How to Request a Massachusetts Driving Record Copy: Cost and Steps

To request a Massachusetts driving record, go through the Registry of Motor Vehicles: online for $8 if you just need to see what’s on it, or by mail or in person for $20 if you need a certified copy for a court, employer, or insurer. The online route takes about five minutes and gives you an immediate PDF.

Pick the Right Version Before You Order

The RMV issues two versions of the driving record, and the names on the official forms differ from what most people call them. An unattested driving record is the informal, personal-use copy. A true and attested driving record carries the signature of the Registrar of Motor Vehicles and is the version accepted for court, employment verification, and insurance matters.¹

The content is the same on both: criminal and civil driving offenses for which you were found guilty or responsible, plus any discretionary and administrative license suspensions.¹ The only difference is authentication. If you want to check your record before renewing your license or spot-check for mistakes, the unattested copy is fine. If anyone else needs to rely on it, order the true and attested version.

Driving Record or Driving History?

These are different products, and ordering the wrong one is the most common mistake. A driving record shows offenses where you were found guilty or responsible. A driving history is broader: it includes all offenses regardless of disposition, across your full career as a Massachusetts license holder.² A charge you beat in court will show on the history but not on the record.

There are two history products. A Personal Driving History lists all offenses across your driving career. A Full Certified Driving History adds copies of every piece of correspondence the RMV has sent you, including suspension and revocation letters.² Both cost $20 and are available only by mail or in person, not online. If an attorney has asked for “everything,” this is what they mean. For a routine background check or insurance question, the true and attested driving record is usually enough.

How to Request It

Online

The online request is limited to the unattested record. On the Mass.gov RMV driving record request page, you’ll provide your driver’s license or learner’s permit number, full name, date of birth, Social Security Number, and email address.¹ The RMV requires your full SSN here, not the last four digits. After you pay the $8 fee, the PDF is available to download and print.

By Mail

Complete the Driving Record Request Form and send it with a check or money order payable to MassDOT to:

Registry of Motor Vehicles
Court Records Department
P.O. Box 55896
Boston, MA 02205¹

Give it about two weeks. The RMV mails the record to the address on file with your license, not the return address on your envelope, so update your address first if it’s out of date.

In Person

Any RMV Service Center can process either version of the driving record. Bring a photocopy of your license or state-issued ID and payment for the applicable fee.¹

What It Costs

Unattested driving record, online only: $8³
True and attested driving record: $20³
Personal Driving History: $20²
Full Certified Driving History: $20²

Mail-in payment must be a check or money order made out to MassDOT. Online orders take electronic payment.

When Someone Else Is Requesting Your Record

If a third party needs to request your Massachusetts driving record on your authorization, the RMV requires a Driving Record Request Form signed by both you and the authorized recipient, along with photocopies of both parties’ licenses or state-issued IDs.¹ Federal law separately restricts who can pull driving records without your consent, and highly sensitive items like your Social Security Number and medical information require your express consent before release.⁴

Fixing an Error on Your Record

If your record shows something wrong, a violation that isn’t yours, a suspension that should have cleared, or incorrect personal information, start with the RMV’s Court Records Department. Most clerical errors can be resolved with documentation.

For a bigger dispute, such as challenging a suspension or revocation imposed by the Registrar, Massachusetts has a formal appeal. File with the Board of Appeal on Motor Vehicle Liability Policies and Bonds, with a non-refundable $50 fee by check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Appeals go to the Division of Insurance at One Federal Street, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02110-2012. If the revocation came from a court rather than the Registrar, that appeal goes through the court system instead; the Board won’t hear those.⁵

1
Mass.gov. Request a Driving Record
2
Mass.gov. Request for Driving History
3
Mass.gov. RMV Schedule of Fees
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 2721 – Prohibition on Release and Use of Certain Personal Information From State Motor Vehicle Records
5
Mass.gov. Appeal a Decision of the Registrar of Motor Vehicles