Graduated License

The "Junior Operator License (JOL) Law" [Chapter 220 of the Acts of 1998] requires the state's youngest drivers to have more experience behind the wheel before a road test can be taken. The law is a "graduated license law" in that a new, young driver starts out with restrictions that are removed as the driver advances from the "learner's permit" phase through the "junior operator license" phase into a "full license." A JOL provides for restrictions for a period of time after the junior operator license is obtained and provides "enhanced penalties" for certain motor vehicle offenses committed by junior operators, such as speeding and racing and those involving alcohol or drugs. Operators over the age of 18 but under the age of 21 are also subject to special penalties if alcohol or drugs are involved. A driver ceases to be a junior operator when he or she turns age 18, although penalties will still apply for offenses committed while a junior operator.

The questions and answers contained in this material were prepared by the Legal Counsel's Office of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) to provide assistance to young drivers, their parents, members of the law enforcement community, Driver Education Instructors and RMV employees. Although the RMV obviously cannot prepare an answer for every potential question that may be raised concerning the law, we believe that the answers that have been provided represent fair, logical and detailed responses to the types of questions that we find are asked most frequently. The responses have been prepared based upon a careful reading of the provisions of the law and the inferences to be drawn from them. These responses represent the RMV's opinion of the relevant provisions of this law. The new questions and answers contained in this document supplement previous material relating to the JOL law. To the extent that a revised answer is provided for a question contained in an earlier version, the revised answer is intended to supersede the previous answer.

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