Massachusetts Vehicle Registration Renewal

For all vehicles registered in Massachusetts, vehicle registration renewal is a mandatory process that must be completed if you wish to legally drive. Driving with an expired or incomplete registration is a violation of Massachusetts traffic laws, and can result in heavy fines and a suspension of driving rights.

In order to facilitate the Massachusetts vehicle registration renewal process, the Registry of Motor Vehicles offers residents a number of options to choose from, based on convenience. You can personally approach the Registry of Motor Vehicles’ office, or you can send in your registration application via post. You can also avail the option of renewing your registration online. In each of these cases, you simply have to provide a proof of residence, a Social Security Number, your vehicle’s identification number, and a nominal fee for processing your application. Certain conditions apply on the option to complete your registration by mail; you cannot use this method repeatedly – it is necessary to show up personally at the RMV at least once.

Roughly 90 days before your registration is set to expire, you will receive a reminder notice asking you to complete your Massachusetts vehicle registration renewal. If you notice that your documents are about to expire but you have not received the renewal notice, contact the RMV immediately and resolve the error. Completing the process after it has expired is going to take more time and you might be penalized additional costs. You are, however, not obligated to renew your registration only upon receiving the notice from the RMV. The state of Massachusetts allows you to renew your registration up to 180 days before it is set to expire. The validity of the registration will vary based on the kind of license plates that you obtained. In order to find out the general time period, you can visit the RMV’s website and look through their comprehensive table.

Your new license plate and registration tabs will be sent to you via the mail shortly after your application has been processed. With your new plates installed, you can get back to driving without any worries.