Massachusetts Permit Test Fines 2026: Penalties to Know

Speeding fines in Massachusetts

The lowest speeding fine is $100, plus a $5 public safety surcharge. More than 10 mph over the limit, you pay $10 more for each extra mile per hour. In the manual’s example, 73 mph on a 55 mph highway costs $105 for the first 10 mph over and $80 for the 8 after that. Fines double in a posted work zone.

Three speeding violations in 12 months bring a 30-day license suspension.

Hands-free phone fines

Using a hand-held device while driving costs:

$100 for a first offense
$250 for a second, plus a distracted driving course
$500 for a third or later, plus an insurance surcharge and the course

Suspensions for permit holders under 18

From the manual’s chart for junior operators, ages 16½ to 18, with a permit:

Violation	First	Second	Later
Driving without a licensed driver	60 days	180 days	1 year
Driving in the night restriction hours	60 days	180 days	1 year
Speeding	90 days	1 year	1 year
Drag racing	1 year	3 years	3 years
Using a phone or texting	60 days	180 days	1 year
Negligent driving with injury, phone use	180 days	1 year	1 year

Each one also means taking the learner’s permit exam again, except a first offense of negligent driving with phone use. Reinstatement costs $100 after driving without a licensed driver, night driving, speeding or phone use; after drag racing it’s $500 the first time and $1,000 after that, and after negligent driving with phone use, $500. A first phone offense also brings a $100 fine and a Driver Attitudinal Retraining course.

Penalties on a junior operator license

Once you hold a Junior Operator License, the manual’s chart gets heavier:

Passenger or night restriction: 60 days, then 180 days, then a year, with retraining from the second offense and another permit exam and road test from the third
Speeding: 90 days, then a year, plus another permit exam, retraining, another road test and a $500 reinstatement fee
Negligent or reckless driving: 180 days, then a year within three years

A junior operator convicted of offenses such as operating under the influence, leaving the scene of a crash or reckless driving also gets an extra 180 days, or a year for a later offense. The RMV tells your parent or guardian about any suspension.

Junior operator rules →

What other fines should you know for the Massachusetts permit test?

A few more amounts the manual gives:

$25 for a child who isn’t in the right child seat or seat belt
$250, and a possible suspension, for a first offense of not stopping for a school bus
$35 for a first offense of not having your license and registration with you
$100 to $500 for an open alcohol container in the car
Up to $100 for opening a car door into an oncoming bicyclist
$100 for parking in a posted bus stop, and $300 for a first offense in a disabled parking space

To contest a civil ticket, you pay a $25 hearing fee, refunded if you’re found not responsible for all its violations.

Operating under the influence

A first conviction for operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs carries a $500 to $5,000 fine, up to 2½ years in jail and a one-year license suspension. A second brings $600 to $10,000, at least 30 days in jail and a two-year suspension.

Sources: Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles and 1 more. Checked November 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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