Operating After Suspension or Revocation of License

Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Ch. 90, Section 23, it is a criminal offense to operate a motor vehicle after the suspension or revocation of your license. Like any crime, to be convicted, the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you were actually operating a motor vehicle, that at the time of operation your right to drive in Massachusetts was revoked or suspended, and that you had knowledge at the time you were operating of this suspension/revocation. If convicted, you face expensive fines and possible jail sentences. With each subsequent offense, the potential punishments become more harsh and can eventually lead to a revocation of your license.

Further, if you have been convicted of operating after a license suspension or revocation, automatic license suspension will be piled on top of any existing suspension or revocation, burying you deeper and deeper. The additional license suspensions will run “from and after” any current suspension. You are also risking harsh insurance penalties—including steeply increased premiums. Finally, operating on a suspended license shows the RMV, police officers, and the courts that you have a conscious disregard for the law—making it very difficult to obtain a hardship license and to restore your good standing.
Additionally, if your Massachusetts license has been suspended or revoked due to a suspension or revocation in another state, you must be reinstated in that state before any revocation in Massachusetts can be resolved.

The good news is that you don’t have to face the legal system alone. Call the experienced, successful Boston traffic lawyers at Bellotti Law Group, P.C. today at 617-225-2100 for a free consultation.