The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) notes that if you are converting a license from a country other than Canada, Mexico or one of the US Territories, you must take the full, written and road, tests plus the eye test.

If you are from a country listed in the 1949 Road Acts Convention, you must have a sponsor and you must present your valid driver's license from that country and if needed, an English translation of the license. The MA RMV has the countries listed on the 1949 Road Acts Convention on their site and Ireland is on the list.

Your sponsor must be at least 21 years old with a valid license and have a minimum of one (1) year of driving experience. Foreign license holders are not eligible to be sponsors. From what we have read driving schools in Massachusetts offer private lessons and will even sponsor a student for a driving test.

We are unfamiliar with Massachusetts’s sponsor concept. It seems to be unique to MA so we recommend you contact the MA RMV to find out more about how to find a sponsor for your situation so you can transfer your Irish driver's license for a Massachusetts license now that you live in MA.

You will also need to provide certain documents to the MA RMV when apply for a driver’s license. The RMV states you must present the following:

• SSN Card or valid, current, U.S. or non-U.S. Passport
• Out-of-state License. If your out-of-state License DOES NOT have a photo, you must present acceptable photo ID from the Acceptable Identification Documents List..Note: If you do not have your out-of-state License to surrender, you must provide a photo ID from the Acceptable Identification Documents list of identification AND a certified driving record not more than 30 days old from the state where you currently hold your License..
• Document proving date of birth
• Document proving signature
• Document proving Massachusetts residency
• A valid Social Security Number that verifies with the Social Security Administration or an acceptable written denial notice from the Social Security Administration.
  Note: The Social Security Administration does not include any Visa information on written denial notices, therefore, if you do not have a valid Social Security Number, you will have to provide evidence of an acceptable Visa code in addition to the written denial notice from the Social Security Administration.

All documents must be originals. Photocopies will not be accepted. You must also clear a check through the National Driver Register and pay the required fees.

Contact the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles for more information on how to exchange your foreign driver's license from Ireland for a MA license and what exact steps to take in what order to make it the easiest transition possible. 

Once you do have your MA driver's license and are ready to insure a car in Massachusetts you can get free auto insurance quotes here with us.