Key points
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. 73Drivers 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. 73Drivers 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. 69Drivers 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. 69The 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. 69Under 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. 74You 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. 74Using a false or altered license can bring a suspension of up to 6 months 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. 74Driving under the influence of marijuana is still a criminal offense, and the OUI penalties chart still applies to marijuana.
Source: Handbook p. 75
“operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana remains a criminal offense. The chart “Penalties for Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs” in this chapter STILL APPLIES TO MARIJUANA”
Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 75
Numbers to know
| Number | What it means | Manual |
|---|---|---|
| Under 21 | drivers covered by zero tolerance | Handbook p. 73 |
| 0.02 | BAC that triggers zero tolerance penalties | Handbook p. 73 |
| 2 times | higher alcohol crash rate for drivers under 21 | Handbook p. 73 |
| 30 plus 180 days, ages 18 to 21 | failed test suspension | Handbook p. 69 |
| 30 days plus 1 year, under 18 | failed test suspension | Handbook p. 69 |
| 90 days to 1 year | suspension for buying or possessing alcohol while underage | Handbook p. 74 |
| 180 days | suspension for buying or trying to buy alcohol while underage | Handbook p. 74 |
| 6 months or 1 year | suspension for a false license, without or with a conviction | Handbook p. 74 |
3 questions from the Massachusetts practice test
1. What is the lowest BAC threshold for Massachusetts's under-21 alcohol driving rule?
- 0.08 or higher
- 0.05 or higher
- 0.02 or higher
- Any BAC above 0.00
Show answer
0.02 or higher. Massachusetts sets the adult per se limit at 0.08 but has a zero tolerance law for anyone under 21: a BAC of 0.02 or higher brings penalties. Point zero five is not a Massachusetts threshold, and while the zero tolerance label suggests young drivers should not drink at all, the number written in the manual is 0.02 rather than any trace above zero. The manual adds that an under 21 driver caught with a BAC as low as 0.02 while driving will lose the license, and that drivers under 21 are twice as likely to be in alcohol related crashes.
2. A Massachusetts driver who is 19 fails a chemical test. What suspension applies?
- 30 days only
- 30 days plus an additional one year
- 30 days plus an additional 180 days
- Three years
Show answer
30 days plus an additional 180 days. Drivers age 18 to 21 who fail a chemical test lose the license for 30 days plus an extra 180 days under MGL chapter 90, section 24P. If this is the first OUI case, the 180 days can be waived by entering a Department of Public Health approved alcohol education program. Thirty days alone applies to drivers over 21. The extra full year applies to drivers under 18, and three years is a refusal period.
3. What suspension does a Massachusetts driver under 18 face for a chemical test showing 0.02 or higher?
- 30 days plus an additional one year
- 60 days
- Until age 21
- 30 days only
Show answer
30 days plus an additional one year. Massachusetts has a zero tolerance standard for drivers under 21, who face administrative sanctions for a chemical test with 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. For a first operating under the influence case, the one year can be reduced to 180 days upon entry into an approved alcohol education program. The added time is designed to get youths into alcohol education, whatever happens in court.
Practice this topic
Lock it in with alcohol and dui questions from the free Massachusetts practice test. Every answer comes with a plain English explanation.
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.