What is the penalty if you are convicted of falsifying your drivers license or presenting someone elses drivers license as if it were your own Massachusetts?

The Massachusetts Registry’s Special Investigations Unit suspends licenses when it discovers license fraud. If the Massachusetts State Police Compliance Unit or the Registry of Motor Vehicles Enforcement Services Division determines that a person made false statements to obtain a Mass. driver’s license or Registry Identification Card, the RMV will automatically suspend all licenses involved in the transaction and schedule a hearing before the Special Investigations Unit.

Providing false information to obtain a driver’s license or Massachusetts ID Card is a felony, as is fraudulently procuring a license or ID card. This is a very serious matter and it can result in criminal prosecution. The Massachusetts False License Law provides for a sentence of up to 5 years in State Prison.

There is absolutely no way to clear a Massachusetts License Fraud suspension without appearing before the Registry’s Special Investigations Unit. At that hearing, you must explain the license fraud to the hearing officer,’s satisfaction and prove your true identity.

If the Registry suspends or revokes your driver’s license or right to operate, the Registry will not grant you work license or any hardship relief. The Registry does not hear hardship appeals for fraudulent license suspensions.

Fortunately, however, the RMV Board of Appeal does entertain suspension appeals for license fraud suspensions. I have been very successful in obtaining 12 hour work licenses and full license reinstatements in these cases. If I agree to take you on as a client, chances are very good that you will be getting relief from the Board of Appeal and your “Comp. Fraud Lic/Id” suspension will be either reduced to “time served,” or you will be granted a full license.

Whether you get early relief or not, you will be required to take a full written examination, obtain a learner’s permit, and schedule a road test. You will have to pay a $500.00 reinstatement fee and a $100.00 new license and road test fee. Whenever you get your license back, in the form of a full license or a Cinderella license, you will have to present all required documentation to the Registry, as if you never had a license before.

Every year students will find a way to get their hands on a fake ID that they can use to buy alcohol or gain access to the local nightclub or bar.

Every year the police ramp themselves up in college towns across America to find these students and charge them with being a minor purchasing alcoholic beverages and will confiscate these IDs when they make the arrest.

Others will find themselves in bars when the police enter to check IDs.

Then the problems begin.

The wise student has in their possession false identification that belongs to someone else and has another picture and someone else's information on it.

They will explain to the police that they have an ID and show the correct identification to the police, and will explain that they have "found" or are in possession of someone else's identification because they intend on returning it.

As a former Boston Police Officer, I have heard every story and I can equally assure you that the local police have as well.

Now there are places where individuals, who are under 21, can get their picture on an out-of-state license. These "licenses" will include almost all of the individual's correct information but will instead show a birthdate that lists them as 21 years of age or older. These licenses, or false identification, will serve their purpose until the police look at them.

In these cases, you will likely face charges and will not have the benefit of a defense in a Boston courthouse that you were "holding it for someone else who lost it."

Massachusetts Fake ID Law

Under Massachusetts laws, the punishment for using a fake ID is a $300 fine which is included in your criminal record. The court will notify the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, which will inform your home that your driver's license is being suspended for 180 days.

Most students mistakenly think they can pay and walk out of court without mom and dad knowing anything. Now that's a problem for most students and others under 21 (and their parents).

Here's our advice to students:

If and when you are arrested or summonsed to court for a fake ID, be smart and have an attorney with you. The first trip to the courthouse is important. You want someone who can try to stop the process at the initial hearing with a fine, community service, and/or an alcohol program (mandated by courts). We will also head the problem off before they send notice to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. Be aware that some police departments have policies that mandate that the officer transmit the information to the Registry when they arrest you.
If you have already been notified that your license is to be suspended, contact an attorney to appeal the ruling as you may be eligible to get a "Cinderella License" that will allow you to drive for twelve hours a day.
Contact us at (617) 300-0212, so we can assist you in trying and preventing a criminal record and the subsequent loss of license. We can also help you at the Registry Hearing, where the Board will decide whether you meet the requirements for a twelve-hour license or not. You are not entitled to a twelve-hour license, which is where an experienced attorney can help make sure you get one granted to you. For more information, request a complimentary and confidential consultation.

