Guides to an OUI in Boston and Massachusetts
One question per page, answered from the Massachusetts General Laws and official Commonwealth sources. Each guide lists its sources and the date it was last reviewed.
Your license
The 15-day RMV refusal hearingRefused a breath test in Massachusetts? You must appear within 15 days for an RMV hearing at the Haymarket service center. What it decides and how it works.The 30-day breath test suspensionBlew 0.08 or more after an OUI arrest in Massachusetts? The RMV suspends your license for 30 days. How it works, how to appeal in court, and what comes next.Ignition interlock and Melanie's LawWho needs an ignition interlock device after an OUI in Massachusetts, how long it stays on under Melanie's Law, and how hardship licenses are affected.Hardship licensesWhen you can ask the RMV for a hardship license after a Massachusetts OUI, the 12-hour limit, why refusal suspensions do not qualify, and what to bring.
The court case
OUI penalties: first, second, third offenseFines, jail ranges, and license loss for a first, second, and third OUI in Massachusetts under M.G.L. c. 90, § 24, with links to the statute and RMV tables.The 24D first offender programHow a 24D disposition works for a first OUI in Massachusetts: probation, the alcohol education program, a 45 to 90 day license loss, and hardship licenses.Which court, and what happens thereWhich court hears a Boston OUI, what happens at arraignment, and how the case moves through the Boston Municipal Court or a Greater Boston district court.
Getting help
These guides are general information, not legal advice. Penalties and requirements can change; confirm with the court, the RMV, or a licensed Massachusetts attorney.