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Mass. General Laws c. 90, § 22(c), requires the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles to give effect to out-of-state motor vehicle violations as if they had occurred in Massachusetts, for the purpose of license revocations and suspensions. The law defines a motor vehicle violation as a violation of law, regulation, by-law, or ordinance, except a […]

In Massachusetts, a person arrested for operating under the influence of alcohol is usually taken to the Mass. State Police barracks or other police department and offered a breath test as part of the DUI booking process. The state trooper or arresting officer enters either the defendant’s consent to take the breath test or the defendant’s

The Massachusetts Board of Appeals hears hardship license appeals from those who were denied hardship licenses from the Mass. RMV. Prior to attending a Board of Appeal hearing, it is important to satisfy all outstanding obligations such as unpaid child support, parking tickets, traffic citations, excise tax, property damage claims, and any other unsatisfied obligation.

Below are excerpts from a letter sent to the Board of Appeal from a hardship license applicant who was twice denied hardship relief by the Board. Finally, with my assistance, the Board granted him an ignition-interlock restricted hardship license. This client’s letter to the Board shows how important it is to be prepared for your

Driving on a suspended license is not a good idea. It is an especially bad idea to drive yourself to your hardship license hearing before the Division of Insurance Board of Appeal. Last week, a person seeking a hardship license made the mistake of driving himself to his Board of Appeal hearing. The man’s license

Senator Bruce Tarr (R) of Gloucester recently filed a bill which would dramatically increase the penalties for Habitual Traffic Offenders in Massachusetts. If enacted, Senate Bill 2012, “an act promoting motor vehicle safety.” would increase the current 4 year habitual traffic offender revocation period to 5 years. It would also create tiers of certain habitual traffic

The Mass. RMV uses facial recognition technology and other means to detect drivers who have obtained or tried to obtain false licenses. Pursuant to G.L. c. 90 § 24B, it is a felony with a maximum sentence of 5 years in state prison to make false statements on a Massachusetts Driver’s License Application. Providing a

There is no automatic right to a hardship license in Massachusetts and the Mass. RMV is not required to grant a hardship license, even where an applicant meets hardship licensing requirements. Instead, the Registry can consider the applicant’s driving record, criminal history, and other factors. The highest court in Massachusetts has ruled that it “purely

Persons appealing license suspensions before the Board of Appeal are sometimes confused regarding the Board’s authority and the effect of the Board’s reversal of a decision of the Mass. RMV. Pursuant to G.L. c. 90 § 28, the Division of Insurance Board of Appeal has the legal authority to reverse, modify, or annul any decision