hardship license available for tagging suspensions. However, in some cases, the Board of Appeal may authorize the issuance of a limited 12 hour hardship license for educational, medical, or work purposes. If the person convicted of or adjudicated a delinquent child by reason of “tagging” is under the age of sixteen, he or she will have one year added to the minimum age of eligibility for applying for a Mass. Driver’s License.
The MBTA Police Department frequently targets taggers of trains, subway cars, buses, and other public conveyances as well as train and bus stations. The Massachusetts anti-tagging law was implemented to deter a crime which causes approximately 12 billion dollars per year, nationwide, to have graffiti removed. The mandatory license suspension was included with the anti-graffiti legislation to further deter young adults from committing the crime.
As part of the new Criminal Justice Reform Act, the crime of tagging will no longer trigger a license suspension.