A first OUI in Massachusetts is generally classified as a misdemeanor.
Jail: none – 2.5 years (house of correction)
Fine: $500–$5,000 (plus assessments/fees; 24D route costs ≈$1,600 in fines and fees)
License suspension: 1 year; hardship: after 3 months (work/education)
Ignition interlock: Not required at this level — Required as hardship-license condition if BAC was 0.15+.
Alternative disposition: Section 24D disposition: typical first-offense outcome — continuance without a finding or guilty filing, 1–2 years probation, 16-week driver alcohol education program, license suspension reduced to 45–90 days, ≈$1,600 fines/fees.
Most first offenders resolve via 24D, not the statutory maximums.
Lookback period: lifetime. Melanie's Law (2005) imposed a lifetime lookback — all prior OUIs count regardless of age. A prior >10 years old can restore eligibility for a second-chance 24D-style disposition ('Cahill' disposition) at the court's discretion.
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