Driving Tests

Massachusetts Junior Operator Penalties: Speeding and Suspensions

informational·how to guide·Published July 2, 2026

What happens if you get a speeding ticket on a Massachusetts learner's permit or junior operator license?

The RMV suspends it. A first speeding offense before age 18 brings a 90-day suspension for a learner's permit or a junior operator license (JOL). A JOL holder also pays a $500 reinstatement fee, takes a Driver Attitudinal Retraining Course and SCARR, and passes the learner's permit exam and road test again. A permit holder pays $100 and reapplies for the permit.

Where the Massachusetts junior operator penalties come from

The penalty tables come from the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) page on junior operator violations. The JOL passenger and night rules are in M.G.L. chapter 90, section 8, the permit rules in section 8B and the phone rule for drivers under 18 in section 8M. The alcohol rules and the fee range come from the Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026). All fees can change. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Massachusetts RMV (mass.gov/rmv) before you drive.

Who gets junior operator penalties in Massachusetts

Junior operators are drivers between 16 ½ and 18. You are subject to all driver's license suspensions, and the Junior Operator Law and the Safe Driver Law add penalties for certain violations. If you accept responsibility for, or are found responsible for, a listed violation before your 18th birthday, the RMV suspends or revokes your learner's permit or JOL. All junior operator suspensions are mandatory by law.

Learner's permit penalties before age 18 (fees in U.S. dollars)

Learner's permit penalties before age 18 (fees in U.S. dollars)
Violation	1st offense	2nd offense	3rd offense
Driving without a licensed driver 21 or older beside you (s. 8B)	60 days; $100 reinstatement fee; reapply for permit	180 days; $100 fee; retraining course; reapply for permit	1 year; $100 fee; reapply for permit
Driving between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. (ss. 8B and 10)	60 days; $100 fee; reapply for permit	180 days; $100 fee; retraining course; reapply for permit	1 year; $100 fee; reapply for permit
Speeding (ss. 17, 17A and 18)	90 days; $100 fee; reapply for permit	1 year; $100 fee; reapply for permit	Same as 2nd offense
Drag racing (s. 17B)	1 year; $500 fee; retraining course and SCARR; reapply for permit	3 years; $1,000 fee; retraining course and SCARR; reapply for permit	Same as 2nd offense
Phone or mobile device use (s. 8M)	60 days; $100 fee; $100 fine; retraining course; reapply for permit	180 days; $100 fee; $250 fine	1 year; $100 fee; $500 fine
Negligent operation and injury from mobile phone use (s. 24)	$500 fee (the Driver's Manual lists 180 days)	$500 fee; reapply for permit (the manual lists 1 year)	Same as 2nd offense

Junior operator license (JOL) penalties before age 18

Junior operator license (JOL) penalties before age 18
Violation	1st offense	2nd offense	Later offenses
Passenger restriction, first 6 months (ss. 8 and 10)	60 days; $100 fee	180 days; $100 fee; retraining course	1 year; $100 fee; retraining course; permit exam and road test
Driving between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. (ss. 8 and 10)	60 days; $100 fee	180 days; $100 fee; retraining course	1 year; $100 fee; retraining course; permit exam and road test
Speeding (ss. 17, 17A and 18)	90 days; $500 fee; retraining course and SCARR; permit exam and road test	1 year; $500 fee; retraining course and SCARR; permit exam and road test	Same as 2nd offense
Drag racing (s. 17B)	1 year; $500 fee; retraining course and SCARR; permit exam and road test	3 years; $500 fee; retraining course and SCARR; permit exam and road test	Same as 2nd offense
Operating to endanger, reckless or negligent operation (s. 24)	180 days; $500 fee	1 year; $500 fee; permit exam and road test	Same as 2nd offense
Phone or mobile device use (s. 8M)	60 days; $100 fee; $100 fine; retraining course; reapply for permit (the manual adds a road test)	180 days; $100 fee; $250 fine	1 year; $100 fee; $500 fine
Negligent operation and injury from mobile phone use (s. 24)	180 days; $500 fee	1 year; $500 fee; permit exam and road test	Same as 2nd offense

How a JOL suspension changes the passenger and night limits

A suspension or revocation during the first 6 months of your JOL extends the 6-month passenger restriction. The night limits differ by stage: a permit holder under 18 may not drive from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. without a licensed parent or legal guardian, and a JOL holder may not drive from 12:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. without a parent or legal guardian. Between 12:30 and 1 a.m. and between 4 and 5 a.m., police enforce the JOL night rule only after a lawful stop for another offense. The guide to JOL restrictions has the full passenger rules.

