It is easy to renew your Driver’s License in Massachusetts,  if you do some preliminary work online.

I just did; it is easy. Government spent some money to setup a very good Web interface to save your time. Someone made this process really painless.  And that’s what makes America so great. Sometimes Government is on your side.

Here are the simple steps.

You can do it before your birthday.  I did it 30 days before the expiration date.

Fill out a form online.  You will get a 3-page PDF document that you need to print and sign.

You have 60 days from that moment to visit DMV. They usually open 9 to 5 and 9 to 6 on Thursdays.  All you need is a $50 and the form that you just printed.

Before going to DMV, check for wait time online.  Amazing, but I saw License Wait Time – 0 (Zero!)  minutes and I went.  I used branch in Wilmington, MA.

You check-in and they scan barcode from your form.  All that time that you spent online begins to pay off.  You get a ticket with a number, and before you hit the waiting chairs, your number might be called.

At the counter, you give two remaining pages of your form to the clerk, you get a quick eye exam, your picture is taken (and you can redo picture several times, if you hate it).  You pay $50 (and yes! – all credit cards are accepted).  You are given a temp paper license valid for a month, and your real license will arrive in 10 day to your mailing address.

That is all. You do not need to show or provide your old (expiring) Drivers’ License.  I will let you know, how fast the license actually arrived after my visit to DMV.