Moving to Massachusetts: what is different for newcomers

Massachusetts has its own rules on driving, taxes, health coverage and renting, plus a state office for immigrants.

Get your license early. Once you become a resident, you need a Massachusetts license to keep driving: “There is no grace period,” says the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) (Mass. RMV). Announcing the Work and Family Mobility Act (in effect since July 1, 2023), the RMV said eligible residents can get a standard license regardless of immigration status (Mass. RMV). Foreign licenses, documents and tests: Massachusetts driver’s license and ID.

The state taxes income. “Massachusetts has a state income tax,” the Department of Revenue (DOR) writes (Mass. DOR). If you move here during the year, you are a part-year resident and must file a state return if your gross income is over $8,000 (Mass. DOR). More: state income taxes.

Health coverage is required. State law requires most residents over 18 who can afford health insurance to have it, or pay a tax penalty (Mass. DOR). For newcomers, the rule applies from the first day of the third full month after the month you became a resident (Mass. DOR). The DOR points to the Massachusetts Health Connector, (877) 623-6765 (Mass. DOR). See health insurance for newcomers.

A state office for immigrants. The Office for Refugees and Immigrants (ORI) supports services suited to newcomers’ cultures and languages through a network of providers (Mass. ORI). It serves all immigrants (each program has its own eligibility rules), and its state programs include a Legal Helpdesk and citizenship assistance (Mass. ORI). Call (617) 727-7888 on weekdays (Mass. ORI).

Renters have specific protections. Up front, a landlord may ask only for the first month’s rent, a security deposit of no more than one month’s rent, the last month’s rent and the cost of a new lock and key (Mass. Attorney General). Since August 1, 2025, brokers can’t charge tenants a fee when they mainly work for the landlord (Mass. Attorney General). Retaliating against tenants who use their rights, such as by reporting them to immigration officials, is illegal (Mass. Attorney General). See tenant rights.

Prepare for winter. The state emergency agency says New England winter storms range from freezing rain to blizzards lasting several days (MEMA). It advises a winter car kit, clearing snow from the exhaust pipe before starting the car, and calling 2-1-1 for warming centers (MEMA). For help with heating costs, Ready.gov points to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) (Ready.gov). See our emergency preparedness guide.