How to Complete Form LIC100: Massachusetts Driver’s License or Learner’s Permit

Form LIC100 is the single application the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles uses for driver’s licenses, learner’s permits, and state ID cards, covering Class D (passenger), Class M (motorcycle), and combined D/M transactions.¹ You use it whether you’re applying for the first time, renewing, replacing a lost card, or switching from a Standard credential to a REAL ID. Commercial licenses go through a separate process. Before you write anything on the form, make two decisions: what type of card you want, and which original documents you’ll bring to the service center.

Choose Standard or REAL ID First

The top of the LIC100 asks which credential you want, and that choice determines the documents you need.

A Standard Massachusetts license is enough for driving and for most everyday identification. It is not accepted at TSA airport checkpoints for domestic flights, and it won’t get you into military bases or most federal buildings.²³ Federal REAL ID enforcement went into full effect on May 7, 2025. If you already carry a valid U.S. passport when you fly, a Standard license may be all you need. Otherwise, mark REAL ID on the form.

Gather Your Documents

Missing or mismatched paperwork is the most common reason applicants get turned away at the counter. Every document must be an original. Photocopies and laminated documents are not accepted.⁴

For a REAL ID

You need four documents across three categories:⁵

One proof of lawful presence: a valid U.S. passport, a certified U.S. birth certificate, a permanent resident card, or a similar original.⁴
One proof of your Social Security number: an original Social Security card, a W-2 showing the full nine-digit number, or a 1099 from a recent tax year. The RMV verifies the number directly with the Social Security Administration.⁴
Two proofs of Massachusetts residency, each showing your name and current address. A utility bill dated within 60 days, a bank statement, or a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy all qualify.⁵

For a Standard License

You still need proof of lawful presence, proof of your Social Security number, and proof of residency, but only one document per category. The RMV’s online document checklist lists everything that qualifies.⁵

If Your Name Has Changed

If the name on your lawful presence document no longer matches your legal name, bring an original marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order linking the two names. This applies to both credential types.⁶

Filling Out the LIC100 Section by Section

Download the form from the RMV website or pick one up at a service center. Completing it at home shortens your appointment.⁷

Transaction Type and Personal Information

Line 2 asks what you’re applying for: initial permit, new license, renewal, duplicate, or ID card. If you pick a license option, line 3 asks for the class: D, M, or both. Checking the wrong box can trigger the wrong fee or the wrong test, so read the options carefully. Below that, enter your legal name exactly as it appears on your identity documents, your residential address, and a separate mailing address if you receive mail elsewhere. The form also asks for physical descriptors like height and eye color.

Medical and Legal History

The reverse side has yes-or-no questions about medical conditions and your driving history. Massachusetts is a self-reporting state. You are legally required to disclose any condition that could affect your ability to drive safely, including seizure disorders, episodes of loss of consciousness, and significant vision impairment. If you’ve had a seizure or lost consciousness, you generally need to be episode-free for at least six months before the RMV will issue a permit or license.⁸ You also have to disclose any prior license suspensions or revocations, in Massachusetts or anywhere else. Submitting false information can lead to charges under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90, Section 24B, with penalties up to a $500 fine or imprisonment.

Voter Registration and Organ Donation

Federal law requires state motor vehicle agencies to offer voter registration during license transactions.⁹ The LIC100 includes a voter registration section you must complete even if you choose to decline. You can register for the first time, update your address, or opt out. The form also asks whether you want to join the Massachusetts Organ Donor Registry; that designation prints on your license and remains legally valid even if the license later expires or is revoked.

