Indefinite License Suspension for Sex Offender Violations

Violating the Mass. Sex Offender Law is one of the 65 reasons why the Mass. RMV will suspend or revoke your driver’s license. Enacted in 1999 to protect the public from sex offenders, the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Law G.L. c. 6, §§ 178C–178Q, requires the registration, risk classification, and public notification of sex offenders living, working, or attending school in Massachusetts. The Mass. Sex Offender Registry Board maintains a database of convicted sex offenders and classifies the level of risk of recidivism and each offender’s degree of dangerousness so that the public may receive information about dangerous sex offenders who live, work, or attend school in the Commonwealth. There are 22 sex offenses which would trigger the registration requirement.

If a Massachusetts sex offender fails to comply with his obligations under the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Law, the Board will inform the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) and the RMV “shall suspend or prohibit issuance or renewal of a license, learner’s permit, right to operate a motor vehicle or certificate of motor vehicle registration held by such sex offender.” There is absolutely no way around this mandatory license suspension and the sex offender’s driver’s license will, rightfully, remain indefinitely suspended unless and until the Mass. RMV receives proof of compliance and registration and the sex offender pays a license reinstatement fee to the Registry. The Board of Appeal will not grant any hardship license or any other form of relief from this legally mandated driver’s license license suspension.