MA permit test 2025

Not wearing a safety belt

$25

Three-second rule

Minimum safe distance behind a regular car in moderate traffic and good conditions

Four-second rule

Approximate safe distance for following a motorcycle—in general, keep more than a car

Fine for tailgating

Up to $100

It takes _ of a second to react and hit the brakes

3/4

If you have antilock brakes, never

Pump the brakes

Must use headlights when (7 things)

- from one half-hour after sunset from one half-hour before sunrise

- you cannot clearly see people 500 ft ahead

- you use your windshield wipers

- rain, snow, fog, etc

- trouble seeing other vehicles

- to alert another driver to turn them on

- while driving through a tunnel

Lower high beams when

Within 500 ft of an oncoming vehicle or 200 ft of a vehicle ahead of you

Request a hearing

$25

Responsible if you don't respond to a citation in

20 days

Speeding violation

$105 for the first 10mph over, $10 extra for every next mph

Speeding in a work zone

Fine is doubled

3 speeding violations within 12 months

30 day suspension; period begins when you pay or are found guilty

3 surchargeable events within 2 years

May be suspended, Driver Retraining Course

7 surchargeable events within 3 years

60 day suspension

Habitual traffic offender

4 year suspension, $500 reinstatement; definition: 3 major moving violations or any 12 moving violations within a 5-year period

Fake ID

6 months suspension

Out-of-state suspension

$100 reinstatement

Driving without a licensed driver, JOL, first offense PERMIT

- 60 days

- retake exam

- $100

Driving without a licensed driver, JOL, second offense PERMIT

- 180 days

- retake exam

- Driver Attitudinal Retraining

- $100

Driving without a licensed driver, JOL, third and subsequent offenses PERMIT

- 1 year

- retake exam

- $100

Driving during the night restriction, JOL, first offense PERMIT OR LICENSE

- 60 days

- retake exam

- $100

Driving during the night restriction, JOL, second offense PERMIT OR LICENSE

- 180 days

- retake exam

- Driver Attitudinal Retraining

- $100

Driving during the night restriction, JOL, third and subsequent offenses PERMIT OR LICENSE

- 1 year

- retake exam

- $100

Speeding, JOL, first offense PERMIT

- 90 days

- retake exam

- $100

Speeding, JOL, second and subsequent offenses PERMIT

- 1 year

- retake exam

- $100

Drag racing, JOL, first offense PERMIT OR LICENSE

- 1 year

- retake exam

- Driver Attitudinal Retraining

- possibly take SCARR

- $500

Drag racing, JOL, second or subsequent offenses PERMIT OR LICENSE

- 3 years

- retake exam

- Driver Attitudinal Retraining

- possibly take SCARR

- $1000

Use of mobile device, JOL, first offense PERMIT OR LICENSE

- 60 days

- $100 fine

- retake exam

- Driver Attitudinal Retraining

- $100

Use of mobile device, JOL, second offense PERMIT OR LICENSE

- 180 days

- $250 fine

- $100

Use of mobile device, JOL, third or subsequent offenses PERMIT OR LICENSE

- 1 year

- $500 fine

- $100

Negligent operation from phone use, JOL, first offense PERMIT OR LICENSE

- 180 days

- $500

Negligent operation from phone use, JOL, second and subsequent offenses PERMIT OR LICENSE