Signature

Sign and date the bottom. Your signature certifies that everything on the form is true under the penalties of perjury.¹

If You’re Under 18

Applicants under 18 need written consent from a parent or guardian on the LIC100 itself before the RMV will process it.¹⁰ Massachusetts issues a Junior Operator’s License to minors, and getting one takes more than the form:

You must be at least 16 and a half.¹⁰
You must complete a state-approved driver’s education course with at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and 18 hours of on-road training.¹⁰
A parent or guardian must certify at least 40 hours of supervised driving, or 30 hours if you completed a driver skills development program on a closed course.¹⁰
You must hold a valid permit for at least six consecutive months with a clean driving record before taking the road test.¹⁰

Any surchargeable incident during that six-month permit period, meaning an at-fault accident or moving violation, resets the clock. A parent or guardian also has to sit through two hours of the driver’s education curriculum unless they’ve done so within the past five years.

Book Your Appointment and Know the Fees

You cannot walk in. Every in-person permit, license, and ID transaction requires a pre-booked appointment through the RMV’s online system at atlas-myrmv.massdot.state.ma.us. After submitting a request, you’ll get an email when a slot opens, with a personalized confirmation link that expires within 24 hours, so check your inbox often. If you’re 65 or older or have a disability, you can call 857-368-8005 to book instead.¹¹ AAA members can also handle REAL ID transactions at participating AAA branches.⁵

The LIC100 fees you’ll most likely encounter:¹²

Learner’s permit exam: $30 (permit is valid for two years)
Class D license, five years: $50
Class M motorcycle license, five years: $50
Massachusetts ID card (non-driver): $25¹³

Service centers accept credit cards, debit cards, mobile wallets, cash, checks, and money orders. Checks are payable to MassDOT.¹⁴

What Happens at the Counter and After

Bring the completed LIC100, all original supporting documents, and payment. A clerk reviews the form, runs each document against state and federal databases, and will turn you away if something is missing or if names don’t match across documents.

Permit applicants take a vision screening and the written knowledge exam during the same visit. The exam has 25 questions, you get 25 minutes, and you need 18 correct to pass. Questions cover rules of the road, impaired driving consequences, the Junior Operator Law, and sharing the road with pedestrians and cyclists.¹⁵ If you pass both and your documents check out, you leave with a temporary learner’s permit. If you’re converting a permit into a full license after a road test, the clerk processes the upgrade and issues a temporary paper license on the spot.

Massachusetts prints the plastic card at a centralized facility and mails it. The RMV estimates delivery in 10 to 14 days. If 30 days pass with no card, contact the RMV directly.¹⁶ Temporary paper documents are not accepted as valid ID at TSA airport checkpoints.³

When You Can Skip the Form Entirely

If you already hold a Standard or REAL ID license and are just renewing, you may not need the LIC100 at all. You can renew online through the myRMV portal up to one year before your license expires or up to two years after. If your license has been expired for more than two years, you lose the renewal option and have to start over with the permit exam and road test.¹⁷

Online renewal is not available if your license is suspended or revoked, you have unpaid parking tickets or excise tax bills, you hold a limited-term license, or the RMV doesn’t have a Social Security number on file. Any of those situations send you back to the service center. Drivers 75 and older also have to appear in person and pass a vision test at the service center or an AAA office.⁸

1
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles License, ID, and Permit Application Form
2
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
3
Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
4
Mass.gov. REAL ID in Massachusetts
5
Mass.gov. Massachusetts Identification (ID) Requirements
6
Mass.gov. Change Information on Your Driver’s License or ID Card
7
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles License, ID, and Permit Application Form
8
Mass.gov. Medical Standards for Passenger (Class D) and Motorcycle (Class M) Driver’s Licenses
9
Department of Justice. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993
10
General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Code Chapter 90 – Section 8
11
Mass.gov. Springfield RMV Service Center
12
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles Schedule of Fees
13
Mass.gov. Apply for a Massachusetts Identification Card (Mass ID)
14
Mass.gov. Plymouth RMV Service Center
15
Mass.gov. Apply for a Passenger (Class D) Learner’s Permit
16
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. Replace Your Driver’s License
17
Mass.gov. Renew Your REAL or Standard Passenger (Class D) or Motorcycle (Class M) Driver’s License