Massachusetts § 24B - Stealing, forging or other falsification of learner's permit, operator's license, disability placard certificate of registration or inspection sticker; use or possession; penalties; suspension and reinstatement of license or right to operate motor vehicle

§ 24B. Stealing, forging or other falsification of learner's permit, operator's license, disability placard certificate of registration or inspection sticker; use or possession; penalties; suspension and reinstatement of license or right to operate motor vehicle

Section 24B. Whoever falsely makes, steals, alters, forges or counterfeits or procures or assists another to falsely make, steal, alter, forge or counterfeit a learner's permit, a license to operate motor vehicles, an identification card issued under section eight E, a special parking identification disability placard, a certificate of registration of a motor vehicle or trailer, or an inspection sticker, or whoever forges or without authority uses the signature, facsimile of the signature, or validating signature stamp of the registrar or deputy registrar upon a genuine, stolen or falsely made, altered, forged or counterfeited learner's permit, license to operate motor vehicles, certificate of registration of a motor vehicle or trailer or inspection sticker, or whoever has in his possession, or utters, publishes as true or in any way makes use of a falsely made, stolen, altered, forged or counterfeited learner's permit, license to operate motor vehicles, an identification card issued under section eight E, a special parking identification disability placard, certificate of registration of a motor vehicle or trailer or inspection sticker, and whoever has in his possession, or utters, publishes as true, or in any way makes use of a falsely made, stolen, altered, forged or counterfeited learner's permit, license to operate motor vehicles, certificate of registration of a motor vehicle or trailer or inspection sticker, and whoever has in his possession, or utters, publishes as true, or in any way makes use of a falsely made, stolen, altered, forged or counterfeited signature, facsimile of the signature or validating signature stamp of the registrar or deputy registrar, shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than five years or in jail or house of correction for not more than two years.

Whoever falsely makes, steals, forges or counterfeits a learner's permit, a license to operate motor vehicles, a special parking identification placard under section 2 or an identification card issued under section 8E with the intent to distribute such learner's permit, license to operate motor vehicles, a special parking identification placard under said section 2 or identification card shall be punished as follows: (i) for acts involving any combination of 5 or fewer learner's permits, licenses to operate, special parking identification placards under said section 2 or identification cards, by a fine of not more than $500 or by imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 1 year, or both such fine and imprisonment; (ii) for acts involving 6 to 10 such documents, by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 5 years or in the house of correction for not more than 21/2 years, or both such fine and imprisonment; (iii) for acts involving more than 10 such documents, by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 10 years, or both such fine and imprisonment.

Whoever falsely impersonates the person named in an application for a license or learner's permit to operate motor vehicles or a special parking identification placard under section 2, or procures or assists another to falsely impersonate the person named in such an application whether of himself or another, or uses a name other than his own to falsely obtain such a license, permit or placard or whoever has in his possession, or utters, publishes as true, or in any way makes use of a license or learner's permit to operate motor vehicles or a special parking identification placard under section 2 that was obtained in such a manner shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than five years or in a jail or house of correction for not more than two years.

A conviction of a violation of this section shall be reported forthwith by the court or magistrate to the registrar who shall suspend immediately the license or right to operate of the person so convicted, and no appeal, motion for new trial or exceptions shall operate to stay the suspension of the license or right to operate. The registrar after having suspended the license or right to operate in accordance with this paragraph shall not terminate such suspension nor reinstate the right to operate to such person until one year after the date of suspension following said conviction; provided, however, that if the prosecution against such person has terminated in his favor, the registrar shall forthwith reinstate his license or right to operate.