Acquiring a Massachusetts hardship license can be a big relief during the time when your driver’s license is suspended. While it is not quite the same as having a normal license with no restrictions, a hardship license will still allow you to get by on a day to day basis without having to rely too much on others for transportation.
Of course, simply applying for a hardship license does not guarantee that you will be granted one by the RMV. Your application will have to be approved based on a number of factors, including the information you present to the RMV hearings officer. To give yourself the best possible chance of success, you need to make sure you are fully prepared for your meeting.
If you are hoping to secure a Massachusetts hardship license, please review the content below, which highlights a few mistakes you’ll want to avoid.
Failing to Plan Ahead
You need to make sure that you are visiting an RMV Service Center which is actually going to be able to help you. Hearings are not offered at all RMV offices, so you will want to check before going to make sure you have picked an appropriate location. Also, once you have decided which location you will visit, you will want to confirm that you are going to be visiting during an appropriate time – and on an appropriate day. The hearing schedule will vary from location to location, so it is important that you plan ahead and arrange to visit an office at the correct time.
Not Bringing All Documentation
This is the big one. If you hope to be successfully approved for a hardship license, you are going to need to have all of the required documentation with you when you arrive for a hearing. If you fail to take this step, you might as well not take the time out of your day to visit an RMV office.
As a piece of advice, it would be a good idea to start working on your documentation well in advance of the day you plan to apply for a Massachusetts hardship license. If you wait until the night before you plan to make a trip to the RMV – or even until that morning – it is going to be harder to pull everything together successfully. This is an important application, and you don’t want it to fail just because you weren’t organized. Set aside some time a little bit in advance of your planned trip just to make sure you have everything you need to present a strong case.
Losing Your Patience
Depending on the customer volume at the office you choose to visit, you may need to wait for a period of time before you can have a hearing. This should be planned into your day, and you should do your best to arrive near the start of the scheduled time for hearings to hopefully be near the front of the line. If you lose your patience and give up on the process before you can even see it through, you obviously won’t be walking away with a Massachusetts hardship license.
It is important to keep in mind that receiving a hardship license while your driver’s license is suspended can do a lot of good for keeping your life on track. For instance, a Massachusetts hardship license may allow you to keep showing up for work on time each day, which is obviously quite important. Or, it may make it easier to get to regular medical appointments.
Whatever the case, the benefit of having a hardship license is worth waiting for, so be patient throughout the process.
Not Respecting the Restrictions of A Massachusetts Hardship License
Okay – so this last one is jumping ahead a bit. If you are approved for a Massachusetts hardship license, it is important that you respect the restrictions that are placed on that license. Specifically, you should only be using your license during the approved periods of time. It may be tempting to use the license during other times, thinking you won’t get caught, but that is just asking for trouble. You’ll quickly lose your hardship license if you violate your terms and conditions, and this whole process will have been a waste. If you are able to obtain a hardship license, be thankful for that opportunity and respect the rules.
The process of applying for a Massachusetts hardship license is not particularly complicated, but you do need to pay attention to the details along the way. Make sure you have all of your documentation in order, and make sure you are visiting the right RMV office on the right day and at the right time. Following all of the necessary steps doesn’t guarantee success, but it does give you the best possible chance.