What Qualifies You For a Hardship License?

If you have been arrested for OUI (Operating Under the Influence) in Massachusetts, there is a big chance that you will have your license suspended whether you are convicted or not. If you are convicted, you may have already spoken with your attorney about the possibilities of getting a hardship license that will give you the ability to get to and from work, school, and medical appointments. The requirements and qualifications for people who have been convicted of OUI and then be allowed to carry a Massachusetts hardship license (sometimes referred to as a “Cinderella license”) are rigid.

In order to maximize your chances of being approved for this license, you need to make sure that you are prepared with all of the required information and documentation, and that you are certain that you have covered all of the details before applying for your license through the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Take a look below at the different reasons that will qualify you for a Massachusetts hardship license.

Access to Public Transportation

Access to public transportation is not actually a reason for getting a hardship license on its own, but it is an important additional factor to each of the following circumstances. If you are requesting a hardship license for employment-related issues, but there is an MBTA stop that will take you directly to your work, you will need to explain how you are avoiding a hardship by being able to operate a vehicle. If public transportation isn’t an option, then this will only strengthen your case.

Educational Commitments

If you are taking educational courses, whether they are for an undergraduate degree, advanced degree, work-related certification, or some other type of course, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts generally considers this to be a very valid reason to require transportation. Otherwise, you may not be able to complete your education and therefore suffer the hardships that come with less education or fewer qualifications for advancement.

Not all classes or educational commitments will be considered as “avoiding hardship” by allowing you to operate a motor vehicle in order to get to them.

Employment Issues

If losing your license will cause hardship as a result of you being unable to get to and from work, this is another issue that the state of Massachusetts will consider a valid reason for a hardship license. You will need to show that you do not have access to work otherwise and that not being able to drive yourself to and from your place of employment will cause certain hardship for you, and possibly your family and any dependents as well.

Medical Appointments

If you have known medical issues and must attend routine medical appointments in order to maintain your health, this is the final reason that the state will entertain as a reason to grant a Massachusetts hardship license. The state understands that although a convicted OUI offender must serve their punishments for the crime, their health should not suffer as a result.

Completed Mandatory Minimum Suspension

If you believe that you meet the above qualifications for a hardship license, the other thing that you will need to do is complete the required suspension time for your OUI. Depending on how many OUIs you have been convicted of in your life, this can be anywhere between 6 months and 4 years. If you have been convicted of your fifth OUI in Massachusetts, you will be unable to ever get your license reinstated, and will be unable to apply for a hardship license either.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.