Massachusetts uses the term OUI, “operating under the influence,” for what other states call DUI or DWI. A first offense is a misdemeanor, and the way most first cases resolve looks different from the maximum sentence on the books. This article explains what the charge means, the penalties the law allows, how the common 24D disposition works, and what happens to a driver’s license along the way. It is one of the procedures covered in fighting a Massachusetts traffic ticket and related driving penalties.
What counts as an OUI in Massachusetts
The offense has two paths to a conviction. Under Mass. Gen. Laws c. 90, § 24, a person commits an OUI by operating a motor vehicle on a public way either with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or greater, or while under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs. The prosecution can proceed on the 0.08 number alone (the “per se” theory) or on evidence of impaired driving, so a case can move forward even without a breath-test reading.
The 0.08 threshold is not unique to Massachusetts. Driving at or above that level is illegal in every state except Utah, where the limit is 0.05, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents. The “public way” element matters: the statute reaches roads and places the public has a right to access, which includes most parking lots and private ways open to public use.
Criminal penalties for a first offense
A first-offense OUI conviction under c. 90, § 24(1)(a)(1) carries a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $5,000, imprisonment for up to two and one-half years in a house of correction, or both. Jail time on a first offense is uncommon; fines, fees, and probation are the usual result. The statute also imposes a mandatory $250 assessment that funds the Head Injury Treatment Services Trust Fund and a separate $50 assessment, neither of which a court can waive or reduce.
The 24D disposition: probation and alcohol education
Most first-time cases are resolved through the alternative disposition in c. 90, § 24D. A defendant who consents is placed on probation for up to two years and assigned to a Driver Alcohol Education Program, a course designed by the Department of Public Health. If the court finds it necessary, it can also require an alcohol or drug treatment program. In exchange, the license suspension drops to a range of 45 to 90 days instead of the full year that follows a straight conviction.
A first offense often resolves as a “continuance without a finding” (CWOF), where the defendant admits there are sufficient facts to convict, the case is continued, and the charge is dismissed after a successful probation period. A CWOF still counts as a prior offense if a person is charged with OUI again later.
Arrest and chemical test
An officer who has grounds to arrest for OUI takes the driver into custody and asks for a breath or blood test. The choice to take or refuse the test carries immediate license consequences that are handled by the Registry, separate from the criminal case.
Arraignment
The case opens in the District Court with an arraignment, where the charge is read and bail or release conditions are set. This is the first court date and typically follows soon after arrest.
Pretrial and disposition
At pretrial hearings the defense and prosecution exchange evidence and discuss resolution. A first offender who qualifies can request the 24D disposition and consent to probation and the education program.
Probation and reinstatement
After completing probation, the education program, and any required suspension, a driver sees a Registry hearings officer to be authorized for reinstatement and pays the applicable fees.
What happens to your license
License consequences run on a separate track from the criminal penalty, and more than one suspension can apply to the same arrest. A straight first-offense conviction suspends the right to operate for one year, according to the Registry’s alcohol and drug suspension schedule. Completing a court-assigned alcohol education program can shorten that period. Under a 24D disposition, the suspension is instead 45 to 90 days.
An ignition interlock device is not required on a first offense. Under Melanie’s Law, the interlock requirement applies to drivers with two or more OUI convictions or program assignments, as c. 90, § 24 and Registry policy set out. When suspensions stack, for example, a refusal suspension plus a conviction suspension, the Registry serves them consecutively, so the second does not begin until the first is fully served.
## Chemical tests and the implied consent law
Massachusetts is an implied-consent state: driving is treated as agreement to a chemical test if arrested for OUI. The consequences for a breath test are administrative and handled by the Registry, not the court.
Taking the test and registering 0.08 or higher carries a shorter penalty: a 30-day administrative suspension for a driver 21 or older, which the Registry lifts if the case is resolved under c. 90, § 24D. A refusal suspension is not automatically undone by a “not guilty” or dismissal on the underlying OUI; a driver in that situation can file a motion asking the court to order reinstatement.
## Hardship licenses for first offenders
A driver serving an OUI-related suspension may qualify for a hardship license, sometimes called a “Cinderella license,” which allows driving for a 12-hour window each day for a documented need such as work. Applying means attending a hearing at a Registry hearing site and bringing the documentation listed in the First Offense (24D) OUI Hardship License Criteria. Approval is discretionary, and the hardship license application process is handled by a hearings officer, not the court.
Reinstatement is not free. The Registry’s reinstatement fees, set under the motor vehicle statute, range from $100 to $1,200 depending on the offense and history. A first offender seeking a hardship license who registered a BAC of 0.15 or higher on a breath test can be required to install an ignition interlock device as a condition of that hardship license, even though the interlock is otherwise a multiple-offense requirement.
No. A first-offense OUI is a misdemeanor under c. 90, § 24. OUI becomes a felony in specific circumstances, such as a fourth or subsequent offense, or when the incident causes serious bodily injury or death under separate sections of the statute. They describe the same conduct. Massachusetts law uses “operating under the influence” (OUI), while other states use “driving under the influence” (DUI) or “driving while intoxicated” (DWI). The Massachusetts charge also covers “operating,” which courts read more broadly than “driving.” An OUI disposition, including a continuance without a finding, is recorded on the driving and court record and counts as a prior offense if a person is charged again. The Registry counts prior convictions and program assignments from any state when calculating later suspension periods, per its suspension rules. Timelines vary by court and county. A case begins with an arraignment shortly after arrest and moves through one or more pretrial hearings before a disposition. The administrative license consequences from a breath-test failure or refusal take effect immediately at arrest, well before the criminal case concludes. Refusing is not a crime in Massachusetts, but it carries its own 180-day administrative suspension for a first-time driver 21 or older, and that suspension is served on top of any suspension from a later conviction. The refusal and the criminal charge are decided separately, as the Registry explains.Frequently asked questions
Is a first-offense OUI a felony in Massachusetts?
What is the difference between OUI, DUI, and DWI?
Will a first OUI stay on my record?
How long does a first-offense OUI case take?
Can I refuse the breath test to avoid an OUI conviction?