If you have lost your Massachusetts driver’s license, order a replacement through the RMV’s Online Service Center for $25 and the new card will arrive by mail in 10 to 14 business days.1Mass.gov. Replace Your Driver’s License Before you pay, make sure the license is really gone. You cannot cancel or return a duplicate once it’s ordered.
Replace It Online
The online route is the fastest and the one most people should use. No documents to upload, no appointment, no counter visit. The RMV asks for your name, date of birth, driver’s license or learner’s permit number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, an email address, and the $25 fee.1Mass.gov. Replace Your Driver’s License If what you enter matches what the RMV already has on file, the whole thing takes a few minutes.
One thing the online system cannot do is process a name change. If your legal name has changed since your last license was issued, you’ll need an in-person appointment at a Service Center so your new signature can be captured.1Mass.gov. Replace Your Driver’s License
Replace It By Phone
You can call the RMV’s Contact Center and request a replacement over the phone with the same information the online form asks for. The number depends on your area code:
- (857) 368-8000 for area codes 339, 617, 781, and 857, or callers outside Massachusetts
- (800) 858-3926 for all other Massachusetts area codes
- (877) 768-8833 (TTY) for people who are deaf or hard of hearing within Massachusetts
You still pay the $25 fee.1Mass.gov. Replace Your Driver’s License
Replace It In Person
This part trips people up. The RMV is not currently handling replacement licenses at its own Service Centers. The only in-person option is a AAA location, and you have to be a AAA member with a reservation.1Mass.gov. Replace Your Driver’s License Driving to the nearest RMV office for a duplicate card won’t work. Replacement by mail isn’t offered either.
Fees and When the Card Arrives
The fee is $25 no matter which method you use, payable by credit card, debit card, check, or money order.2Mass.gov. Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles Fees A bounced check or chargeback adds a $15 fee on top.3Mass.gov. Schedule of Fees
The replacement is mailed to the address the RMV has on file within 10 to 14 business days. If nothing arrives after 30 days, call the RMV to follow up.1Mass.gov. Replace Your Driver’s License Confirm your mailing address is current before you order. An old address on file sends the card somewhere you no longer live.
What To Do While You Wait
Massachusetts does not appear to issue a printable temporary license when you order a replacement online or by phone; the RMV’s replacement page simply says the new card will arrive by mail. Your license status stays active in the RMV’s system in the meantime, but a police officer at a traffic stop still needs some way to verify who you are. Carry another government-issued photo ID during the 10-to-14-day wait if you have one.
Should You Renew Instead?
If your license expires in less than a year, consider renewing rather than ordering a duplicate. A renewal resets the expiration date, so you aren’t paying $25 for a card that goes stale in a few months.1Mass.gov. Replace Your Driver’s License Massachusetts also lets you renew up to two years after expiration without retesting.4Mass.gov. Renew Your REAL or Standard Passenger (Class D) or Motorcycle (Class M) Driver’s License Fees and eligibility for renewal differ from the replacement process, so check the renewal page before deciding.
Should You Upgrade to a REAL ID?
As of May 7, 2025, every air traveler 18 and older needs a REAL ID-compliant license or another acceptable form of identification to board a domestic commercial flight.5TSA. TSA Reminds Public of REAL ID Enforcement Deadline of May 7, 2025 If the license you lost was a standard (non-REAL ID) card, replacing it with another standard card leaves you in the same spot: no flying with it, no entry to certain federal facilities. A loss can be a reasonable moment to upgrade instead.
A REAL ID upgrade requires an in-person visit to an RMV Service Center with proof of lawful presence, Social Security verification, and two proofs of Massachusetts residency. All documents must be originals, cannot be laminated, and your legal name must match across them; if it doesn’t, bring proof of each name change.6Mass.gov. REAL ID in Massachusetts The RMV publishes a full identification documents checklist showing what counts in each category.7Mass.gov. Identification Documents Checklist
Protect Yourself From Identity Fraud
Your license carries your full name, date of birth, address, and photo. That’s enough for someone to try to open accounts in your name, so take a few steps now.
Filing a police report isn’t legally required in Massachusetts, but it’s worth doing if you suspect the license was stolen rather than misplaced. A report creates an official record, and some banks and creditors ask for a report number before reversing fraudulent charges.
Place a free fraud alert with any one of the three major credit bureaus; that bureau is required to notify the other two. A fraud alert lasts one year and forces businesses to verify your identity before opening new credit in your name, and you can renew it when it expires.8Federal Trade Commission. Identity Theft Steps The contact numbers are Experian at 888-397-3742, TransUnion at 888-909-8872, and Equifax at 800-685-1111.
If someone has already used your information, report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov or 1-877-438-4338. The FTC generates an Identity Theft Report and a personalized recovery plan with step-by-step actions to undo the damage.8Federal Trade Commission. Identity Theft Steps
If You Hold a Commercial Driver’s License
Replacing a CDL involves extra checks. The RMV must run your record through the Commercial Driver’s License Information System, a federal database that confirms you hold only one CDL nationwide and checks for disqualifications across all states.9U.S. Department of Transportation. Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) It must also review your driving history from every state where you’ve been licensed over the past 10 years.10FMCSA. States – Commercial Driver’s License CDL replacements take longer than a standard Class D license and may require an in-person visit. Contact the RMV directly to confirm what applies to your situation.