Mount Holyoke College :: Massachusetts ID and License

Apply for a Massachusetts ID: During your time at Mount Holyoke you may need another form of identification in addition to your passport and MHC ID. For instance, if you want to pay by check in a store, it is possible that you will be asked for several forms of identification featuring your picture--and it is not a good idea to carry your passport around with you. Therefore, you may want to consider applying for a Massachusetts ID card which costs $15.00.

The McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives organizes trips for international students each spring to the Registry of Motor Vehicles in Hadley for this purpose. You will receive an email in late February with details about how to sign up for the upcoming trips. Here is what you will need to have with you when you apply:

ID application form (fill out online, print out and sign)
See the sample version to see how the application needs to be completed
your passport and I-94
your I-20 form
your social security card (you must bring along the actual card)
our office will also provide you with another form (W-4) which you will need to sign.
a letter provided by our office confirming your full-time student status and residency in Massachusetts.
$15.00 to pay for the ID (you may pay with a credit card, cash, or a check made out to "Registry of Motor Vehicles")

Apply for a Massachusetts Liquor ID: Please note that you must have a Massachusetts Liquor ID if you want to use the ID to prove that you are of legal drinking age (21). The regular Massachusetts ID will not work for this purpose! You may use the same application form to apply for the Massachusetts liquor ID. However, this ID costs $25.00.

If you do not have a social security number, you should apply for one and wait until you get it before you apply for a Massachusetts ID card. Take a look at additional information about social security cards.

If you would like to apply for a Massachusetts ID at another time, you will need to go to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, 195 Russell Street (Route 9), Hadley. Before you go to Hadley, contact the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives. We will prepare the letter (mentioned above) that you must present to the Registry official when you apply. You must also complete an application form before you travel to the registry.

Apply for a Massachusetts Driver's License

International students who have an F-1 or J-1 visa are eligible to apply for a driver's license at the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) - 195 Russell Street (Rte 9), Hadley.

If you already have a driver's license from home, but would like to obtain a Massachusetts driver's license, you must still pay all of the application, testing, and license fees for Massachusetts, regardless of whether you must take a road test. Normally, if you hold a license from most foreign countries, you will need to pass both the written and the road tests.

Learner's Permit Test / Permit Fee = $30.00. The learner’s permit written test fee covers the cost of processing your application and administering your test. If you fail the test or your permit expires, you will be charged this fee again for another test. You'll need to study the Driver's Manual in order to prepare for the test. Be sure that you check the Learner's Permit Checklist to make sure that you have all of the documents you need before you go to the Registry. Here is a list:

Driving Schools: If you don't know how to drive, you will need to contact a local driving school and arrange to take driving lessons. We recommend the following local driving schools:

Falls Driving School
470 Newton Street
South Hadley, MA 01075 (Telephone: 413-538-8876)

Pioneer Valley Driving School
P O Box 2215
Amherst, MA 01004 (Telephone: 413-253-7432)

License Application / Road Test: There is a fee of $20.00 for the road test. The RMV charges this flat fee for any license application. This fee covers the cost of processing your application and scheduling a road test. If you fail the road test, fail to appear for the road test, or fail to cancel your appointment with more than 24 hours notice, you will still be charged the $20 fee. You must pay this fee for each road test you take or fail to cancel properly.

Scheduling a Road Test: Once you have passed the written Learner's Permit test, you must call the RMV Telephone Center to schedule your road test. All road tests must be scheduled by the phone center. Normally, you may not make a road test appointment in person. If you wish, you may use the automated phone system to schedule a road test by calling 866-627-7768. REMEMBER: In order to do the road test you must have access to an automobile and have a licensed driver to accompany you. The College does not supply a vehicle (or a licensed driver) for this purpose! If you have taken driving lessons at a local driving school, the instructor will accompany you to the road test and you will be able to use the driving school's vehicle to take the road test.