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Yes, you can get a Massachusetts driver’s license with a bioptic telescope. Under the RMV’s medical rules (540 CMR 24.00), you need 20/40 or better through the telescope, 20/100 or better through the carrier lens and through the other eye’s lens, and at least 120 degrees of combined horizontal peripheral vision. The telescope must be fixed focus, monocular (one eye only), no stronger than 3x, built into the glasses, and must not block your line of sight through either lens. You must also pass a road test using the bioptic. Your license carries restriction R (Bioptic Telescoping Lens).
This page explains the RMV licensing rules. Your eye doctor or low-vision specialist can advise on your own vision.
Massachusetts bioptic requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Acuity through the telescope | 20/40 or better |
| Acuity through the carrier lens | 20/100 or better |
| Acuity through the other lens | 20/100 or better |
| Peripheral vision | At least 120 degrees combined horizontal field |
| Telescope type | Fixed focus, monocular, 3x magnification or less, spectacle-mounted as part of the lens, not blocking the line of sight through either lens |
| Road test | Pass a road test using the bioptic when you first apply, or at your first renewal after being fitted |
| License restriction | R: Bioptic Telescoping Lens (plus B: Corrective lenses where it applies) |
How Massachusetts compares with the standard vision rule
For a Class D or M license without a bioptic, the RMV needs at least 20/40 in your better eye (with correction) and 120 degrees of horizontal peripheral vision with both eyes. If your corrected vision is between 20/50 and 20/70 in the better eye, you may get a daylight only license (restriction G). Bioptic users follow the separate rules above instead of the standard acuity test.
Step by step: getting a learner’s permit with a bioptic
- See a Massachusetts-licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist. They complete the RMV’s Class D and M Vision Screening Certificate, which records your acuity through the telescope, the carrier lens and the other lens, and asks yes/no questions on each telescope requirement.
- Use the certificate within 12 months. The RMV will not accept it more than 12 months after the screening date, and only an original (not a photocopy) is accepted.
- Apply for your learner’s permit. The certificate can be accepted in place of the RMV’s own vision screening. The usual permit steps still apply: see the Massachusetts RMV learner’s permit test.
- Train with the bioptic. Complete driver education and supervised practice as any learner would: Massachusetts driver education and the 40-hour requirement.
- Pass the road test using the bioptic.
Daylight and other restrictions
Older text of the regulation says bioptic users receive a permit or license restricted to daylight hours, with a corrective lens restriction, and that the daylight restriction can be removed by passing a night-time road test. Check the current position with RMV Medical Affairs before you rely on it. Medical Affairs reviews each application case by case and can ask for a physician’s letter.
Ask Medical Affairs about motorcycle (Class M) eligibility with a bioptic.
Massachusetts is a self-reporting state
If you have a medical condition that affects your driving, including a change in your vision, you must report it to the RMV when it appears, not just at renewal. For questions, call RMV Medical Affairs on 857-368-8020.
Common questions
Can I use the bioptic to pass the RMV clerk’s vision screening?
Bioptic users qualify through the eye doctor’s Vision Screening Certificate and the bioptic criteria, not the standard acuity test.
Can I drive a school bus or 7D vehicle with a bioptic?
No. A person who uses bioptic telescopic lenses is not eligible for a school bus, 7D or 7D½ certificate.
Is a 4x telescope allowed?
No. Massachusetts caps magnification at 3x.
Related guides
- Bioptic driving laws by state
- Driver’s license vision rules in the Northeast
- Learning to drive in Massachusetts
- New York bioptic driving
- Driver’s license restriction codes
Want to practise the eyesight check? Our sister site Driving Eyesight Test has a free US letter chart on drivingeyesighttest.com. It is a practice screen, not an eye test.
Sources
- Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, “Massachusetts Driver’s Manual” (revised April 2026), Vision Screening Requirements and List of Restrictions (mass.gov)
- Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, 540 CMR 24.00: Medical qualifications for operators of motor vehicles (mass.gov)
- Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, “Class D and M Vision Screening Certificate” (mass.gov)
- Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, “Medical standards for passenger (Class D) and motorcycle (Class M) driver’s licenses” (mass.gov)
- Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, “Medical standards for school bus and school pupil (7D) driver’s licenses” (mass.gov)