- 1 year

- retake exam

- $500

Speeding, JOL, first offense LICENSE

- 90 days

- retake exam

- Driver Attitudinal Retraining

- new road test

- $500

Speeding, JOL, second or subsequent offenses LICENSE

- 1 year

- retake exam

- Driver Attitudinal Retraining

- new road test

- $500

Driving recklessly/operating to endanger, first offense LICENSE

- 180 days

- $500

Driving recklessly/operating to endanger, second or subsequent offenses LICENSE

- 1 year within a 3-year period

- new exam

- new road test

- $500

Operating with a suspended or revoked license

- 60 days-1 year

- $500

Larceny

- 1-3 years

- $500

Leaving the scene of a crash if someone's injured

- 1-2 year suspension

- $500 reinstatement

- $1000 fine

- up to 2 years prison

Leaving the scene of a crash with property damage

- 60 days-1 year

- $500

- $200 fine OR two years prison, OR both

Leaving the scene of a crash causing death

- $5000 fine

- Up to 2.5 years jail or 10 state prison

Operating to endanger

- 60 days-1 year

- $500

Motor vehicle homicide

- 15 years-life

- $500

Vehicular manslaughter

- 15 years-life

- $500

Operating under the influence, first offense

- 1 year

- alcohol education course over 21: 45-90 days

- alcohol education course under 21: 210 days

- $500 reinstatement

- $500-5000 fine

- maximum 2.5 year prison term

Operating under the influence, second offense

- 2 years

- $700 reinstatement

- $600-10000 fine

- 30 days-2.5 year prison term

Operating under the influence, third offense FELONY

- 8 years

- $1200 reinstatement

- $1000-15000

- 150 day-5 year prison term

Operating under the influence, fourth offense FELONY

- 10 years

- $1200 reinstatement

- $1500-25000 fine

- 1 year-5 year prison term

Operating under the influence, fifth offense FELONY

- Lifetime

- 2-5 year prison term

- $2000-$50000 fine

Failing chemical test, over 21

30 day suspension or until the conclusion of the case, whichever is shorter

Failing chemical test, between 18 and 21

30 day suspension, and waivable 180 if it's your first

Failing chemical test, under 18

30 day suspension, and reducible one year to 180 days upon alcohol course

Refusing chemical test, no priors, over 21

180 days suspension

Refusing chemical test, 1 prior, over 21

3 years suspension

Refusing chemical test, 2 priors, over 21

5 years suspension

Refusing chemical test, 3 or more priors, over 21

Lifetime suspension

Refusing chemical test, no priors, 18 to 21

3 years + 180 days suspension

Refusing chemical test, 1 prior, 18 to 21

3 years + 180 days suspension

Refusing chemical test, 2 priors, 18 to 21

5 years + 180 days suspension

Refusing chemical test, 3 or more priors, 18 to 21

Lifetime suspension

Refusing chemical test, no priors, under 18

3 years + 1 year suspension

Refusing chemical test, 1 prior, under 18

3 years + 1 year suspension

Refusing chemical test, 2 priors, under 18

5 years + 1 year suspension

Refusing chemical test, 3 or more priors, under 18

Lifetime suspension

Ignition interlock device

Required after two or more OUI offenses

Leading threat to safety of pedestrians

The speed of vehicles

Fundamental speed law

you must never travel so fast it is not safe

Interstate route speed limit

50-65 mph

Smaller highway speed limit

55mph or lower

Turnpike speed limit

Minimum of 40mph

Boston Harbor tunnels speed limit

Minimum of 20mph

School zone speed limit

20mph

Thickly settled district speed limit

30mph unless signs say 25

Outside a thickly settled district speed limit

40mph

Highway outside a thickly settled district speed limit

50mph

Thickly settled district

Buildings are fewer than 200 ft apart for a distance of 1/4 of a mile or more

Signal at least __ before an exit ramp

500 ft

Signal your turn at least __ before the turn

100 ft

Signal your turn ON A HIGHWAY at least __ before the turn

500 ft

Don't make a u-turn if you or other drivers can't see __ away

500 ft

When passing, you should be able to see __ ahead of you

400 ft

First violation of not stopping behind a stopped school bus

$250 fine

You must not drive closer than __ behind a trolley letting people out

8 feet

You may not park within __ of an intersection

20 ft

Fine for parking on the turnpike

$15-100

You may not follow closer than __ behind an emergency vehicle

300ft

You may not park within __ of a fire

800ft

Failure to produce license or registration

$35 fine

You must report any crash that caused over __ of property damage

$1000

Stopping distance

Reaction distance + braking distance

Total stopping distance at 60mph

292 ft