Last Update: September 16, 2026

Change Information on Vehicle Registration in Massachusetts

Massachusetts vehicle registration records are updated through the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) when a registration no longer reflects current ownership, identifying information, insurance, garaging details, or other record data. In many cases, the same transaction also requires an amendment to the title record because Massachusetts links registration and title processing through the same application system.

Massachusetts Vehicle Registration Changes that Commonly Require Action

Massachusetts identifies several routine events that call for a registration update or related filing:

• A residential or mailing address has changed, and the RMV record must be updated through the address change process.
• A legal name has changed, which the RMV treats as a title-linked correction under the registration amendment procedure.
• Information on the registration is incorrect, including vehicle color, garaging, gross weight, lessee information, or insurance information.
• A vehicle has been purchased from an individual and must be titled and registered using the Registration and Title Application.
• A vehicle has been brought into Massachusetts from another state and must be processed under the RMV’s out-of-state transfer instructions.
• Registration plates are being moved to another vehicle under the RMV’s registration transfer procedure.

Where to File a Massachusetts Vehicle Registration Change

Massachusetts handles routine registration amendments through the RMV, not through county offices. The RMV allows different filing channels depending on the type of change.

This division is important because Massachusetts treats the title record and the registration record as connected filings. Under Chapter 90, Section 2, a vehicle registration application must identify the registrant and address information, and a transfer of ownership causes the existing registration to expire unless a valid transfer process is completed.

Massachusetts Address Changes on Vehicle Registration

Massachusetts requires notice to the RMV within 30 days after an address change. The RMV states that it keeps both a residential and a mailing address on file and that either may be relevant to vehicle registrations, titles, and notices.

The official address update may be completed through the RMV’s online address service. The RMV also permits address changes through its contact center. When a replacement registration showing the new address is needed, the RMV directs the registrant to request a duplicate through the replacement registration process.

For existing registration documents, the new residential address should be written in the space provided on the registration. Registrants with active vehicles need to notify the insurance agent or insurer of the address change and, for excise tax purposes, to contact the prior city or town assessor when appropriate.

Massachusetts Name Changes and Title-Linked Corrections

In Massachusetts, a name change on a vehicle registration is not treated as a registration-only matter. The RMV’s registration amendment page lists Name (must change vehicle title) among the items that can be changed, making the title correction part of the same underlying record update.

For that reason, a legal name change commonly requires both:

• a registration amendment through the vehicle registration change process, and
• a title amendment through the vehicle title correction process.

The RMV instructs applicants to complete a Registration and Title Application for registration changes, which must be stamped and signed by a Massachusetts insurance agent. For title amendments, the RMV requires the original certificate of title, a completed amendment form, supporting correction documents, and the applicable fee. If an owner is added or deleted, the RMV states that the transaction is not a correction; it is a transfer of ownership requiring a new original title application.

Correcting Incorrect Information on a Massachusetts Registration Record

Massachusetts distinguishes between correcting the registration record, replacing an existing registration document, and correcting the title record.

The RMV uses the registration amendment procedure for changes to information such as address, vehicle color, garaging, gross weight, lessee and insurance information, and name, with corresponding title correction.

For most of these amendments, the RMV requires a completed Registration and Title Application, an insurance agent's stamp and signature, license numbers and dates of birth for all owners listed on the registration, signatures from all owners, and the amendment fee. The RMV permits this filing by mail or at an RMV Service Center.

If the issue is not a data correction but a lost, damaged, or needed duplicate registration certificate or plate decal, the RMV directs the applicant to the duplicate registration and decal service. That process is separate from an amendment and carries its own replacement fee.

For title errors, the RMV directs applicants to the title amendment process. The official title amendment form is the Amend Title/Lienholder Maintenance Application. If the odometer reading on the title must be corrected, the RMV also requires the Notarized Affidavit for Correction.

Massachusetts Deadlines for Vehicle Registration Changes

Massachusetts publishes several deadlines and immediate consequences tied to registration changes:

• An address change must be reported to the RMV within 30 days after moving.
• A person becoming a Massachusetts resident must register the vehicle as soon as residency begins; the RMV states that no grace period is provided for an out-of-state vehicle brought into Massachusetts.
• After a vehicle is registered, a vehicle inspection sticker must be obtained within 7 days of the registration date.
• A registration transfer after disposal of another vehicle may be used only during the 7-day grace period described by the RMV and Chapter 90, Section 2, and only when the statutory and RMV conditions are met.
• Upon transfer of ownership, the existing registration expires under Chapter 90, Section 2.
• Massachusetts registration transactions require proof of insurance through the Registration and Title Application bearing the insurance agent’s stamp and signature. The compulsory insurance certificate used for registration is defined in Chapter 90, Section 34A.

How Much Does It Cost To Change Vehicle Registration Details in Massachusetts?

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) administers registration changes and related title updates. The table below shows the statewide fees Massachusetts publishes for common registration-detail changes, vehicle purchases, new-resident transfers, and plate transfers.

Contact Information

Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles
10 Park Plaza, Suite 3800, Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (857) 368-8000
Official Website: Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles