How Is License Fraud Penalized in Massachusetts?

A license fraud accusation can turn your life upside down before you even get a court date. It might start with a letter from the RMV, a blocked license renewal, or a request to explain why your license record has incorrect information. If you rely on your license to get to work or take care of your family, the effects can hit fast.

How does Massachusetts handle license fraud? It is treated as both a crime and an RMV matter. You might face criminal charges, lose your license, struggle to get it back, and have to go through hearings or appeals. These issues can continue even after the first notice.

Massachusetts takes license fraud seriously. The Registry needs to know who actually holds a license, what their driving history is, and whether there are any past suspensions or issues that still need to be resolved.

What Counts as License Fraud in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, license fraud isn’t just about using fake ID. It can also involve giving false information, using fake documents, using someone else’s identity, or having a license record under the wrong name.

Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90, Section 24B, the law applies to falsifying, stealing, altering, forging, counterfeiting, possessing, using, or helping someone else falsely create several Registry-related documents. Those documents include learner’s permits, driver’s licenses, identification cards, disability placards, vehicle registrations, trailer registrations, and inspection stickers.

The same law also covers using a different name to get a license, learner’s permit, or disability placard. This is important because many license fraud cases involve identity problems, not just fake IDs.

Common examples include:

• False identity information: A person gives the RMV a false name, birth date, address, or identity document during a Registry transaction.
• Multiple license records: The RMV finds records that appear to connect one driver to more than one name or identity.
• Altered or forged documents: A driver uses or possesses a license, permit, ID card, registration, placard, or inspection sticker that appears false, altered, stolen, or counterfeited.
• False application conduct: A person uses another name or impersonates someone listed in an application for a license, permit, or placard.
• Document distribution concerns: A case involves several fake or forged permits, licenses, ID cards, or placards, which can increase the criminal exposure under Section 24B.

Some matters involve intentional fraud. Others involve old records, immigration-document issues, name changes, clerical mistakes, out-of-state records, or inconsistent paperwork. The difference can matter, but the driver usually needs documents and a clear explanation before the RMV or a court can sort it out.

Criminal Penalties for License Fraud

G.L. c. 90 § 24B sets out the main criminal penalties for forged, stolen, altered, counterfeited, or falsely obtained Registry documents. For many violations, a person may face a fine of up to $500, imprisonment in state prison for up to five years, imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for up to two years, or a combination of those penalties.

That state-prison exposure matters. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 274, Section 1, a crime punishable by imprisonment in state prison is a felony. Because Section 24B includes possible state-prison punishment for certain license fraud offenses, those charges can carry felony-level consequences.

The statute also creates separate penalties for making, stealing, forging, or counterfeiting certain Registry documents with the intent to distribute them. The penalty depends on the number of documents involved:

• For five or fewer covered documents, the statute allows a fine of up to $500, imprisonment in a house of correction for up to one year, or both.
• For six to 10 covered documents, the statute allows a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment in state prison for up to five years, imprisonment in a house of correction for up to two and one-half years, or both.
• For more than 10 covered documents, the statute allows a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment in state prison for up to 10 years, or both.

G.L. c. 90 § 24B prohibits false statements in a license or learner’s permit application. Under G.L. c. 90 § 24B,  a person who makes false statements in an application for a license or learner’s permit may face a fine, imprisonment, or both. That statute reaches false application statements even when the facts do not fit neatly into a forged-document theory.

RMV Consequences After a Conviction

License fraud can also trigger consequences in the Registry. Section 24B requires the court or magistrate to report a conviction to the Registrar. Once that happens, the Registrar must immediately suspend the person’s license or right to operate.

The statute also states that an appeal, a motion for a new trial, or an exception does not stay the suspension. In plain terms, the RMV suspension can take effect even while the criminal case continues through post-conviction procedures.

Section 24B further states that the Registrar cannot terminate the suspension or reinstate the right to operate until one year after the suspension date following the conviction. The statute includes one important exception: if the prosecution ends in the person’s favor, the Registrar must reinstate the license or right to operate.