The extra suspension under section 24P

M.G.L. chapter 90, section 24P(b) adds a 180-day suspension, on top of the table penalties, for a first conviction and one year for each later one. It applies to a junior operator under 18 convicted of operating to endanger, reckless or negligent operation, leaving the scene of an accident, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, or driving on a bet or wager or to set a record. The Driver's Manual adds OUI, OUI with serious bodily injury, drinking from an open alcohol container, loaning your license or permit, and motor vehicle homicide. It does not apply if you already got an extra suspension for a failed or refused breath test.

Turning 18, alcohol and phone tickets: what changes

You turn 18 before the suspension ends

You still serve the full suspension. After a JOL suspension, the RMV cannot issue a full license until the whole term is served, whatever your age.

You are under 21 and drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.02 or more

Massachusetts has a zero-tolerance law: you lose your license. The criminal standard is a BAC of 0.08 for all drivers, but drivers under 21 face administrative penalties at a BAC as low as 0.02. Practice the under-21 BAC rule with a free practice question.

You are under 18 and fail a chemical test

Your license is suspended for 30 days plus one year under section 24P. For a first OUI case, the one year can drop to 180 days when you enter an alcohol education program approved by the Department of Public Health.

You get a third phone offense under 18

A first or second section 8M offense is not a surchargeable incident for car insurance. A third or later offense is.

How to get your permit or JOL back after a suspension

1
Serve the full suspension
Wait until the whole suspension period ends. You cannot drive during it.
2
Complete the required course
Take the Driver Attitudinal Retraining Course or the State Courts Against Road Rage (SCARR) program when the table lists it.
3
Reapply or retest
When the table says "reapply for permit", reapply for your permit; the learner's permit guide has the steps. When the table lists the permit exam and road test, pass both again.
4
Pay the reinstatement fee
Reinstatement fees range from $100 to $1,200, depending on the violation. Most are $100, and fees can change.

Phone rules for Massachusetts drivers under 18

Under section 8M, a driver under 18 may not hold or use a phone, a hands-free phone or a mobile electronic device while driving on a public way.
Emergency use is a defense: use to report a disabled vehicle, a need for medical help, police, fire or other emergency service for the safety of the driver or a passenger, or a crash or disabled vehicle on the road. Check yourself on the under-18 phone rule.

Key takeaways

A first speeding offense before 18 brings a 90-day suspension on a Massachusetts permit or JOL; a JOL holder also retakes the permit exam and road test.
Section 24P adds 180 days, or one year for a later offense, for serious offenses such as operating to endanger.
Suspensions are mandatory, with no hardship license, and you serve the full term even after you turn 18.
Reinstatement fees range from $100 to $1,200.
Next step: practice the rules of the road on the free Massachusetts Class D learner's permit practice test.

Massachusetts junior operator penalties: common questions

Will my parents find out if my permit or JOL is suspended in Massachusetts?

Yes. The RMV must send the notice of suspension to you and to your parent or guardian, unless you are an emancipated minor. For a JOL suspension, the law says the parent or guardian gets a separate notice.

How many times do I have to take the SCARR course?

Only one time. The RMV tables list the State Courts Against Road Rage (SCARR) course for drag racing on a permit and for speeding or drag racing on a JOL. A junior operator has to complete SCARR one time only, even after a second offense in these rows.

Can I drive while my permit or JOL is suspended if I need to get to work?

No. Junior operator suspensions are mandatory by law, and junior operators cannot get a hardship license. You must serve the full suspension, meet the reinstatement requirements and pay the fee before you drive again.

Does a phone ticket on a Massachusetts permit raise my car insurance?

Not for a first or second offense. Under section 8M, a first or second phone offense by a driver under 18 is not a surchargeable incident on a car insurance policy. A third or later offense is surchargeable, and it also brings a one-year suspension and a $500 fine.