by Jim Thompson | Last Updated: September 6, 2023

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) requires that all teenagers looking to get their first-time license must complete a driver education program. A drivers ed course will prepare a teen with the knowledge and skills necessary to become a safe, responsible and confident driver.

Are You Ready for Drivers Ed Massachusetts?

Mandatory drivers ed is designed for Massachusetts teens that are under 18 years of age. The rules for meeting this requirement are simple:

• To begin a course, you must be at least 16 years old
• You must obtain your learners permit before starting the behind the wheel portion of your course
• Once you have started the course, you must complete it within two years

Massachusetts Drivers Ed – What Will I Learn?

A Massachusetts driver education course will feature both a classroom and a behind the wheel portion. These courses are available both in public schools and through professional third-party schools.

The classroom portion of the course will cover topics such as:

• Driving privilege and licensing in Massachusetts
• Making good choices behind the wheel
• Massachusetts traffic law
• Proper driving attitudes and behaviors

The classroom portion of your course will be 30 hours long, and you will receive 18 hours of in-car training. The driving portion will consist of six hours of observation and 12 hours behind the wheel.

Remember, to begin the behind the wheel portion of the class requires that you have gotten your learners permit. The biggest part of getting your learners permit is passing the MRV written test.

There are several things that you can do to prepare for this test so that you may go into the MRV confident of your chances of passing:

• Review what you are learning in class
• Study the Massachusetts driver handbook
• Quiz yourself using permit practice tests

Permit practice tests are created from actual questions taken from Massachusetts Registry of Vehicles exams. What better way to get prepared the than to walk in knowing exactly what you’ll see?

Finished with Drivers Ed Massachusetts? How Do I Get on the Road?

To get your junior drivers license will require a road test at your local MRV office. Before you can schedule your test, you must meet the following qualifications:

• You must be at least 16 ½ years old
• You must have held your learners permit for at least six months
• You must have completed at least 40 hours of supervised driving practice
• You must not have received any traffic violations in the prior six months

Once you have finished your drivers education course and have passed your road test, you are ready to take to the Massachusetts roadways. Enjoy driving!