Massachusetts Junior Operator License (JOL): How to Get It at 16 1/2

What is a junior operator license?

Any driver between 16 1/2 and 18 is a junior operator, and the Junior Operator Law sets extra requirements and restrictions for that age group. The law lets the registrar issue a junior operator's license to a minor under 18 who has reached 16 1/2. The RMV lists the JOL steps on top of the standard driver's license steps, so a teen meets those standard steps plus the items below.

What a teen must do before the Class D road test

• Hold a valid learner's permit for at least 6 consecutive months. Any suspension invalidates the permit, and the 6 months start again when the suspension ends. The question on the permit and clean-record period tests this rule.
• Keep a clean driving record for at least 6 consecutive months before the road test.
• Finish a driver's education program. It is required for every Class D or M applicant under 18.
• Complete at least 40 more hours of supervised, behind-the-wheel driving, shown by a certified statement from a parent or guardian. The question on additional supervised driving covers the 40-hour rule.
• Have a parent or guardian take 2 hours of instruction in the driver's education course, unless they finished one in the past 5 years.
• Have the teen and a parent or guardian sign the license application.

What counts as a clean driving record?

Under 18, the clean record must cover the 6 consecutive months right before the date you apply for the road test. That means no surchargeable incidents, such as at-fault crashes and moving violations, and no conviction for an alcohol-related or drug-related violation. Under the law, a violation that is continued without a finding or placed on file counts as a conviction.

1. 1
   Finish every JOL requirement first

   Under 18, you must meet all junior operator requirements, including driver's education, before the Class D road test.

2. 2
   Log in and book online

   Class D road tests must be booked online with a MyMassGov Personal account. Tests are scheduled 60 days in advance and fill up quickly.

3. 3
   Have your parent or guardian complete the consent

   Under 18, a parent or guardian completes the parental consent section of the road test application.

4. 4
   Line up a sponsor and a car

   Bring a valid learner's permit, a sponsor and the completed application. Without a sponsor, you will not be given a Class D road test. Unless a driving school schedules your test, bring your own registered car with a current inspection sticker that can pass a safety check.

5. 5
   Pay the fee and take the test

   The road test fee is $35. You can pay it and the license fee when you schedule or after the test.

Who can be your road test sponsor?

A sponsor must be 21 or older, have at least 1 year of driving experience and hold a valid driver's license from their home state. Holders of foreign driver's licenses cannot be sponsors. A driving instructor can sponsor a road test only if the school is certified. The guide to the Massachusetts road test covers the test day.

Road test fee, cancellations and retests

• The $35 road test fee is not refunded after a fail, a no-show, or a cancellation or reschedule with less than 72 hours notice.
• After a failed test, wait 2 weeks (the Driver's Manual says at least 14 days) before another test.
• You can attempt no more than 6 Class D road tests in a 12-month period.

What happens after you pass?

After a pass, once the fees are paid and any needed proof of lawful presence is shown, your permit immediately serves as your temporary driver's license until the permanent license arrives by mail. The Driver's Manual says the temporary license is valid up to 60 days, unless the permit expires before that. If the permanent license does not arrive within 30 days, call the RMV Contact Center. If you did not prepay, you have only 60 calendar days from the pass date to apply for the license at an RMV Service Center, or you must take the test again.

Main limits on a junior operator license

• Night driving: no driving from 12:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. unless a parent or legal guardian is with you.
• Passengers: for the first 6 months, no passenger under 18 who is not an immediate family member, unless a licensed driver who is 21 or older with at least 1 year of experience sits beside you.
• Phones: a driver under 18 may not use any mobile phone or mobile electronic device while driving, hands-free included. The only exception is to report an emergency.
• Commercial vehicles: no driving a vehicle that needs a commercial driver's license.
• Penalty: breaking the passenger or night rule means a 60-day suspension for a first offense, 180 days for a second and 1 year for a third or later offense. The full list is in the guide to JOL restrictions in Massachusetts.

When do the junior operator limits end?

The JOL limits apply to all junior operators, and junior operator status covers ages 16 1/2 to 18. Every license of a driver under 18 carries the Junior Operator restriction (code letter I). The passenger limit can end sooner: when you finish the 6-month period (or the part that applies to you) or reach 18, whichever comes first. A suspension during the JOL years delays a full license until the suspension ends and you reach 18.

Massachusetts junior operator license: common questions