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Having the fake ID was your first mistake, and using it was your second. Not hiring an experienced attorney will be your third. Let us help you today!

Fake ID Law and Definition

It is a felony to be convicted of creating, stealing, or obtaining a fake Massachusetts learner’s permit, driver’s license, RMV ID card, registration or inspection sticker. It is also a felony to be convicted of falsifying any stamps or signatures issued by the motor vehicle registry or deputy registrar. Additionally, it is a felony to be convicted of impersonating someone applying for a license or learner’s permit or to use a name other than your own to obtain a license or learner’s permit.

Misdemeanor charges apply if a person is charged with transferring, altering, or defacing a license, or who “makes, uses, carries, sells or distributes a false identification card or license of another person, or furnishes false information in obtaining such card or license.”

Possible Penalties

If convicted of felony charges, a person faces potential imprisonment of up to five years, a one-year license suspension, and/or fines. If convicted of misdemeanor charges, a person faces fines of up to $200 and potential imprisonment for up to three months. Furthermore, being charged with possession of a false ID can result in your license being suspended / revoked in addition to having a criminal record.

Generally, those charged with possession of a fake ID are young adults under the age of twenty one. Thus, in addition to the possible penalties listed above, individuals convicted of possession of a Fake ID may run into additional problems with his or her school or university.

False Identification Defense Representation at the Greater Boston Law Firm of Altman & Altman, LLP

For over 40 years, the Greater Boston Law Firm of Altman & Altman, LLP has been providing outstanding legal representation to clients throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Our experienced MA Fake ID Defense Lawyers understand that facing charges is a confusing and frightening experience for those involved. Our experienced Boston Defense Attorneys will stand by your side throughout the entire process and will fully explain your rights in order to give you peace of mind. We have the experience necessary to handle every aspect of your matter – including attending School Disciplinary Hearings and College / University Proceedings.

Through our team of attorneys’ collective knowledge, experience and courtroom expertise, we provide our clients with legal advice of the highest quality. Our Boston Defense Lawyers are seasoned litigators who will aggressively defend your rights in court. In addition, with offices conveniently located in Cambridge and Boston, our MA Fake ID Lawyers have the ability to meet with clients face to face to discuss their legal matters.

If you or a loved one is facing charges relating to a fake ID in Massachusetts, please Contact the Greater Boston Law Firm of Altman & Altman, LLP to schedule a Free Initial Consultation with one of our attorneys. During this free consultation, our skilled Defense Lawyers will explain your legal options and will field any questions you may have. We are available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week – including evenings and weekends. Please contact Altman & Altman at 617.492.3000 or 800.481.6199 toll-free, or Contact Us Online for a free consultation. All consultations are completely confidential.

Massachusetts Criminal Defense
Lawyer Specializing in DUI

Massachusetts Fake ID Penalties

Boston False Driver's License Lawyer

There are many different scenarios that can lead to the charge most commonly known as "possessing a fake ID." This particular charge can stem from falsifying a signature or otherwise altering any state-issued identification card, registration, operator's license, learner's permit, inspection sticker, or registrar's stamp, OR possessing such altered document. This charge most commonly arises when a person under 21 years old has a "fake ID" in order to procure alcohol or enter a 21-and-over bar or nightclub, or in the case of a person who makes such falsified identifications for use by people under 21 years of age. It may seem like a minor "kids will be kids" misdemeanor, but that's far from how the Commonwealth prosecutes these offenses. This charge is a felony. It carries up to five years in prison and a $500 fine. A conviction will also carry a mandatory 1 year license loss from the RMV. A person convicted of creating such documents with the intent to distribute them, after having been found in possession of at least 10 of such falsified documents, faces up to 10 years in state prison. This is a felony that could have life-long consequences, especially if you are convicted. Make sure that you contact a skilled criminal defense attorney ASAP to protect your legal interests.

If you have been charged with possession of a fake ID, or any other crime in Massachusetts, contact my office immediately:

(617) 830-2188