Accessibility notice: This page includes links to external websites that are not maintained by Wheaton College. External sites may not meet the same accessibility standards as our website. If you experience difficulty accessing information on an external site, please contact us at [email protected].

Steps to obtain a Driver’s License/State ID

Step 1:  Gather the necessary documents

  • A valid passport, visa and I-20
  • Your most recent I-94. This can be printed it from the Department of Homeland Security website
  • An Enrollment Verification Letter from the Registrar’s office
    (Please make sure it includes your updated, current address!)
  • A valid Social Security Card or Denial Letter from the Social Security Administration
  • A Student ID Card from Wheaton College
  • Money to take the writen exam. Cost is approximately $50 (not including road tests and extra fees; varies by state).
    Refer to the Massachuset’s Driver’s Manual (.PDF download) on the Mass.gov website.

Step 2:  Go to Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) office, present your documents, pay fees and take the written exam

Location:
75 Park Street
Attleboro, MA 02703
857-368-8000

Hours: Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Website: Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)

*This link leads to an external website that is not maintained by Wheaton College. External sites may not meet the same accessibility standards as our website. If you experience difficulty accessing information on the external site, please contact us at [email protected] and we will provide the information in an accessible format.

Step 3: Schedule a road test

Once you pass the written exam, you can schedule a road test within 3 months. Please hold onto your test card because it also serves as your driving permit. The license costs approximately $50.

Important information from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)

Foreign license holders who wish to drive in Massachusetts are subject to the following requirements:

  • Must be at least 16 years of age
  • Must be in possession of a valid driver’s license from their home country
  • May drive a vehicle in Massachusetts of the same class indicated on the foreign license
  • Must have either an International Driving Permit (IDP) or the Translation into English of a Foreign Driver License which is an acceptable alternative document if the foreign license is not in English or does not have an English translation
  • Driver’s license must not be suspended or revoked

IDPs and Acceptable Alternative Documents

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is a translation of a driver’s license into 10 major languages. It does not convey any driving privileges but must accompany a foreign license if the license is not in English.

If a foreign-licensed driver does not have an International Driving Permit (IDP), the license holder must obtain the Translation into English of a Foreign Driver License alternative document (.PDF) located in the documents section of the  Mass.gov/RMV website.

Either an IDP or the alternative document must accompany any foreignlicense that is not in English.

Please refer to the Massachusetts Drivers’ Manual (.PDF download) which can be found on the Registry of Motor Vehicle’s website.

Final Notes

If you are a visitor from another country, you may drive private passenger vehicles in Massachusetts for up to one year from your date of arrival in the United States provided you have a valid driver’s license issued by your home country and your country is recognized under one of the conventions in the Massachusetts Drivers’ Manual (.PDF download)