That one-year statutory suspension is separate from the practical reinstatement work that may follow. A driver may still need to satisfy RMV requirements, clear other active matters, pay reinstatement fees, pass tests, or address record problems before driving privileges return.

RMV Hearings and Administrative Problems

Not every license fraud issue begins with a criminal charge. Sometimes, the RMV notices a problem first. They might stop your transaction, ask you to attend a hearing, or require you to prove your identity before you can continue.

Massachusetts RMV suspension guidance confirms that RMV hearings may result in license suspensions or revocations, and that a driver may need to request or attend a hearing depending on the issue. The exact hearing path can depend on the suspension type, the notice received, and the records the RMV has flagged.

At an RMV hearing about fraud, you’ll usually need to prove who you are and explain any mistakes or old issues in your record. The RMV wants to know why there’s conflicting information.

Useful records may include proof of Massachusetts residency, a passport, birth certificate, Social Security-related records, immigration documents, prior licenses, court documents, name-change records, and documents showing how a disputed record arose. 

Why Record Problems Can Continue After the First Hearing

License fraud cases can become complicated if the RMV needs to correct or separate records. You might have more than one record due to a name change, an out-of-state license, paperwork errors, or old applications.

Once the records are reviewed, other problems may surface. An old citation, a default, an OUI suspension, an out-of-state suspension, an unpaid obligation, or a prior revocation may appear on the driving history. The driver may solve one identity issue, but still needs to address other Registry barriers.

The RMV’s license reinstatement guidance explains that reinstatement requirements vary by suspension type. It also states that reinstatement fees range from $100 to $1,200. The RMV may require a learner’s permit exam, road test, or other testing, depending on the length and type of suspension.

For suspensions of 2 years or more, the RMV requires a full exam before reinstatement. A hearing officer may also require a permit exam or road test for shorter suspensions after reviewing the driver’s record.

Appeals After an RMV Decision

A driver who disagrees with an RMV decision may have appeal rights, but deadlines matter. Massachusetts RMV suspension guidance states that a person has 10 days to appeal a ruling or decision of the RMV to the Board of Appeals on Motor Vehicle Liability Policies and Bonds. The same guidance states that the appeal requires the proper form, a $50 appeal fee, and an in-person hearing.

The Board of Appeal hears appeals from certain Registrar decisions involving motor vehicle liability policies and bonds, including driver’s license matters. The Board process does not erase the need to understand the RMV record first. A driver should know what decision is being appealed, what documents support the appeal, and whether any separate court or Registry issue must be handled first.

Some matters do not belong at the Board. RMV guidance notes that certain issues, such as child-support-related suspensions or appeals of civil motor vehicle citations, must be addressed elsewhere. That is why the first step should be to identify the exact suspension, revocation, hold, or decision listed on the RMV notice.

Local Concerns for Marlborough Drivers

Many Marlborough drivers feel the effects of a suspended or blocked license before they even understand the paperwork. Losing your license can make it difficult to get to work or school, or to care for your family, especially if you do not use public transit. Court dates, RMV deadlines, and work responsibilities can add up fast.

Don’t guess or send random documents to the RMV. Start by reading your notice carefully, figure out exactly what the RMV is doing, check your driving record, gather your ID documents, and keep any paperwork that explains the problem.

Your next steps depend on the facts. Fixing a paperwork mistake is different from fighting a criminal charge. If your case involves another state, you may need to check records there, too, before you can explain things to the RMV.

Talk With a Massachusetts License Fraud Lawyer

The Law Office of Brian Simoneau, P.C. focuses on Massachusetts driver’s license suspensions, revocations, reinstatements, hardship licenses, RMV hearings, and Board of Appeal matters. Brian E. Simoneau has practiced law in Massachusetts since 2001, previously served as a Massachusetts police officer, and co-authored a legal reference on driver’s license suspension and reinstatement issues.

For a license fraud allegation, that background can help because the problem may involve RMV procedures, identity documents, law-enforcement records, criminal exposure, and a reinstatement strategy simultaneously. To discuss a Massachusetts license fraud notice or RMV hearing issue, call The Law Office of Brian Simoneau, P.C. at (508) 625-5776.