’t take online

The RMV’s permit FAQ says commercial learner’s permit exams aren’t offered online. The American Sign Language exam is given only at a Service Center too; the overview has the booking time. Some versions of the Class D and M exam also mean a Service Center visit, such as paper, extended-time and oral exams; the overview covers languages and other formats.

Commercial permit exams →

Sources: Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles and 4 more. Checked November 2026.