BOSTON (WHDH) - The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles is encouraging all eligible customers to renew their standard driver’s license or ID card online this summer in order to qualify for a free upgrade to a REAL ID credential in 2021.
Any customer who renews online at Mass.Gov/RMV before Aug. 12 will have their $25 REAL ID upgrade fee waived, the RMV announced Tuesday.
The one-time, time-limited offer is available to most customers who have an expired or expiring license or ID card dated between June 23, 2018, and August 2021, as they are eligible to renew up to a year in advance of the expiration date printed on their license or ID, or up to two years after their expiration.
“The RMV is encouraging all of our customers to stay safe, save time, and go online during the COVID-19 pandemic to renew their license or ID card, rather than attempting to come in to get a REAL ID,” RMV Registrar Jamey Tesler said. “Over 500,000 people have a license or ID credentials that expire this summer that can be renewed online, and we hope they will all take advantage of this one-time offer for a free, future upgrade to allow the RMV to prioritize ‘social-distancing’ and other essential transactions that may only be completed in-person.”
Qualifying customers who complete their renewal online prior to Aug. 12, and wish to upgrade to a REAL ID for free, will have to wait until at least February 2021 to visit an RMV Service Center.
At this time, Bay Staters will not need a federally-compliant REAL ID for the purposes of boarding domestic flights prior to Oct. 1, 2021, because the government delayed the compliance effective date by one year.
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