Zero tolerance and under 21 alcohol laws

Key points

1. Any driver under 21 faces penalties for a BAC of 0.02 or higher.

   Source: Handbook p. 73

   “Massachusetts has a “zero-tolerance” law for drivers under 21. Any driver under 21 will face penalties for having a BAC of 0.02 or higher.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 73

2. Drivers under 21 are twice as likely to be in alcohol related crashes.

   Source: Handbook p. 73

   “Drivers under age 21 are twice as likely as other drivers to be involved in alcohol-related crashes.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 73

3. Drivers 18 to 21 who fail a test lose their license for 30 days plus an extra 180 days.

   Source: Handbook p. 69

   “Drivers age 18 to 21 License is suspended for 30 days, plus an additional 180 days”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 69

4. Drivers under 18 who fail a test lose their license for 30 days plus an extra 1 year.

   Source: Handbook p. 69

   “Drivers under age 18 License is suspended for 30 days, plus an additional one year”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 69

5. The extra suspension for young drivers is meant to get them into alcohol education.

   Source: Handbook p. 69

   “is designed to get youths charged with operating under the influence, or with having a BAC of 0.02 or higher, to undergo alcohol education.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 69

6. Under 21, buying alcohol, or carrying it without a parent or guardian, brings a 90 day to 1 year suspension.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “if you are under 21, it is illegal to... buy alcohol or have someone buy it for you possess, carry, or transport alcohol unless accompanied by a parent or guardian your license will be suspended for 90 days to one year for breaking either of these laws.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 74

7. You may not have an open alcoholic drink in the vehicle, even if someone else holds it.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “You may not have an open alcoholic drink inside your vehicle, even if someone else is holding it.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 74

8. Using a false or altered license can bring a 6 month suspension without a conviction, or 1 year with one.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “allows the RMV to suspend your license or right to operate in Massachusetts for up to six months. A conviction is not required. If you are convicted, your license will be suspended for one year.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 74

9. Driving under the influence of marijuana is still a criminal offense, and the OUI penalties apply.

   Source: Handbook p. 75

   “It is very important for all drivers of any age to note that operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana remains a criminal offense.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 75

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Massachusetts practice test

1. 1. What is the lowest BAC threshold for Massachusetts's under-21 alcohol driving rule?

   1. 0.08 or higher
   2. 0.05 or higher
   3. 0.02 or higher
   4. Any BAC above 0.00
   Show answer

   0.02 or higher. Massachusetts sets the adult per se limit at 0.08 but applies a zero tolerance standard to anyone under 21: a BAC of 0.02 or higher, roughly a single drink, brings penalties. Point zero five is not a Massachusetts threshold, and while the manual's intent is that young drivers not drink at all, the number written into the law is 0.02 rather than any trace. The under 21 driver also faces the officer taking the license on the spot and a notice of suspension that takes effect immediately.

2. 2. A Massachusetts driver under 18 is charged with OUI and refuses a chemical test. What additional suspension does the manual describe, and does winning the court case remove the alcohol education requirement?

   1. An additional 30 days, waived if the case is won
   2. No additional suspension, only the education course
   3. An additional one year suspension, and the alcohol education requirement remains even if the case is won
   4. An additional 180 days, waived on acquittal
   Show answer

   An additional one year suspension, and the alcohol education requirement remains even if the case is won. For drivers under 18, refusing the chemical test adds a full year of suspension, and the manual is explicit that the outcome of the court case does not matter: even a driver who wins still must complete the alcohol education course. Thirty days is not a figure the rule uses, the education requirement is not the only consequence, and the 180 day version applies to drivers who are 18 to 20, not to those under 18. The point of the design is treatment rather than punishment, which is why acquittal does not cancel it.

3. 3. What suspension does a Massachusetts driver under 18 face for a chemical test showing 0.02 or higher?

   1. 30 days plus an additional one year
   2. Six months
   3. Until age 21
   4. 30 days only
   Show answer

   30 days plus an additional one year. Massachusetts has a zero tolerance law for drivers under 21, who face administrative sanctions at a BAC as low as 0.02. Drivers age 18 to 21 lose the license for 30 days plus an additional 180 days, and drivers under 18 lose it for 30 days plus an additional one year, on top of any criminal OUI penalties at 0.08 or higher.

Source: the Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Chapter 3: Keeping Your License. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.