Revoked & Suspended Driver’s Licenses

Whether your license has been suspended or revoked due to moving violations, failure to take a breathalyzer test, operating under the influence (OUI), or other issues, figuring out how to navigate Massachusetts’ court system and get your driver’s license reinstated can be confusing. However, driving with a suspended or revoked license can lead to fines or even jail time, so it’s important to take these issues seriously. If you are a habitual traffic offender or if you are not sure how to handle your first suspension, then you need an experienced Boston driver’s license attorney to ensure that you follow the appropriate steps and minimize the impact on your driving record.

If your license has been revoked or suspended, there are ways that you may qualify for a MA Hardship License.

What are the Possible Reasons for a Revoked or Suspended Driver’s License?

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) will automatically suspend your driver’s license if you have:

• Three speeding violations in a year
• Five surchargeable events (such as a speeding ticket or a motor vehicle accident in which you were ruled at fault) in three years
• An out-of-state suspension or revocation
• If you are a habitual traffic offender (that is, a driver who has a total of three major moving violations or any combination of twelve major or minor violations in a five year period)

Criminal suspensions are more serious and often involve larger reinstatement fees. These can occur if:

• You are caught stealing a motor vehicle
• You are caught leaving the scene of accident with injuries
• You are caught leaving the scene of an accident with property damage
• You are caught driving to endanger
• You are caught driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

The RMV also has the power to suspend a license for other reasons that are completely unrelated to driving a motor vehicle, such as:

• Being convicted of a drug offense
• Using a fake ID
• Failing to register as a sex offender

What Else Should I Know About a Revoked or Suspended Driver’s License?

Many people who get caught driving with a suspended or revoked license are pulled over because of other traffic issues such as speeding or running a stop sign. Dealing with these two violations adds a layer of complication, because it means there are both civil and criminal issues. If it were simply a civil issue, then the ticket should be sent to a P.O. box. But when there is a criminal aspect involved, it should be sent directly to the clerk within four days. By going through a clerk instead of a judge, our attorneys are often able to get the violation dropped completely so it will not appear on the person’s driving record.

It is also important to note that if your driver’s license was revoked or suspended in Massachusetts, that information is included in a database called the National Driver Register (NDR) and it will be accessible to law enforcement officials in all fifty states.

Why Should the Lawyers at Altman & Altman Handle my Driver’s License Suspension or Revocation?

Our driver’s license suspension and revocation attorneys are skilled at working with clients to ensure the best possible outcome. In addition to handling criminal traffic cases, we also have a large practice handling traffic tickets, so we can help clients with that aspect of their driving record, too. Because several of our lawyers specialize in suspended or revoked driver’s license, we know many of the clerks and judges who handle these types of cases. Whenever possible, we try to get our clients’ operating after suspension (OAS) dismissed at the clerk level to minimize the impact on the client’s driving record and their time spent dealing with the issue.

If you have received an OAS, then it’s important to contact an attorney as soon as possible to ensure that your violation is handled in accordance with your best interests. In addition to having a strong record of results, our lawyers pride themselves on being easily accessible to clients. We make sure that our phones are around the clock, and all emails get a response within four hours, often within one hour. Call us today at 617.492.3000 or 800.481.6199 (toll free) or contact us online to arrange a free initial legal consultation.