Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle

In Massachusetts, under MGL c. 90 s. 34J, operating an uninsured motor vehicle carries the following potential penalties:

• 1 year in jail
• $500 fine (minimum) up to $5,000 fine
• 60 day license loss (mandatory)*

*A subsequent conviction for this offense carries a mandatory 1- year license loss.

If you have been charged with this offense, chances are you did not even know your insurance had lapsed. We see this scenario all the time. Unfortunately, it is your responsibility to make sure that your motor vehicle is insured at all times, and lack of knowledge is not a defense. However, it may be a mitigating factor in working out a deal with the prosecution. If you are able to resolve your insurance issue, and provide proof that you’ve remedied the issue, this may not fully excuse the fact that you operated with an uninsured motor vehicle but it will certainly help to resolve your case favorably. We have successfully worked to have this charge dismissed on several occasions. As there are various types of dismissals available in the district courts of Massachusetts, it is important that you consult with a skilled criminal defense attorney who can work out the best deal in your particular situation. Not all types of “dismissals” are truly dismissed, and many types can even come back to bite you several years, or even decades, later.

If you have been charged with operating an uninsured motor vehicle in Massachusetts, contact our office immediately:(617) 830-2188

Please visitour sister website, massduidefenselawyer.com, which is dedicated exclusively to motor vehicle crimes.