5.1 Civil Infractions, Criminal Violations & Speeding Fines
Key Takeaways
You have 20 days to pay a civil motor vehicle infraction or request a hearing, or you are found responsible and charged a late fee.
Requesting a hearing on a civil citation costs a $25 filing fee, refunded if you are found not responsible for all violations on the citation.
The minimum Massachusetts speeding penalty is $105, a $100 fine plus a $5 surcharge, with $10 more for each mph beyond 10 over the limit.
Driving 73 mph in a 55 mph zone costs $185: $105 for the first 10 mph over plus $80 for the next 8 mph.
Speeding fines are doubled in a posted work zone.
Driving in Massachusetts is a privilege, not a right. The RMV tracks three kinds of events on your driving record, and any of them can cost you your license:
- Civil motor vehicle infractions
- Criminal violations
- Crashes in which you are found more than 50 percent at fault
Penalties are often tougher for Junior Operators, drivers under 21, repeat offenders and CDL holders, and a single violation can bring more than one penalty: a fine, loss of license and jail.
Civil Motor Vehicle Infractions (CMVIs)
Civil violations, such as speeding or failing to obey traffic signals, are non-criminal and are usually settled by paying a fine.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deadline to respond | 20 days to pay the fine or request a hearing |
| Hearing filing fee | $25, paid to the RMV and refunded if you are found not responsible on all violations on the citation |
| Public safety surcharge | $5 added to every CMVI fine under M.G.L. chapters 89 and 90 |
| No response in 20 days | You are found responsible and charged a large late fee; not paying leads to suspension |
| Paying the fine | Means you accept responsibility for the violation |
The RMV records every moving violation on your driving record. Moving violations can raise your insurance rate and count toward suspensions (Section 5.2). Parking tickets are not CMVIs. The city or town that issued them handles them, but unpaid parking tickets will stop you from renewing your license or registration.
Speeding Fines
The lowest speeding penalty is a $100 fine plus the $5 public safety surcharge, which comes to $105. If you are more than 10 mph over the limit, add $10 for each mph beyond the first ten. By law, every speeding fine includes a $50 surcharge that goes to the Head Injury Treatment Services Trust Fund, which pays for treating head injuries. That $50 is already inside the amounts above, not added on top.
Worked Examples
| Speed / limit | Over by | Calculation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63 in 55 | 8 mph | First 10 mph covered by the minimum | $105 |
| 73 in 55 (the manual's example) | 18 mph | $105 + (8 x $10) | $185 |
| 50 in 30 | 20 mph | $105 + (10 x $10) | $205 |
| 41 in 20 school zone | 21 mph | $105 + (11 x $10) | $215 |
Work zones: speeding in a posted work zone doubles the fine. Speeding also counts toward the three-speeding-violations suspension (Section 5.2), and a Junior Operator's first speeding conviction brings a 90-day suspension (Section 2.3).
Criminal Violations
Criminal motor vehicle violations are serious offenses. Examples include operating under the influence (OUI), leaving the scene of a crash and driving with a suspended or revoked license. If you commit one:
- You may be arrested immediately.
- Your vehicle may be towed.
- Your license may be taken away.
- You may be held in jail until your court appearance.
A court sets any fine or prison term, and the RMV applies the suspension charts in Section 5.3.
Refusing to Identify Yourself
A police officer may arrest you, and you may face criminal charges, if you refuse to:
- Give your name and address
- Give the name and address of the vehicle's owner
- Show your driver's license
- Show a valid registration certificate
- Sign your name in front of the officer
Out-of-State Violations
Out-of-state violations affect your record as if they happened in Massachusetts.
- Do not ignore them. Failing to pay or appear in another state affects your Massachusetts license.
- Penalties can include immediate suspension until your obligations are met, reinstatement fees, higher insurance premiums, retraining classes and mandatory suspensions.
- The RMV applies Massachusetts suspension rules, which may be stricter than the other state's.
- To reinstate, prove you resolved the out-of-state matter and pay a Massachusetts reinstatement fee of at least $100.
Civil vs. Criminal at a Glance
| Feature | Civil infraction | Criminal violation |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Speeding, running a red light, failing to signal | OUI, leaving the scene, driving after suspension |
| Usual outcome | Fine plus a record and insurance entry | Arrest possible, court-set fine or jail, mandatory suspension |
| Your deadline | 20 days to pay or request a hearing | Court dates set by the court |
| Can it lead to suspension? | Yes: unpaid fines, repeated violations | Yes: most carry mandatory suspensions |
Scenarios
- Ticket for 70 in a 55 zone, and you think the radar was wrong: request a hearing within 20 days and pay the $25 filing fee, which is refunded if you are found not responsible on everything.
- You forget the ticket for a month: you are found responsible, charged a late fee, and your license is suspended if you keep ignoring it.
- Speeding ticket in New Hampshire: it counts on your Massachusetts record just like one at home.
You receive a civil motor vehicle infraction. How long do you have to pay it or request a hearing?
10 days
30 days
20 days
60 days
Using the manual's speeding formula, what is the fine for driving 73 mph where the limit is 55 mph?
$105
$255
$235
$185
Which statement about parking tickets is correct?
They add a surchargeable event to your driving record when paid
They become criminal violations if left unpaid for 20 days
They are civil infractions that the RMV processes like speeding tickets
They are not CMVIs, but unpaid ones block license renewal
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.