Driving Tests

Massachusetts Online Permit Test: Rules, Camera and Auto-Fail

informational·how to guide·Published July 11, 2026

Can you take the Massachusetts learner's permit test online at home?

Yes. After your Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) Service Center visit, you can take the Class D permit exam online within 60 days. You need a computer with a working camera and Chrome 97, Edge 94 or Internet Explorer 11 (or newer). You cannot use a phone or tablet. You must have 18 of 25 answers correct within 25 minutes.

Where the online permit test rules come from

The rules come from the RMV Class D learner's permit page, the RMV troubleshooting FAQ for the online permit exam, the RMV learner's permit exam overview and knowledge test FAQs, the Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) and the RMV First Time Driver guide. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Massachusetts RMV (mass.gov/rmv) before you drive.

Why you must visit a Service Center first

You start the application online and make an appointment at a Service Center (or at a AAA location if you are a member). At the visit, the RMV verifies your identity, checks your vision and takes your photo. You also tell the employee that you plan to take the exam online. After the RMV processes and verifies your learner's permit documents, you receive login instructions and credentials for the online test. Only Class D (passenger) and Class M (motorcycle) exams can be taken online.

Computer and browser requirements

A computer with a working camera. The camera must be on during the exam.
No smartphone or tablet. The exam start screen may open on one, but you cannot take the exam on it.
Google Chrome 97, Microsoft Edge 94 or Internet Explorer 11, or a newer version. Firefox and Safari do not work for the exam.
Close all other browser windows and turn off pop-ups for the exam.
If you said no when the browser asked for camera access, you may need to clear your browser cache to start with the camera on.
If your computer does not meet these rules, or you do not want your picture taken, take the exam at the Service Center.

Room and behavior rules during the exam

Use a quiet location. You must be the only person in the room: no other adults, children (babies too) or pets.
Leave your cell phone, smartwatch and other electronics in another room.
Do not use the Driver's Manual or other reference materials, and do not search the internet.
Do not hide your face with a baseball hat, mask or sunglasses. Do not block the camera lens with an object or a body part.
Stay in a similar position for the whole exam.
You agree to photos before, during and at the end of the exam. The RMV takes some at random times and checks that you are the only person in them.

What makes you fail the online permit test

What makes you fail the online permit test
What you do	Result
Do not click a button on one question for more than 2 minutes	Automatic fail
Take more than 25 minutes to finish the exam	Automatic fail
Go to another window or browser tab, or leave the browser	Automatic fail
Let another person take the exam for you or be in the room	Cheating: you fail, and penalties apply
Use the Driver's Manual, other reference material, an internet search or an electronic device	Cheating: you fail, and penalties apply

What happens if the RMV finds cheating

If you are caught cheating or trying to cheat, you fail and face further investigation. If you are found responsible, you cannot hold any type of driver's license or permit for 60 days. For a cheating violation on the online exam, the RMV may also hold a hearing and revoke your permit for at least 60 days, with a $100 reinstatement fee. All your later permit applications and exams must then be done at a Service Center. The RMV can start a hearing even after your permit or license is issued.

How to take the permit test online and print your permit

1
Visit the Service Center
Complete your appointment. The RMV verifies your documents and gives you login instructions.
2
Log in within 60 days
Log in to your RMV profile with your S or SA number and the personal information from your appointment. Then select "You have a permit exam that can be taken".
3
Answer 25 questions
You need 18 correct answers within 25 minutes. Once the exam starts, you cannot pause it.
4
Print your permit
After a pass, print your learner's permit from your profile with the "Print your learner's permit" link. You do not return to the Service Center. The printout is one 8 1/2 x 11 page and looks different from the Service Center permit.
5
Carry the permit
Keep it with you whenever you practice driving and when you take your road test.

If you fail or cannot print your permit

You fail the online exam

Log in to your RMV profile, select More Options and use the Retake Knowledge Exam link. Each permit exam costs $30. After you pay, the "You have a permit exam that can be taken" link shows again.

You passed but cannot print the permit

Call the RMV Contact Center at 857-368-8110. The RMV prints the permit and mails it in five to seven business days.

You need the exam in American Sign Language

Take it at an RMV Service Center, because the ASL exam cannot be taken online. Book your permit appointment for no later than 2:30 p.m. at a Service Center that offers testing.

Key takeaways

You can take the Class D permit exam online, but only after a Service Center visit and within 60 days of it.
Use a computer with a camera that stays on, and Chrome 97, Edge 94 or Internet Explorer 11 or newer. Phones, tablets, Firefox and Safari do not work.
Stay alone in a quiet room, keep your phone in another room and use no manual: using reference materials is cheating and can stop you from holding any license or permit for 60 days.
More than 2 minutes on one question, more than 25 minutes in total or leaving the browser is an automatic fail. A retake costs $30.
Next step: practice on the free Massachusetts Class D learner's permit practice test.

Massachusetts online permit test: common questions

Can I use my phone to take the Massachusetts permit test online?

No. The online exam does not work on a smartphone or tablet. Use a computer with a working camera and a supported browser. Your phone stays in another room during the exam, with your smartwatch and other electronics. Use of an electronic device during the permit exam counts as cheating.

Can I take the Massachusetts permit test online with Safari or Firefox?

No. You cannot take the exam successfully with Firefox or Safari. You need Google Chrome 97, Microsoft Edge 94 or Internet Explorer 11, or a newer version. If you do not have one of these browsers, the RMV recommends that you download Google Chrome before you start.

Is the online Massachusetts permit test harder than the one at the Service Center?

No. The online exam is the same as the in-person version: 25 questions, 18 correct answers to pass and 25 minutes. The difference is the supervision. The camera takes photos at random times, and you fail automatically if you leave the browser or do not click a button on one question for more than 2 minutes.

What if I do not have a computer with a camera for the online permit test?

Take the exam at an RMV Service Center. Make a learner's permit appointment at your closest Service Center, and take the exam there at an in-office touch screen station. This is also the choice if you do not want your picture taken during the exam.

Can someone else be in the room during the Massachusetts online permit test?

No. You must be the only person in the room: no other adults, children (babies too) or pets. If you let another person take the exam for you or be in the room, that is cheating. Use a quiet location, and leave your cell phone, smartwatch and other electronics in another room.